Nuclear warheads in domestic air defense and missile defense
The V-30 missile from the S-25 air defense system. Photo Vitalykuzmin.net
The vast majority of air and missile defense systems use missiles with high-explosive fragmentation warheads. Separate complexes of this kind received missiles with nuclear warheads, which made it possible to solve particularly complex tasks. Several similar systems were created in our country, and for a long time they provided protection for important facilities.
Nuclear benefits
A nuclear charge has obvious advantages over high-explosive fragmentation warheads. With the same mass and dimensions, it is hundreds or thousands of times more powerful. This gives a significant increase in the radius of destruction, and also compensates for a possible miss. In addition, the goal is affected by several different factors at once.
All these advantages of a nuclear warhead can be used in the context of air defense and missile defense. So, high power and a significant radius of destruction allows you to hit large group targets and at the same time reduces the requirements for pointing accuracy. The presence of several damaging factors additionally increases the radius of influence on an air target: if it is not destroyed by a shock wave, radiation will disable it.
The study of such potential nuclear weapons began almost immediately after its appearance, and a few years later the first practical results appeared. In our country, the development of anti-aircraft missile systems with special equipment began in the late forties. By the mid-fifties, such weapons took up combat duty.
Rocket V-750 of the S-75 complex. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Subsequently, new anti-aircraft systems were created with missiles carrying nuclear warheads. By the early sixties, in connection with the emergence of new threats, specialized missile defense systems were being developed - and they again used special charges. For a long time, nuclear warheads were present in both areas, but then the situation began to change. To date, the role of such weapons has been reduced and it remains in only one area.
Air defense
In 1955, combat duty of the first Soviet anti-aircraft missile system, the S-25 Berkut, began. Several dozen regiments with such air defense systems were deployed in the Central Industrial Region to protect against strategic aviation potential adversary. Depending on the level of threat, the Berkut crews could use missiles with conventional or special combat equipment.
The V-300 anti-aircraft guided missile for the S-25 complex was regularly equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 320 kg. A bomber-type target was hit and destroyed within a radius of 70-75 m. At a greater distance, the target was damaged, but its destruction was not guaranteed. At the same time, the rocket could not show sufficient guidance accuracy in all cases.
In the first half of the fifties, a nuclear warhead was developed for the B-300. With the same dimensions and weight as a standard charge, it had a power, according to various sources, of 10-20 kt. The radius of destruction of this product reached 2 km - it could simultaneously hit an entire air force.
S-400 launchers in position. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
In the mid-fifties, a rocket with a special warhead was tested at the Kapustin Yar test site, after which it was put into service. According to the state, the regiment on the S-25 was supposed to have three such missiles. They were planned to be used in repelling a massive raid, which "ordinary" missiles would not have been able to handle.
In 1957, the Soviet army received a new SA-75 Dvina air defense system, which was later replaced by the more advanced S-75 Desna. Like its predecessor, this complex could use missiles with different combat equipment. The standard was a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing less than 200 kg. The range of destruction of large air targets reached 200-250 m.
In the early sixties, a missile with a 75 kt nuclear warhead was developed for one of the upgraded versions of the S-15. Apparently, the radius of destruction of such a charge was at the warhead level for the S-25. Whether tests of such a charge were carried out is unknown. It should be noted that the high power of the warhead was again used to compensate for possible deviation from the target.
As in the case of the S-25, the anti-aircraft regiment received several nuclear-powered missiles. They should be placed on launchers and used by special order in the event of a difficult situation and the need to deal with a large number of air targets.
Transport-loading vehicle with a container for anti-missile 51T6. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
In the mid-seventies, the obsolete S-25 air defense systems began to be decommissioned and replaced with modern models. Nuclear missiles for them were sent for disassembly, and the components of the warheads were then used in the manufacture of new products. The process of replacing the S-75 started in the eighties and was also accompanied by the decommissioning of high-power missiles.
Missile Defense
Since the late fifties, the future missile defense system for Moscow and the Central Industrial Region has been developed, which later received the designation A-35. A lot of new components were created for her, incl. interceptor missile A-350 with special combat capabilities. To obtain the required power, it was necessary to use a special high-power warhead.
The first modifications of the A-350 product were completed with a thermonuclear warhead with a capacity of 2 Mt. High power made it possible to increase the radius of guaranteed damage and compensate for a possible miss. In addition, ionizing radiation and a neutron flux could cause the decay of fissile material in the target warhead and provoke its premature operation or neutralization. Guaranteed defeat was provided at a distance of 200 m.
Subsequently, warheads for anti-missiles were improved. According to some reports, it was possible to reduce their weight and dimensions, as well as reduce the requirements for missiles. At the same time, the power decreased to tens of kilotons, but the combat qualities and impact on the target remained at the required level. The improved charges were used on the 51T6 and 53T6 missiles from the A-135 system.
According to known data, the 51T6 anti-missiles were taken off duty in the 53s and decommissioned due to the expiration of their service life. 6TXNUMX remain in service to this day. In addition, in the tenth years, this product was modernized with an increase in the main characteristics. According to some reports, the project also included the replacement of military equipment.
Launch of the upgraded 53T6. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Current situation
In the field of air defense, nuclear warheads were used only in the S-25 and S-75 complexes. The following domestic air defense systems did not receive such combat equipment. By improving technologies and components, it was possible to increase the accuracy of the hit and get the maximum probability of hitting. The need for complex and expensive nuclear charges simply disappeared - effective destruction is also provided by high-explosive fragmentation charges.
However, the development of special warheads can continue. So, at the beginning of the tenth years, the possibility of creating such a product for one of the missiles of the S-400 system was mentioned in the open press. Whether such a project existed is unknown. Even if it was developed, the real results have not yet appeared. Perhaps there was an error or a deliberate modification in publications on this topic.
In the field of missile defense, the situation looks different. Recently, the A-135 system was upgraded, which included updating the main anti-missile. The 53T6M product could retain the previous combat equipment, although it is also expected to be abandoned. In addition, a new A-235 system is being created and built, in which nuclear anti-missiles may also be present.
Predictable future
To all appearances, the position of nuclear warheads in the field of air and missile defense has been finally determined and will not undergo any serious changes. The use of such equipment in air defense systems no longer makes sense due to the development of technology and the achievement of the necessary characteristics.
At the same time, special warheads in the missile defense area should be preserved, where all their characteristic advantages can be used. However, the emergence of new anti-missiles with other principles for hitting targets is possible. A further increase in guidance accuracy, which makes it possible to switch to conventional warheads or even to kinetic interception, will make it possible to abandon nuclear charges in this area as well. But so far, nothing is known about the prerequisites for such changes.
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