A-135 anti-ballistic missile system
Encyclopedia
Anti-ballistic missile
An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
system is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n military complex deployed around Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to counter enemy missiles targeting the city or its surrounding areas. It became operational during 1995. It is a successor to the previous A-35
A-35 anti-ballistic missile system
The A-35 anti-ballistic missile system, or A-35 Aldan, was a Soviet military battle management radar complex deployed around Moscow to intercept enemy missiles targeting the city or its surrounding areas. In development since the 1960s and in operation from 1971 until the 1990s, It featured the...
, and compliant with the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty was a treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on the limitation of the anti-ballistic missile systems used in defending areas against missile-delivered nuclear weapons....
from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2002.
The A-135 system attained "alert" (operational) status on February 17, 1995. It is currently operational although its SH-11 component is deactivated (as of February 2007). A newer missile is expected to replace it.
The system appears to be operated by the 9th Division of Defence against Missile Attack of the 3rd Missile-Space Defence Army of the Russian Space Forces.
Components
An integrated system, it is composed of:- 'Hen House' radars at Mishelevka (IrkutskIrkutskIrkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
), Olenegorsk, Sary ShaganSary ShaganSary Shagan is an anti-ballistic missile testing range located in Kazakhstan at coordinates .On 17 August 1956 the Soviet Council of Ministers authorized plans for an experimental facility for missile defense located at Sary Shagan, on the west bank of Lake Balkhash...
, Kamchatka and Abalakova, near KrasnoyarskKrasnoyarskKrasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia, with the population of 973,891. Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia's largest producers of...
.
- The PushkinoPushkino, Moscow OblastPushkino is a city and the administrative center of Pushkinsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Ucha and Serebryanka Rivers, northeast of Moscow...
Don-2NP (NATO reporting nameNATO reporting nameNATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
: 'Pill Box') large battle-management phased-array radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
with 360º coverage for the long-range interceptors supplementing the 'Dog House' and 'Cat HouseCat House radarThe Cat House Soviet radar system was part of the Soviet radar system originally based in the former Soviet Union, what is today Russia. The 'Cat House' system is a long range early detection radar built to detect American ballistic missiles fired at Moscow.-System:Cat House was one part of a...
' radars.(56°10′30"N 37°45′54"E )
- Two Daryal-type (NATO: 'Pechora') bistaticBistatic radarBistatic radar is the name given to a radar system which comprises a transmitter and receiver which are separated by a distance that is comparable to the expected target distance. Conversely, a radar in which the transmitter and receiver are collocated is called a monostatic radar...
phased-array early warning radarEarly warning radarAn early warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the defences the maximum time in which to operate...
s, deployed at PechoraPechoraPechora is a town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated on the Pechora River, near the northern Ural Mountains. Population: It is served by Pechora Airport and is affiliated with the nearby Pechora Kamenka military air base....
and Qabala radarQabala RadarThe Qabala Radar or Qabala Radar Station is a Daryal-type bistatic phased-array early warning radar, built by the Soviet Union in the Qabala district of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1985 located at...
in Qabala, Azerbaijan (40°52′14.6"N 47°48′09.6"E) Five other Daryal sites have never been completed.
- The ABM-3 phased-array short-range battle management radar, replacing the 'Try Add' radars.
- 16 launchers of long-range SH-11 'Gorgon' exoatmospheric interceptor missiles at two launch sites with eight missiles each (56°14′55.40"N 38°35′13.18"E and 55°20′49.70"N 36°28′59.08"E), originally designed with nuclear warheads. Comparable to LIM-49A SpartanLIM-49A SpartanThe LIM-49A Spartan was a United States Army anti-ballistic missile, whose warheads were developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It was a three-stage, solid-fuel surface-to-air missile that carried a W71 thermonuclear warhead with a lethal radius of up to 30 miles to intercept...
(at least in function).
- 68 launchers of short-range SH-08 'Gazelle'53T653T6 is a Russian anti-ballistic missile based upon the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system. It was designed in early 1980s and put in service in 1995....
endoatmospheric interceptor missiles at five launch sites with 12 or 16 missiles each, though designed originally with nuclear warheads. Designed by NPO NovatorNPO NovatorNPO Novator is a Russian company that designs long-range anti-aircraft missiles. It was established in 1947 as OKB-8 in Sverdlovsk , became independent in 1991, and then became part of the Almaz-Antey conglomerate...
, similar to US SprintSprint (missile)The Sprint was a two-stage, solid-fuel anti-ballistic missile, armed with a W66 enhanced radiation thermonuclear warhead. It was designed as the short-range high-speed counterpart to the longer-range LIM-49 Spartan as part of the Sentinel program. Sentinel never became operational, but the...
missile.
- Command, communications and intelligence services.
External links
- Globalsecurity.org, A-135 anti-ballistic missile system
- DON-2N photos