Russian air defense - prospects and challenges. Air defense - Russian air defense systems Reaction of Western "partners" to the development of the Russian aerospace defense

Military air defense formations are designed to cover troop groups and military logistics facilities, important state infrastructure facilities located in the area of ​​responsibility of the combined arms commander. In the context of the rapid development of aerospace attack means of the armies of foreign states, formations, military units and air defense units have become an integral integral part combined arms formations from the tactical to the operational-strategic level.

In the modern Armed Forces there are more than 90 formations, military units and air defense units. As the practical actions of the troops at the training grounds have shown, the level of training of soldiers and officers has increased significantly, especially in practical terms.

The basis of the military air defense weapon system is anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes (ZRS and SAM) "S-300V3", "Buk-M2", "Tor-M1", "Osa-AKM", "Tunguska-M1", MANPADS "Igla" . The main means of automated control are the Polyana-D4M1 automation equipment complex (CAS), designed to equip command posts of military districts, armies, anti-aircraft missile brigades in mobile and stationary versions, as well as a single CSA "Barnaul-T" - to equip units Air defense of individual motorized rifle (tank) brigades.

Reconnaissance means include mobile radar stations (radars) of the standby mode “Sky-SV”, “Sky-SVU” and combat mode “Ginger”, “Obzor”, “Dome”, as well as portable radars “Garmon”. Currently, research and development work is being carried out to create a new generation of air defense weapons. The basic areas of the technological basis of such work are microelectronics, computer science and robotics.

The modernization of the S-300V air defense system made it possible to increase the range of destruction of aerodynamic air targets to 400 km, covering areas from operational-tactical attacks and tactical missiles(OTR and TR) by 3-4 times, and the defeat of OTR and ballistic missiles medium range with a launch range of up to 3500 km.

The Air Defense Forces of the Air Force will soon receive a modified Buk-M2 complex, which, while maintaining the same number of combat weapons, will increase the number of simultaneously fired air targets for a division from 6 to 24, the area of ​​​​covered objects and troops - by 2.5 times, the possibility of hitting TR with launch range up to 150-200 km. Work is nearing completion on the creation of a new medium-range air defense system, which will be many times greater than its predecessor in terms of destruction range, number of simultaneously hit targets and destruction speed.

In 2011, the Air Defense Forces received a new modification of the Tor-M2U air defense system, which today is the only one in the world in terms of simultaneous firing of four air targets by one combat vehicle. Compared to the previous modification, it has 1.5 times increased parameters of the affected area in height, speed and heading parameter.

In the interests of developing the command and control system, work is underway to create new unified command and control systems at various levels of command and control of troops and weapons. At the tactical level, the brigade is being planned to equip it with sets of control equipment from the Barnaul-T KSA, which in terms of its main characteristics corresponds to, and in terms of maneuverability, security, interchangeability of control equipment, and the time it takes to set a mission, it exceeds its foreign counterparts. The time it takes for commands (information) to pass from the air defense chief of a brigade to an air defense missile system (SAM) combat vehicle is no more than 1 second.

DEFENSE FORCES ARMY

07.01.2016

Since 2015, the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces began using a new type of target missile in exercises that simulates high-speed targets. This was announced by the head of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov.
“To create a complex target environment during tactical live-fire exercises, the new Pincene target missile was used for the first time, simulating high-speed targets with the characteristics of modern air attack weapons,” explained Alexander Leonov.
The main advantage of this target missile, according to him, is the ability to “carry out full cycle fire control using automation tools.”
In addition, to objectively assess the combat performance of crews and the results of live firing, the Conglomerat-1P mobile control system was used. It provides digital video recording and processing of the flight trajectory of anti-aircraft guided missiles and artillery shells of short-range and short-range anti-aircraft systems.
In 2015, 65 tactical live-fire exercises of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces were planned and conducted. They were carried out at the Kapustin Yar and Ashuluk training grounds in the Southern Military District and the Telemba training ground in the Eastern Military District.
In total, more than 10 thousand military personnel, including 1.5 thousand officers, took part in the training events; up to 3.5 thousand units of weapons, military and special equipment were involved.
Department of Press Service and Information of the Ministry of Defense Russian Federation

25.12.2016


The military air defense (air defense) of the Russian Armed Forces conducted 120 exercises, during which 1043 target missiles were hit, the head of the air defense troops of the Russian Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, said on the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
The Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces (SV) of the Russian Armed Forces celebrate the anniversary of their formation on Saturday. The formation of military air defense units began with the order of the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army dated December 13 (26), 1915 on the formation of separate four-gun light batteries for firing at the air fleet. According to the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated February 9, 2007, the date of creation of military air defense is considered to be December 26.
“In total, 129 exercises were conducted in 2016,” Leonov said. He noted that during these exercises, 1,043 target missiles were destroyed.
RIA News

25.12.2016


Russia has begun the development of a new man-portable anti-aircraft missile system (MANPADS). Interfax reports this with reference to the head of the air defense of the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov.
“The development of a new MANPADS is underway,” Leonov said on the Ekho Moskvy radio station, adding that domestic MANPADS are now significantly superior to any foreign analogues.
Portable anti-aircraft missile system(MANPADS) - an anti-aircraft missile system designed to be transported and fired by one person. In Russia, the Igla and Verba MANPADS are in service. The Strela and Igla missile systems developed in the USSR were exported to dozens of countries around the world and are still actively used in armed conflicts.
https://lenta.ru

25.12.2016


Buk-M2 anti-aircraft missile systems will no longer be supplied to the Russian Ground Forces; re-equipment with Buk-M3 systems is underway.
This was announced by the head of the military air defense of the Russian Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov.
“There will be no more deliveries of Buk-M2 (to the Ground Forces). At the beginning of next year, retraining for the Buk-M3 complexes will begin,” he said on the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
TASS

Anti-aircraft missile system 9K317M "BUK-M3"


26.12.2016


Three new anti-aircraft missile brigades have been formed in two military districts, the head of the military air defense (air defense) of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, said on Saturday on the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
“The formation of our new connections continues. To date, three anti-aircraft missile brigades have been formed: one long-range anti-aircraft missile brigade in the Southern (military) district and two medium-range anti-aircraft missile brigades in the Southern and Eastern military districts,” Leonov said.
He noted that, in addition, military air defense units and formations are being re-equipped with new equipment.
“We are re-equipping the existing one air defense missile system and regiment. Seven anti-aircraft missile divisions have been re-equipped with the new Tor-M2 short-range complex, and a planned re-equipment of short-range systems is underway - the Strela-10MN anti-aircraft missile system and Verba MANPADS,” Leonov said.
RIA News

12.01.2017


According to the head of the air defense troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, the main efforts of combat training of military air defense in the past academic year were focused on organizing and conducting planned training of formations, military units and subunits in accordance with their mission.
In total, 129 tactical live-fire exercises were conducted in 2016. Of these, 98 are with anti-aircraft missile (anti-aircraft) units and units of military districts and the Northern Fleet and 31 are with units of the Airborne Forces.
At the same time, more than 50% of formations, military units and subunits were rated “good” and “excellent” based on the results of tactical exercises. The total consumption of missiles was more than 1000, ammunition - more than 40 thousand, target missiles - more than 1000.
Over 15 thousand military personnel were involved in the exercises, more than 3.5 thousand units of weapons, military and special equipment were involved.
During the exercise, several innovative approaches were tested for the first time.
Firstly, it is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to create a complex air situation that meets modern realities, as well as to monitor the actions of inspected formations, military units and subunits. For the first time, the Conglomerat-1P complex, which has no analogues in the world, was used to objectively assess the results of firing.
Secondly, during tactical live-fire exercises, they were widely used modern means automated control "Barnaul-T", which made it possible to significantly reduce the time for assessing the situation and making decisions.

13.01.2017


By the end of 2020, formations, units and air defense units of the Ground Forces will be re-equipped with anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) S-300V4 (long-range), Buk-M3 (medium-range) and Tor-M2 (short-range), anti-aircraft artillery systems and man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) of a new generation (short-range).
This was announced by the head of the air defense troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov.
In accordance with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the share of modern models of military air defense equipment included in the list of priorities and determining the appearance of promising weapons systems will be more than 70%.
The increase in combat strength and comprehensive re-equipment will lead to an increase in the combat capabilities of the air defense forces of the ground forces by almost two times (1.8 times), which will significantly increase the effectiveness of air defense.
As a result, a reliable air defense system will be created in all strategic directions to cover not only troop groups, but also important government facilities in the areas of responsibility.
Department of Information and mass communications Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

14.05.2017


Military air defense (air defense) specialists of the Ground Forces are being retrained for new types of weapons, this was stated by the head of the combat training department of the Ground Forces, Colonel Roman Benyukov.
“During the winter training period, specialists were trained for seven types of basic equipment. Today, the number of trained military personnel corresponds to the amount of new equipment received, which ensures its high-quality operation,” emphasized Colonel Roman Benyukov.
He also said that the main efforts of the military air defense of the Air Force were aimed at training junior specialists and retraining formations, military units and subunits on newest types weapons and military equipment(anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes S-300V4, "Buk-M2", "Buk-M3", "Tor-M2U", "Tor-M2", man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems "Verba"), and for missile forces and artillery in About 1.5 thousand people were trained in four training centers during the winter training period.
The created combat training system includes three areas: training of conscripted and contract military personnel and university students, added the head of the combat training department of the Army.

06.01.2018


In the interests of the Ground Forces, a universal mechanized training complex has been developed and is completing tests, intended for training military air defense units and testing promising air defense systems.
The complex created software and remotely controlled reusable targets that simulate a cruise missile, tactical UAV, jet aircraft and hovering attack helicopter.
The complex also allows you to create a dynamically changing air situation, such as a “star” raid, for practicing electronic and combat launches by air defense missile crews.


Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

09.01.2018


Based on the results of combat training in 2017, more than ten military air defense units of the Ground Forces were assigned honorary title"Punch".
About 90 tactical exercises were conducted with military air defense units of the Ground Forces in 2017, in which more than 14.5 thousand military personnel and more than 3.5 thousand weapons and special equipment took part.
The military air defense training centers of the Ground Forces have trained about 2 thousand junior specialists, of whom more than 250 are serving military personnel military service by contract.
In addition, in 2018 it is planned to equip with modern weapons and equipment, including: two military air defense formations - the Tor-M2 short-range anti-aircraft missile system; air defense units operating in the Arctic and Far North - the Tor-M2DT short-range anti-aircraft missile system; air defense units of combined arms formations - the Verba portable anti-aircraft missile system.
The systematic and annual increase in the combat strength of troops, the implementation of complete rearmament with modern anti-aircraft missile systems will make it possible by 2020 to increase combat capabilities air defense troops.
Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

09.03.2018


The air defense systems and complexes of the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces are capable of fighting all existing means of air attack; they have no analogues in the world, which is confirmed by their high competitiveness in the arms market, said Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces.
“The modern weapons of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces are in many ways superior to their predecessors and have no analogues in the world, which is confirmed by their high competitiveness in the arms market. According to their characteristics, the anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes in service with the branch of the armed forces are capable of combating all existing means of air attack,” Salyukov said in an interview with the newspaper of the Russian Armed Forces “Red Star”, published on the publication’s website on Wednesday.
He noted that now the air defense forces of the Ground Forces have received a new impetus for development. “New anti-aircraft missile formations have been formed, armed with the S-300V4 anti-aircraft missile system (the most long-range in its class of weapons, capable of hitting ballistic targets in the extra-atmospheric zone) and the Buk-M2 complex. Re-equipment is being carried out with the Buk-MZ and Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile systems and the Verba man-portable anti-aircraft missile system. Currently, the Armed Forces maintain two brigades of the Buk-M3 air defense system, two regiments and seven divisions of the Tor-M2 (M2U) air defense system and eight units of the Verba MANPADS,” the commander-in-chief said.
According to him, the prospect of further development of the armed forces lies in equipping them with the latest highly effective anti-aircraft missiles and artillery systems, in implementing the latest developments that will significantly increase the effectiveness of anti-aircraft weapons in the fight against modern air enemies, in increasing the level of combat training of troops, in improving the system for training highly qualified air defense specialists.
RIA News

06.01.2019


In 2019, military air defense units of the Ground Forces will receive five anti-aircraft missile systems and anti-aircraft missile systems. As part of the execution of the state defense order, manufacturing enterprises will transfer to the Russian Ministry of Defense a brigade set of S-300V4 air defense systems, divisional sets of BUK-M3 and TOR-M2 air defense systems.
The systematic and annual increase in the combat strength of the troops, the implementation of complete rearmament with modern anti-aircraft missile systems will make it possible by 2020 to increase the combat capabilities of the air defense forces by more than 1.3 times.
Russian Ministry of Defense

GROUND FORCES WILL RECEIVE S-300V4 AND BUK-M3 ANTI-AIRCY COMPLEXES IN 2019

AIR DEFENSE FORCES OF THE GROUND FORCES

Air Defense Forces (Air Defense Forces) are a branch of the Ground Forces, designed to cover troops and objects from the actions of enemy air attacks when combined arms formations and formations conduct operations (combat operations), perform regroupings (march) and are stationed on the spot. They are responsible for the following main tasks:
carrying out combat duty in air defense;
conducting reconnaissance of enemy air and alerting covered troops;
destruction of enemy air attack weapons in flight;
participation in the management missile defense in theaters of war.
Organizationally, the Air Defense Forces of the Army consist of military command and control bodies, air defense command posts, anti-aircraft missile (missile and artillery) and radio technical formations, military units and subunits. They are capable of destroying enemy air attack weapons in the entire range of altitudes (extremely low - up to 200 m, low - from 200 to 1000 m, medium - from 1000 to 4000 m, high - from 4000 to 12000 m and in the stratosphere - more than 12000 m) and flight speeds.

Formations, military units and air defense units of the Army are equipped with anti-aircraft missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, anti-aircraft gun-missile systems (systems) and man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems that vary in reach, channel and methods of missile guidance. Depending on the range of destruction of air targets, they are divided into short-range systems - up to 10 km, short-range - up to 30 km, medium-range - up to 100 km and long-range - more than 100 km.

Further development of the air defense forces of the ground forces is carried out by increasing mobility, survivability, secrecy of operation, degree of automation, fire performance, expanding the parameters of the affected area, reducing reaction time and weight-dimensional characteristics of anti-aircraft missile (missile and artillery) systems.

THE RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF MILITARY AIR DEFENSE

On December 26, 2015, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of military air defense (air defense). Exactly a century ago, in accordance with the order of the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief dated December 13 (26), 1915 No. 368, the formation of separate four-gun light batteries for firing at air targets began.
On the official website of the Russian Ministry of Defense, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces, a special information section “100 years of military air defense” was opened.
The section opens with congratulations to the personnel on the anniversary of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu.
The section is based on numerous historical documents and memories of military veterans about the stages of formation and development of the oldest special branch of the armed forces in the Armed Forces.
Currently, the basis of military air defense consists of formations, military units and air defense units of the Ground, Airborne Forces and coastal forces of the Navy. They are designed to conduct reconnaissance and repel enemy air attacks, protect troop groups and facilities from air strikes in all types of combat operations.
In the context of the rapid development of aerospace attack means of the armies of foreign states, formations, military units and air defense units have become an integral part of combined arms formations from the tactical to the operational-strategic level.
In 2015, 65 tactical exercises with military air defense formations and units with live fire were planned and conducted. They were carried out at the Kapustin Yar and Ashuluk training grounds on the territory of the Southern Military District and the Telemba training ground on the territory of the Eastern Military District.
In total, more than 10 thousand people were involved in the maneuvers, including 1.5 thousand officers and up to 3.5 thousand weapons, military and special equipment.
Currently, the planned re-equipment of formations, military units and military air defense units with new anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes “S-300V4”, “Buk-M2”, “Tor-M2U”, man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems “Verba” is underway. New complexes and systems have absorbed the best qualities of their predecessors and are capable of hitting both aerodynamic and ballistic targets, cruise missiles, aerial reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
In 2016, the first brigade set of the Buk-M3 medium-range anti-aircraft missile system is planned to be delivered to the Ground Forces.
For the period until 2020, the main directions for the development of military air defense are:
improving the organizational and staffing structures of military command and control bodies, formations, military units and air defense units of the Ground Forces in order to maximize the use of the combat capabilities of incoming and developed anti-aircraft missile weapons;
development of new generation air defense weapons and military equipment capable of effectively combating all types of air attack weapons, including those created on the basis of hypersonic technologies.
improving the system for training highly qualified personnel for military air defense, including junior specialists studying in specialized training centers of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces.
The most important task for the High Command of the Ground Forces is to train the main core of personnel for the Air Defense Forces - specialist officers.
Training of personnel for military air defense is carried out at the Military Academy of Military Air Defense of the RF Armed Forces named after Marshal Soviet Union A. M. Vasilevsky. Today, the Military Academy of Military Air Defense of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is a single educational and scientific center that provides multi-level training of air defense officers with the highest operational-tactical training and full military-special training for the air defense forces of the Ground Forces, Airborne Forces, coastal forces of the fleets, as well as other ministries and departments of the Russian Federation, as well as leading scientific research, training of scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel. The Academy has 17 departments, five faculties and a research center. The training of military specialists at the academy is carried out in 38 specialties.
In addition, the training of officers for military air defense is carried out at five military departments and in two military training centers at civilian universities.
Training of junior specialists is carried out in two training centers for air defense troops of the Ground Forces and two training centers for training air defense specialists from the training center according to 4-month training programs (including 1 month of combined arms training and 3 months of specialty training).
More than 4.5 thousand specialists are trained annually in 25 military accounting specialties.
Since 2014, for the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces, the training of reserve soldiers and sergeants has been carried out at military departments and military training centers in 5 higher educational institutions vocational education in 20 military registration specialties. Currently, over 1,300 people are undergoing training; from August 2016, the number of trainees will increase to 2,000 thousand.
As part of the International Army Games 2015, Russian air defense specialists took part in the “Masters of Anti-Aircraft Combat” competition, showed good results and took first place.
The “Masters of Anti-Aircraft Combat” competition was held in Yeisk, Krasnodar Territory, on the basis of the 726th training center of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces. 6 teams from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America took part in the competition, these are the Republic of Belarus, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the team of the Russian Federation.
Currently, the methods developed during the training of the team for the training of air defense troops specialists are actively being implemented and used in organizing and carrying out combat training activities.
In 2016, the name of the competition itself and its program changed. The competition will now be called “ Clear sky- 2016.” This is due to changes in team composition and weapons. In addition to the unit armed with man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, a unit armed with anti-aircraft installations caliber up to 25 mm. Also, the number of competitive disciplines has been increased. Teams will compete in the sprint (with shooting from MANPADS and ZU), the pursuit (with shooting from MANPADS and ZU) and the combined relay.
All changes to the program were made taking into account the wishes of foreign colleagues - participants in the last competition.

As part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of military air defense in all military districts, at the Military Academy, training centers of air defense forces, festive and military-patriotic events were and are being held in December with the participation of military personnel, military air defense veterans, public figures and youth.
Significant events for the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces, held as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of military air defense, are:
laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (December 26, Moscow);
a ceremonial meeting at the cultural and leisure center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation “Preobrazhensky”, with the participation of the senior staff of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (December 26, Moscow);
opening of the bust of the first chief of the air defense troops of the Ground Forces, Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Artillery V.I. Kazakov (December 19, 726 The educational center Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces (Yeysk, Krasnodar Territory);
laying a capsule with a message to descendants at the memorial complex named after Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Artillery V.I. Kazakov (December 25, 106th Air Defense Training Center of the Ground Forces (Orenburg).

Air defense is a set of steps and actions of troops to combat enemy air attack weapons in order to avert (reduce) losses among the population, damage to objects and military groups from air strikes. To repel (disrupt) enemy air attacks (strikes), air defense systems are formed.

The full air defense complex covers the following systems:

• Reconnaissance of the air enemy, warning troops about him;
• Fighter aircraft screening;
• Anti-aircraft missile and artillery barrier;
• Electronic warfare organizations;
• Masking;
• Managerial, etc.

Air defense happens:

• Zonal - to protect individual areas within which cover objects are located;
• Zonal-objective - for combining zonal air defense with direct screening of particularly important objects;
• Object - for the defense of individual particularly important objects.

The world experience of wars has turned air defense into one of the most important components in combined arms combat. In August 1958, the air defense forces of the ground forces were formed, and later the military air defense of the Russian Armed Forces was organized from them.

Until the end of the fifties, the SV air defenses were equipped with anti-aircraft artillery systems of that time, as well as specially designed transportable anti-aircraft missile systems. Along with this, in order to reliably cover troops in mobile combat operations, the presence of highly mobile and highly effective air defense systems was required, due to the increasing use of air attack capabilities.

Along with the fight against tactical aviation, the air defense forces of the ground forces also hit combat helicopters, unmanned and remotely piloted aircrafts, cruise missiles, as well as enemy strategic aircraft.

In the mid-seventies, the organization of the first generation of anti-aircraft missile weapons of the air defense forces ended. The troops received the latest air defense missiles and the famous ones: “Krugi”, “Cubes”, “Osy-AK”, “Strela-1 and 2”, “Shilki”, new radars and many other new equipment at that time. The formed anti-aircraft missile systems easily hit almost all aerodynamic targets, so they took part in local wars and armed conflicts.

By that time, the latest means of air attack were already rapidly developing and improving. These were tactical, operational-tactical, strategic ballistic missiles and precision weapons. Unfortunately, the weapon systems of the first generation of air defense troops did not provide solutions to the tasks of covering military groups from attacks with these weapons.

There is a need to develop and use systems approaches to the argumentation of the classification and properties of weapons of the second generation. It was necessary to create weapons systems balanced by classifications and types of targets and a list of air defense systems, combined into a single control system, equipped with radar reconnaissance, communications and technical equipment. And such weapons systems were created. In the eighties, the air defense forces were fully equipped with S-Z00V, Tors, Buks-M1, Strela-10M2, Tunguskas, Iglas and the latest radars.

Changes have occurred in anti-aircraft missile and anti-aircraft missile and artillery units, units and formations. They became integral components in combined arms formations from battalions to front-line formations and became a unified air defense system in military districts. This increased the effectiveness of combat applications in groupings of air defense forces of military districts and ensured the power of fire echeloned at heights and ranges against the enemy with a high density of fire from anti-aircraft guns.

At the end of the nineties, to improve command, changes took place in the air defense forces of the Air Force, formations, military units and air defense units of the Navy Coast Guard, military units and air defense units of the Airborne Forces, and in formations and military units of the air defense reserve of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. They were united into the military air defense of the Russian Armed Forces.

Military air defense missions

Military air defense formations and units carry out the tasks assigned to them to interact with the forces and means of the Armed Forces and Navy.

Military air defense is assigned the following tasks:

In peacetime:

• Measures to maintain air defense forces in military districts, formations, units and air defense units of the Coast Guard of the Navy, air defense units and units of the Airborne Forces in combat readiness for advanced deployments and repulses, together with air defense forces and means of the types of the Russian Armed Forces, attacks by means of air attacks;
• Carrying out duty within the operational zone of military districts and in the general air defense systems of the state;
• The sequence of increasing combat strength in air defense formations and units that perform missions on combat duty when introduced higher degrees b/ready.

In wartime:

• Measures for comprehensive, echeloned in depth cover from attacks by enemy air attacks on troop groups, military districts (fronts) and military installations throughout the depth of their operational formations, while interacting with air defense forces and means and other types and branches of the Armed Forces;
• Activities for direct cover, which include combined arms formations and formations, as well as formations, units and units of the Coast Guard of the Navy, formations and units of the Airborne Forces, missile forces and artillery in the form of groupings, aviation airfields, command posts, the most important rear facilities in concentration areas, during advances, occupation of specified zones and during operations (actions).

Directions for improving and developing military air defense

The Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces today are the main and largest component of the military air defense of the Russian Armed Forces. They are united by a harmonious hierarchical structure with the inclusion of front-line, army (corps) complexes of air defense troops, as well as air defense units, motorized rifle (tank) divisions, motorized rifle brigades, air defense units of motorized rifle and tank regiments, and battalions.

Air defense troops in military districts have formations, units and air defense units that have at their disposal anti-aircraft missile systems/complexes of different purposes and potentials.

They are connected by reconnaissance and information complexes and control complexes. This makes it possible, in certain circumstances, to form effective multifunctional air defense systems. Until now, the weapons of Russian military air defense are among the best on the planet.

The most important areas in the improvement and development of military air defense include:

• Optimization of organizational structures in command and control bodies, formations and air defense units, in accordance with the assigned tasks;
• Modernization of anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes, reconnaissance assets in order to extend the service life and their integration into a unified aerospace defense system in the state and in the armed forces, endowing them with the functions of non-strategic anti-missile weapons in theaters of military operations;
• Development and maintenance of a unified technical policy to reduce the types of weapons, military equipment, their unification and avoidance of duplication in development;
• Providing advanced air defense weapons systems using the latest means automation of control, communications, active, passive and other non-traditional types of intelligence activities, multifunctional anti-aircraft missile systems and new generation air defense systems using the criteria of “efficiency - cost - feasibility”;
• Maintaining a complex of collective used training of military air defense with other troops, taking into account the upcoming combat missions and the characteristics of deployment areas, with the concentration of the main efforts in the preparation of high-readiness air defense formations, units and subunits;
• Formation, provision and training of reserves for a flexible response to changes in circumstances, strengthening air defense force groups, replenishing losses of personnel, weapons and military equipment;
• Improving the training of officers in the structure of the military training system, increasing the level of their fundamental (basic) knowledge and practical training and consistency in the transition to continuous military education.

It is planned that the aerospace defense system will soon occupy one of the leading areas in strategic defense state and in the Armed Forces, will become one of components, and in the future it will become almost the main deterrent in starting wars.

Air defense systems are one of the fundamental ones in the aerospace defense system. Today, military air defense units are able to effectively resolve missions of anti-aircraft and, to some extent, non-strategic missile defense measures in groupings of troops in operational-strategic directions. As practice shows, during tactical exercises using live fire, all available Russian military air defense systems are capable of hitting cruise missiles.

Air defense in the aerospace defense system of a state and in its Armed Forces tends to grow in proportion to the increase in the threat of air attacks. When resolving aerospace defense tasks, a coordinated general use of multi-service air defense forces and missile and space defense forces in operational-strategic areas will be required as the most effective than separate ones. This will happen due to the possibility, with a single plan and under unity of command, to combine strength with the advantages of different types of weapons and mutual compensation for their shortcomings and weaknesses.

Improving air defense systems is impossible without further modernization of existing weapons, rearmament of air defense troops in military districts with the most modern air defense systems and air defense systems, and the supply of the latest automated control and communication systems.

The main direction in the development of Russian air defense systems today is:

• Continue development work in order to create highly effective weapons that will have quality indicators that cannot be surpassed by foreign analogues for 10-15 years;
• Create a promising multifunctional military air defense weapons system. This will give impetus to create a flexible organizational structure for the execution of specific tasks. Such a system needs to be integrated with the main weapons of the ground forces, and act in an integrated manner with other types of troops in the course of solving air defense problems;
• Introduce automated control systems with robotics and artificial intelligence in order to reflect further increases in enemy capabilities and increase the effectiveness of used air defense troops;
• Provide samples of air defense weapons with electro-optical devices, television systems, thermal imagers to ensure the combat effectiveness of air defense systems and air defense systems in conditions of intense interference, which will minimize the dependence of air defense systems on the weather;
• Widely use passive location and electronic warfare equipment;
• Reorient the concept of the future development of weapons and military equipment for air defense, carry out a radical modernization of existing weapons and military equipment in order to provide a significant increase in the effectiveness of combat use at low cost.

Air Defense Day

Air Defense Day is a memorable day in the Russian Armed Forces. It is celebrated every year, every second Sunday in April, in accordance with the Decree Russian President dated May 31, 2006.

For the first time, this holiday was defined by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in a Decree dated February 20, 1975. It was established for the outstanding services shown by the air defense troops Soviet state during the Second World War, and also for the fact that they performed particularly important tasks during peacetime. It was originally celebrated on April 11, but in October 1980 Air Defense Day was moved to be celebrated every second Sunday in April.

The history of establishing the date of the holiday is connected with the fact that, in fact, in the April days, the most important government resolutions on the organization of air defense of the state were adopted, which became the basis for the construction of air defense systems, determined the organizational structure of the troops included in it, their formation and further development.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that as the threat of air attacks increases, the role and importance of military air defense will only increase, which has already been confirmed by time.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

Air and Missile Defense Troops

Air defense

Air Defense Forces of the Russian Federation - until 1998 an independent branch Armed Forces Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces). In 1998, the country's Air Defense Forces were merged with the Air Force in a new branch of the Russian Armed Forces - the Russian Air Force. In 2009-2010 All air defense formations of the Russian Air Force (4 corps and 7 air defense divisions) were reorganized into 11 aerospace defense brigades. In 2011, 3 air defense brigades of the Russian Air Force became part of a new branch of the Russian Armed Forces - the Aerospace Defense Forces.

It is necessary to distinguish the air defense troops of the Air Force of the Russian Federation and the aerospace defense brigade of the Russian Federation, which were previously organizationally part of the Air Defense Forces of the Russian Federation, from the Air Defense Troops of the Ground Forces.

Abbreviated name - VPVO of the Russian Armed Forces.

The tasks of the Russian Air Defense Forces (both an independent branch of the Russian Armed Forces and as part of the Russian Air Force, the Russian Air Defense Forces, the Russian Aerospace Forces) are: repelling aggression in the air sphere and protecting command posts of the highest echelons of state and military administration, administrative and political centers from air strikes , industrial and economic regions, the most important economic and infrastructure facilities of the country and groupings of troops (forces).

In 2015, the Air Force of the Russian Federation was merged with the Aerospace Defense Forces of the Russian Federation in a new branch of the RF Armed Forces - the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation, which organizationally included a new branch of the military - the Air Defense and Missile Defense Troops (Air Defense Forces).

Story

The date of formation is considered to be the date of creation of the Petrograd air defense system - December 8 (November 25), 1914.

In 1930, the Directorate (since 1940 - the Main Directorate) of Air Defense was created.

Since 1941 - air defense troops.

In 1948, the country's Air Defense Forces were removed from the subordination of the artillery commander and transformed into an independent branch of the Armed Forces.

In 1954, the High Command of the Air Defense Forces was formed.

In 1978, the transportable S-300PT air defense system was put into service (it replaced the older S-25, S-75 and S-125 air defense systems). In the mid-80s, the complex underwent a number of upgrades, receiving the designation S-300PT-1. In 1982, a new version of the S-300P air defense system was adopted into service with the air defense forces - the S-300PS self-propelled complex; the new complex had a record short deployment time - 5 minutes, making it difficult to attack by enemy aircraft.

1987 became a “black” year in the history of the Air Defense Forces. On May 28, 1987, at 18.55, Matthias Rust’s plane landed in Moscow on Red Square. A serious imperfection became apparent legal basis for the actions of the duty forces of the country's Air Defense Forces and, as a consequence, the contradiction between the tasks assigned to the Air Defense Forces and the limited rights of the leadership in the use of forces and means. After the flight of Rust, three Marshals of the Soviet Union were removed from their posts (including the USSR Minister of Defense S.L. Sokolov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces A.I. Koldunov), about three hundred generals and officers. The army has not seen such a personnel pogrom since 1937.

In 1991, due to the collapse of the USSR, the USSR Air Defense Forces were transformed into the Russian Federation Air Defense Forces.

In 1993, an improved version of the S-300PS complex, the S-300PM, was put into service. In 1997, the S-300PM2 Favorit air defense system was adopted.

Assessing the process of accelerating the physical aging of weapons and military equipment, the Defense Committee State Duma The Russian Federation came to disappointing conclusions. As a result, it was developed new concept military construction, where it was planned to reorganize the branches of the Armed Forces by 2000, reducing their number from five to three. As part of this reorganization, two independent branches of the Armed Forces were to be united in one form: the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation (RF) dated July 16, 1997 No. 725 “On priority measures to reform the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and improve their structure” determined the formation of a new type of Armed Forces (AF). By March 1, 1998, on the basis of the control bodies of the Air Defense Forces and the Air Force, the Directorate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force and the Main Headquarters of the Air Force were formed, and the Air Defense and Air Force Forces were united into a new branch of the Russian Armed Forces - the Air Force.

By the time of the unification of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation into a single branch, the Air Defense Forces included: an operational-strategic formation, 2 operational, 4 operational-tactical formations, 5 air defense corps, 10 air defense divisions, 63 units of anti-aircraft missile forces, 25 fighter air regiments, 35 radio engineering units troops, 6 formations and reconnaissance units and 5 units electronic warfare. In service: 20 aircraft aviation complex radar patrol and guidance A-50, more than 700 air defense fighters, more than 200 anti-aircraft missile divisions and 420 radio engineering units with radar stations various modifications.

As a result of the activities carried out, a new organizational structure Air Force. Instead of air armies front-line aviation formed air force and air defense armies, operationally subordinate to the commanders of the military districts. The Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District was created in the Western strategic direction.

In 2005–2006 Some of the military air defense formations and units equipped with S-300V anti-aircraft missile systems (ZRS) and Buk complexes were transferred to the Air Force. In April 2007, the Air Force adopted the new generation S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, designed to defeat all modern and promising means aerospace attack.

At the beginning of 2008, the Air Force included: an operational-strategic formation (KSpN) (formerly the Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District), 8 operational and 5 operational-tactical formations (air defense corps), 15 formations and 165 units. In 2008, the transition to the formation of a new look for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (including the Air Force) began. In the course of the events, the Air Force switched to a new organizational structure. Air Force and Air Defense commands were formed, subordinate to the newly created operational-strategic commands: Western (headquarters - St. Petersburg), Southern (headquarters - Rostov-on-Don), Central (headquarters - Yekaterinburg) and Eastern ( headquarters - Khabarovsk). In 2009–2010 a transition was made to a two-level (brigade-battalion) system of command and control of the Air Force. As a result total Air Force formations were reduced from 8 to 6, all air defense formations (4 corps and 7 air defense divisions) were reorganized into 11 aerospace defense brigades.

In December 2011, 3 brigades (4th, 5th, 6th) of the air defense forces of the operational-strategic aerospace defense command (formerly the Air Force Special Forces Command, formerly the Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District) became part of a new type of troops VS - Aerospace Defense Forces.

In 2015, the Aerospace Defense Forces were merged with the Air Force and formed a new branch of the Russian Armed Forces - the Russian Aerospace Forces.

As part of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation, a new branch of troops has been organizationally allocated - the Air Defense and Missile Defense Forces (PVO-PRO Troops). The air defense and missile defense troops will be represented by air defense brigades and a missile defense formation.

As part of the further improvement of the air defense (aerospace) defense system, the development of a new generation of S-500 air defense systems is currently underway, in which it is planned to apply the principle of separately solving the problems of destroying ballistic and aerodynamic targets. The main task of the complex is to combat the combat equipment of medium-range ballistic missiles, and, if necessary, intercontinental ballistic missiles in the final part of the trajectory and, within certain limits, in the middle part.

The Day of the Country's Air Defense Forces was celebrated in the USSR and is celebrated in the Russian Armed Forces on the second Sunday in April.

Operational-strategic formations of air defense forces of the USSR and Russia

Air defense districts - associations of air defense troops, designed to protect the most important administrative, industrial centers and regions of the country, and armed forces groupings from air strikes. important military and other facilities within established boundaries. In the armed forces of the USSR, air defense districts were created after the Great Patriotic War based on air defense fronts. In 1948, the districts were reorganized into air defense districts; in 1954, air defense districts were again created.
Moscow Air Defense District (since August 20, 1954):
Moscow Air Force and Air Defense District (since 1998);
Special Forces Command (since September 1, 2002);
Joint Strategic Aerospace Defense Command (since July 1, 2009);
Air and Missile Defense Command (since December 1, 2011);
1st Air and Missile Defense Army (since 2015).
1st Air Force and Air Defense Command
2nd Air Force and Air Defense Command
3rd Air Force and Air Defense Command
4th Air Force and Air Defense Command
Baku Air Defense District - formed in 1945 on the basis of the Baku Air Defense Army, in 1948 it was transformed into a district. Since 1954 - again a district. Abolished on January 5, 1980.

Compound

The air defense forces of the Russian Armed Forces included:
management (headquarters);
Radio technical troops;
Anti-aircraft missile forces;
Fighter aircraft;
Electronic warfare forces.

The location of the Main Headquarters of the Air Defense of Russia (USSR) is the village of Zarya, near the village of Fedurnovo, Balashikha district of the Moscow region (train from Kursky station towards Petushki station), or from the Gorkovsky highway, outside the city of Balashikha and the division named after. Dzerzhinsky.

Air defense systems in service with Russian air defense forces
S-400 air defense system (Since April 2007)
S-300 air defense system (Until 2007, the S-300P medium-range anti-aircraft missile system was the basis anti-aircraft missile forces Russian Air Force.)
S-350 "Vityaz" air defense system (The S-350E "Vityaz" medium-range anti-aircraft missile system will enter service with the Russian troops by 2016. New complex is intended to replace the S-300PS air defense system with V55R missiles, the service life of which ends in 2015.)
ZRPK Pantsir-S1
ZRPK "Pantsir-S2" (from June 2015 the complex will begin to be supplied to the Air Force air defense forces)

Missile defense

Anti-missile defense (BMD) - a set of measures of reconnaissance, radio engineering and fire or any other nature (balloon missile defense, etc.), intended for the protection (defense) of protected objects from missile weapons. Missile defense is very closely related to air defense and is often carried out by the same complexes.

The concept of “missile defense” includes protection against a missile threat of any kind and all means that carry it out (including active protection of tanks, air defense systems fighting cruise missiles etc.), however, at the everyday level, when talking about missile defense, they usually mean “strategic missile defense” - protection from the ballistic missile component of strategic nuclear forces(ICBMs and SLBMs).

Speaking about missile defense, we can distinguish self-defense against missiles, tactical and strategic missile defense.

Self defense against missiles

Self-defense against missiles is the minimum unit of missile defense. It provides protection from attacking missiles only for the military equipment on which it is installed. Characteristic feature self-defense systems is the placement of all missile defense systems directly on the protected equipment, and all placed systems are auxiliary (not the main functional purpose) for this equipment. Self-defense systems against missiles are cost-effective for use only on expensive types of military equipment that suffer heavy losses from missile fire. Currently, two types of self-defense systems against missiles are actively developing: complexes active protection tanks and missile defense of warships.

Active protection of tanks (and other armored vehicles) is a set of measures to counter attack shells and missiles. The action of the complex can mask the protected object (for example, by releasing an aerosol cloud), or it can physically destroy the threat with a nearby detonation of an anti-shell, shrapnel, a directed blast wave, or in another way.

Active defense systems are characterized by extremely short reaction times (up to a fraction of a second), since the flight time of weapons, especially in urban combat, is very short.

An interesting feature is that to overcome the active protection systems of armored vehicles, the developers of anti-tank grenade launchers use the same strategy as the developers of intercontinental ballistic missiles to break through strategic missile defense - decoys.

Tactical missile defense

Tactical missile defense is designed to protect limited areas of territory and objects located on it (troop groups, industry and populated areas) from missile threats. The targets of such missile defense include: maneuvering (mainly high-precision aircraft) and non-maneuvering (ballistic) missiles with relatively low speeds (up to 3-5 km/s) and without means of overcoming missile defense. The reaction time of tactical missile defense systems ranges from several seconds to several minutes, depending on the type of threat. The radius of the protected area, as a rule, does not exceed several tens of kilometers. Complexes with a significantly larger radius of the protected area - up to several hundred kilometers - are often classified as strategic missile defense, although they are not capable of intercepting high-speed intercontinental ballistic missiles covered by powerful means of penetrating missile defense.

Existing tactical missile defense systems

Short range

Tunguska (only by external target designation through the external Command Post).
Thor
Pantsir-S1

Medium and long range:

Beech
S-300P all variants
S-300V all options
S-400 with any missiles

Strategic missile defense

The most complex, modernized and expensive category of missile defense systems. The task of strategic missile defense is to combat strategic missiles - their design and tactics of use specifically provide for means that make interception difficult - a large number of light and heavy decoys, maneuvering warheads, as well as jamming systems, including high-altitude nuclear explosions.

Currently, only Russia and the United States have strategic missile defense systems, while the existing systems are capable of protecting only from a limited strike (a single missile), and in most cases, over a limited area. In the foreseeable future, there are no prospects for the emergence of systems capable of reliably and completely protecting the country’s territory from a massive strike by strategic missiles. However, as more and more countries have, are developing, or could potentially acquire a number of long-range missiles, the development of missile defense systems that can effectively protect a country's territory from a small number of missiles appears necessary.

Types of strategic missile defense

Boost-phase intercept

Takeoff interception means that the missile defense system attempts to intercept the ballistic missile immediately after launch, while it is accelerating with its engines running.

Destroying a ballistic missile on takeoff is a relatively simple task. Advantages of this method:

The missile (unlike the warheads) is large in size, clearly visible on radar, and the operation of its engine creates a powerful infrared stream that cannot be camouflaged. It is not particularly difficult to point an interceptor at such a large, visible and vulnerable target as an accelerating missile.

It is also impossible to cover an accelerating missile with decoys or dipole reflectors.

Finally, destroying a missile during takeoff results in the destruction of all its warheads along with it in one blow.

However, takeoff interception has two fundamental disadvantages:

Limited reaction time. The acceleration duration takes 60-110 seconds, and during this time the interceptor must have time to track the target and hit it.

Difficulty in deploying interceptors within range. Ballistic missiles, as a rule, are launched from deep in enemy territory and are well covered by their defense systems. Deploying interceptors close enough to engage incoming missiles is generally extremely difficult or impossible.

Based on this, space-based or mobile interceptors (deployed on ships or mobile installations). At this stage, the use of laser systems with their short response time can also be effective. Thus, the SDI system considered orbital platforms with chemical lasers and systems of thousands of tiny Diamond Pebble satellites, designed to hit take-off missiles with kinetic collision energy at orbital speeds, as means of takeoff interception.

Midcourse interception

Mid-trajectory interception means that the interception occurs outside the atmosphere, at the moment when the warheads have already separated from the missile and are flying by inertia.

Advantages:

Long interception time. The flight of warheads outside the atmosphere takes from 20 to 40 minutes, which significantly expands the ability to respond to missile defense.

Flaws:

Tracking warheads flying outside the atmosphere is difficult task, since their sizes are small and they are not sources of radiation.

High cost of interceptors.

Warheads flying outside the atmosphere can be covered with maximum effectiveness by means of penetration. It is extremely difficult to distinguish warheads flying by inertia outside the atmosphere from decoys.

Terminal phase intercept

Re-entry interception means that the missile defense system is attempting to intercept warheads at last stage flight - when entering the atmosphere near the target.

Advantages:

Technical convenience of deploying missile defense systems on one’s own territory.

A short distance from radars to warheads, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the tracking system.

Low cost of missile defense.

Reduced effectiveness of decoys and interference during re-entry: Lighter than the warheads themselves, decoys are more decelerated by air friction. Accordingly, the selection of false targets can be performed based on the difference in braking speed.

Flaws:

Extremely limited (up to tens of seconds) interception time

Small warheads and difficulty tracking them

No redundancy: if warheads are not intercepted at this stage, no subsequent defense echelon can exist

The limited range of interception systems at the terminal stage, which allows the enemy to overcome such defenses by simply sending more missiles at the target than there are missile defenses near the target.

History of strategic missile defense

Despite great difficulties and shortcomings, in the USSR the development of missile defense systems proceeded quite systematically and systematically.

First experiments

Research into the possibility of countering ballistic missiles in the USSR began in 1945 as part of the Anti-Vow project at the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy (Georgy Mironovich Mozharovsky’s group) and at several research institutes (Pluto theme). During the creation of the Berkut air defense system (1949-1953), work was suspended, then sharply intensified.

In 1956, 2 missile defense system projects were considered:

Zonal missile defense system "Barrier" (Alexander Lvovich Mints)

In a missile-hazardous direction, three radars with antennas looking straight up were installed one after another at intervals of 100 km. The attacking warhead sequentially crossed three narrow radar beams; its trajectory was built using three notches and the point of impact was determined.

System based on three ranges “System A” (Grigory Vasilievich Kisunko)

The project was based on a complex of a heavy-duty long-range detection radar and three precision-guided radars located along the perimeter of the defended area.

The control computer continuously processed the reflected signals, aiming the anti-missile missile at the target.

The project of G.V. Kisunko was chosen for execution.

The first missile defense complex in the USSR, chief designer G. V. Kisunko. It was deployed in the period 1956-1960 at the GNIIP-10 (Sary-Shagan) training ground specially built for these purposes in the Betpak-Dala desert. Launches of ballistic missiles into the interception area were carried out from the Kapustin Yar and, later, Plesetsk test sites in a triangle with a side of 170 km, at the vertices of which (sites No. 1, No. 2, No. 3) precision guidance radars were located. The B-1000 missile defense launcher was located in the center of the triangle (site No. 6), the interception was carried out on the atmospheric section of the trajectory (altitude 25 km) on a collision course. Control was carried out by a computer center with two computers, M-40 (implementation of the automatic cycle) and M-50 (processing of system information), designed by S. A. Lebedev.

On March 4, 1961, after a number of unsuccessful attempts, the B-1000 anti-missile missile, equipped with a fragmentation warhead, destroyed the warhead of the R-12 ballistic missile with the weight equivalent of a nuclear charge. The miss was 31.2 meters to the left and 2.2 meters in height. This is the first real interception of a target by a missile defense system in world practice. Until now, ballistic missiles were considered absolute weapons with no countermeasures.

Subsequently, 16 more interception attempts were carried out, 11 of which were successful. Research has also been carried out on positioning and measuring satellite trajectories. The work of System “A” ended in 1962 with a series of tests K1 - K5, as a result of which 5 nuclear explosions were carried out at altitudes from 80 to 300 km and their effect on the functioning of missile defense and early warning systems was studied.

System “A” did not enter service due to low reliability and low efficiency: the system ensured the defeat of only single short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at short distances from a protected object, however, as a result of work on it, a specialized training ground was built and vast experience was accumulated, which served further development of missile defense systems in the USSR/Russia.

Missile defense systems of the Moscow industrial region

A-35

The creation began in 1958 with a resolution of the CPSU Central Committee. G.V. Kisunko was appointed chief designer. According to tactical and technical requirements, the system was supposed to provide defense of an area of ​​400 km² from an attack by Titan-2 and Minuteman-2 ICBMs. Due to the use of more advanced radars and anti-missiles with nuclear warheads, interception was carried out at a distance of 350 km in range and 350 km in altitude, guidance was carried out using a single-station method. The computer center operated on the basis of a dual-processor computer 5E92b (developed by V. S. Burtsev). Construction of A-35 facilities in the Moscow region began in 1962, but the placement on combat duty was delayed for a number of reasons:

The advanced improvement of attack weapons required a number of serious improvements.

The promotion of competing missile defense projects "Taran" by V. N. Chelomey and S-225 KB-1 led to a temporary halt in construction.

The growth of intrigue in the upper echelons of scientific and technical leadership led in 1975 to the removal of Grigory Kisunko from the post of chief designer of the A-35.

Upgraded A-35 system. Chief designer I. D. Omelchenko. Placed on combat duty on May 15, 1978 and in service until December 1990, the Danube-3U early warning radar continued to operate in the A-135 system until the early 2000s. In parallel, at the Sary-Shagan training ground, the A-35 “Aldan” firing range complex was built (site No. 52), which was used as a prototype and for training crews of the Moscow missile defense system in real combat shooting.

A-135

Further development of the missile defense system of the Moscow industrial region. General designer A. G. Basistov. Draft design in 1966, development began in 1971, construction began in 1980. Commissioned in December 1990. The Danube-3U long-range detection radar and the Don-2 multifunctional radar had phased array antennas. Two interception echelons, long-range transatmospheric and near-atmospheric with two types of interceptor missiles. A range shooting complex "Argun" was envisaged (sites No. 38 No. 51 of the Sary-Shagan training ground), but it was not completed. In accordance with the amendment to the ABM Treaty between the USA and the USSR of 1974 and the change of leadership, the Vympel Research and Production Association recognized this facility as unpromising, work on it was stopped, and the launchers were destroyed. The complex continued to function in a stripped-down version as the Argun-I measuring station until 1994.

A-235 "Samolet-M"

A promising missile defense system that will replace the A-135. The creation contract was signed in 1991. In August 2014, the start of testing missile defense systems for the A-235 complex was announced; completion of work on the project is scheduled for 2015.

Also in the USSR there were several unrealized projects of missile defense systems. The most significant of them are:

Missile defense system for the country's territory "Taran"

In 1961, on his own initiative, Chelomey proposed a system of defense for the entire territory of the USSR from a nuclear missile attack from the United States.

The project was based on interception in the middle section of the trajectory using a super-heavy anti-missile missile, which Chelomey proposed to create at the base intercontinental missile UR-100. It was assumed that the radar system deployed in the Far North would have to detect warheads approaching along transpolar trajectories and calculate approximate interception points. Then, anti-missile missiles based on the UR-100 were to be launched with inertial guidance at these design points. Precise guidance was supposed to be carried out using radar systems target designation and radio command guidance installed on anti-missile missiles. The interception was supposed to be using a 10-megaton thermonuclear warhead. According to Chelomey’s calculations, intercepting 100 Minuteman-class ICBMs would require 200 interceptor missiles.

The system was developed from 1961 to 1964, but was closed in 1964 by government decision. The reason was the rapid growth of the American nuclear arsenal: from 1962 to 1965, the United States deployed eight hundred Minuteman-class ICBMs, which would have required 1,600 UR-100-based interceptor missiles to intercept them.

In addition, the system was subject to a self-blinding effect, since numerous detonations of 10-megaton warheads in outer space would create huge clouds of radio-opaque plasma and powerful EMP, disrupting the operation of the radar, which made subsequent interceptions extremely difficult. The enemy could easily overcome the Taran system by dividing its ICBMs into two successive waves. The system was also vulnerable to missile defense countermeasures. Finally, the frontline early warning radars, a key component of the system, were themselves extremely vulnerable to a possible pre-emptive strike that would render the entire system useless. In this regard, Vladimir Chelomey proposed using the created A-35 and S-225 as part of his “Taran” system, receiving, in the future, leadership over all anti-missile issues in the USSR. It must be said that the Taran project was considered by many to be unfinished and adventurous. Chelomey enjoyed strong support from the leadership of the USSR; the son of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Sergei Khrushchev, worked in his design bureau; this explains the closure of the project after the dismissal of N.S. Khrushchev in 1964.

S-225

Work began in 1961. General designer A.A. Raspletin.

An air defense and missile defense complex for protecting relatively small objects from single ICBMs equipped with means of overcoming missile defense and advanced aerodynamic targets. Active development phase from 1968 to 1978.

Distinctive features were a container transportable and quickly assembled design, the use of RTN with a phased array antenna RSN-225, new high-speed short-range interception missiles PRS-1 (5YA26) from OKB Novator (designer Lyulev). 2 testing complexes were built, “Azov” (site No. 35 Sary-Shagan) and a measuring complex in Kamchatka. The first successful interception of a ballistic target (an 8K65 missile warhead) was carried out in 1984. Presumably, due to the delay in the development of the anti-missile system and insufficient RTN energy for missile defense purposes, the topic was closed. The PRS-1 missile subsequently entered the short-range interception echelon of the A-135 complex.

Today marks the centenary of the formation of the Ground Forces Air Defense Forces.

The beginning of the formation of military air defense units was the order of General Alekseev, Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, dated December 13 (26), 1915, No. 368, which announced the formation of separate four-gun light batteries for firing at the air fleet. According to Order No. 50 of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated February 9, 2007, December 26 is considered the date of creation of military air defense.

1. Launcher 9A83 SAM S-300V - long-range universal anti-aircraft air defense system of the SV with theater missile defense capability

On August 16, 1958, by order (No. 0069) of the USSR Minister of Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union R. Ya. Malinovsky, the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces were created - a branch of the military that became an integral part of the Ground Forces.


2. War vehicles The Tor-M2U air defense system provides multi-channel fire at air targets, including high-tech weapons elements

In 1997, in order to improve the leadership of air defense troops, the air defense forces of the Ground Forces, formations, military units and air defense units of the Coastal Forces of the Navy, military units and air defense units of the Airborne Forces, as well as formations and military units of the air defense reserve of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief were united into military air defense forces Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.


3. ZRPK "Tunguska-M1" ensures the destruction of air and ground targets in the near zone

Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces (Air Defense Forces) - a branch of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation, designed to cover troops and objects from the actions of enemy air attack weapons when combined-arms formations and formations conduct operations (combat operations), perform regroupings (march) and are positioned on the spot . It is necessary to distinguish the Military Air Defense from the Air Defense Forces (aerospace defense brigades) of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, which until 1998 were part of an independent branch of the Armed Forces - the country's Air Defense Forces (USSR Air Defense and Russian Air Defense).

The Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces are entrusted with the following main tasks:

• carrying out combat duty in air defense;


• conducting reconnaissance of enemy air and alerting covered troops;


• destruction of enemy air attack weapons in flight;


• participation in the conduct of missile defense in theaters of military operations.