Russian strategic nuclear forces and missile defense facilities in Google Earth images
The Russian strategic nuclear deterrence forces consist, as in the United States, of ground (mine and mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles), naval (strategic submarine missile carriers) and aviation components (long-range bombers with cruise missiles and nuclear bombs).
As of 22 June 2013, according to information in the framework of data exchange under the START-3 agreement, the strategic nuclear forces (SNF) of Russia contained 448 combat-capable (but not necessarily deployed) strategic carriers capable of carrying 2 323 nuclear warheads.
On deployed carriers were 1480 nuclear warheads, because not all SLBMs on nuclear submarines are staffed with the “regular” number of NGTs, and the X-55 cruise missiles are not deployed at all on strategic bomber-rocket-carrier bombers, but are “in storage points” separately from aircraft.
Two years earlier, our country had 492 deployed strategic carriers, i.e. in 2, the number of carriers decreased by 10%. The reduction in the number of nuclear weapons Russia continues quite intensively. From 2005 to 2008 years, the 337 MBR / SLBM was utilized. Before 2020, it is planned to dispose of 399 ICBMs and SLBMs and 260 silo / SPU. The reduction of Russian nuclear charges and means of delivery goes at a much higher rate than envisaged by the agreement with the United States. In addition, unlike the American side, our country does not have a significant return potential of nuclear warheads.
Strategic missile forces are the most formidable and efficient part of the Russian nuclear triad. The RVSN is armed with ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles of mobile and mine-based nuclear warheads.
The Strategic Missile Forces include 311 missile systems capable of carrying 1078 nuclear warheads. Currently, armed SMF are 52 heavy R-36M2 (SS-18), 40 UR-100NUTTH missiles (SS-19), 108 moving groundwater complexes Topol (SS-25), 60 complexes Topol M silo-based (SS -27), 18 mobile complexes Topol-M (SS-27) and 33 new mobile complex with a PC-24 Yars rocket.
Strategic Missile Forces are the only branch of the armed forces in the RF Armed Forces, in which the army-division structure, modified or abolished in other types and branches of troops, is fully preserved.
The ground-based strategic ICBMs as part of the Strategic Missile Forces are deployed in the positional areas of the 11 and missile divisions of three rocket armies. The headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces is located in the village of Vlasikha, Moscow Region.
As the R-36М UTTH / P-36М2 and УР-100Н УТТХ ICBMs are withdrawn from combat duty, they are planned to be replaced with PC-24 Yars. It is worth noting that this replacement is not equivalent. MBR RS-24 “The Yars carries 3 warheads, while the P-36М2 has 10 warheads mounted. In this regard, it is planned to develop a new heavy rocket.
The Russian Navy has 7 SSBNs of 667BDR and 667BDRM projects built by 1979-1990.
RPKSN TK-208 "Dmitry Donskoy" has been modernized on pr. 941UM. The boat is used to test the D-30 Bulava-M complex, for which two PUs have been converted to R-30 ballistic missiles. The rest SSBN pr. 941 from the composition fleet bred.
January 10 The 2013 held a solemn ceremony of raising the flag on the nuclear submarine of the new generation 955 Ave. “Yuri Dolgoruky”, which marked the transfer of the boat to the fleet. The ship was enlisted in the 31 division of submarines of the Northern Fleet, based at Gadzhiyevo.
The second boat of this type "Alexander Nevsky" was transferred to the 23 fleet of December 2013. The ship was enlisted in the 25 division of submarines of the Pacific Fleet, based in Vilyuchinsk.
The main weapon of these ships is the 16 launcher of the D-30 complex with missiles of the Bulava R-30 SLBMs. The launch range of the Bulava to 9300 km. It can carry up to 10 warheads with individual guidance.
Russian strategic submarine missile carriers have two permanent bases: Gadzhievo in the Northern Fleet and Rybachy in the Pacific Fleet.
In Gadzhiyevo, located on the Kola Peninsula, there are five existing SSBNs of the 667BDRM Dolphin Ave., which are equipped with a total of 80 R-29РM missile launchers.
Nearby in Roslyakovo there is a repair base where the SSBNs of the northern fleet are undergoing repair and maintenance.
Nuclear submarines of the Pacific Fleet are based in Rybachy, not far from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. There, in the intervals between hikes, there are two boats of the 667BDR Kalmar Ave. Currently, 667BDRs include the X-NUMX P-32P missiles.
There, in Rybachy, on the other side of the bay, there is a complex for the maintenance and repair of submarines.
Strategic aviation is armed with 66 heavy bombers, armed with approximately 200 long-range cruise missiles. This includes the 11 Tu-160 bombers and the 55 Tu-95MS bombers.
The strategic bomber Tu-95MS is equipped with turboprop engines. The bomber’s strike armament consists of six X-55 long-range cruise missiles deployed in the bomb bay. The bomber version, designated Tu-95MX16, may additionally carry up to 10 cruise missiles placed on pylons under the wings, but the range of the bomber is significantly reduced.
The Tu-160 strategic bomber is the most powerful attack aircraft in the world. The strike armament of a supersonic bomber consists of X-12 X-55 long-range cruise missiles deployed in a bomb bay. After the modernization program currently underway, bombers will be able to carry free-fall bombs and non-nuclear cruise missiles.
The main location of Russian long-range aviation is the 6950-I Guards Air Base in the city of Engels (Saratov Region). It includes two heavy bomber regiments: the 121 Guards with Tu-160 bombers and the 184 Guards regiment with Tu-95MS bombers.
The rest of the Tu-95MS are based in the Far East, in the Amur Region, at the 6952-th aviation base located at the Ukrainka airfield.
Traditionally, strategic defenses include anti-missile defense systems, missile attack warnings, and space control.
Information from satellites of the missile attack warning system is received and processed in real time at the western control point Serpukhov-15 (Kurilovo village, Kaluga region) and the eastern control point located in the Komsomolsk-on-Amur region.
The ground component of the Missile Attack Warning System (EWS) are radars controlling outer space. For this purpose, radars of the following type are used: "Daryal", "Volga" and "Voronezh".
The bulky and energy-consuming stations of the old type should be replaced by a new generation of Voronezh radar stations, which are being built in a year and a half (previously it took from 5 to 10 years).
The newest Russian radar of the Voronezh family is capable of detecting ballistic, space and aerodynamic objects. There are options that operate in the range of meter and decimeter waves. The basis of the radar is a phased array antenna, a fast-assembled module for personnel and several containers with radio-electronic equipment, which makes it possible to modernize the station quickly and at low cost during operation.
Adoption of "Voronezh" allows not only to significantly expand the capabilities of the rocket and space defense, but also to focus the ground grouping of the missile attack warning system on the territory of the Russian Federation.
To cover the areas potentially dangerous in terms of a rocket attack, it is planned to put the entire 12 radar of this type on combat duty. The new radar stations will operate both in the meter and in the decimeter range, which will expand the capabilities of the Russian missile attack warning system. The Russian Defense Ministry intends to completely replace all Soviet radars for the early detection of missile launches as part of the state armament program before 2020.
The missile defense system A-135, deployed around Moscow, is provided by the ABM division. The command-measuring point of the missile defense system, combined with the Don-2Н radar, is located in the town of Sofrino, Moscow Region.
The Moscow missile defense system includes the Don-2Н radar, command and measurement station and 68 anti-missiles 53T6 (Gazelle) missiles designed for interception in the atmosphere. 32 51T6 (Gorgon) missiles, designed to carry out interception outside the atmosphere, removed from the system. Russian anti-missiles, unlike the American ones with a kinetic warhead, are equipped with nuclear charges.
Missile defenses are located in mine launchers located in positional areas around Moscow. Near intercept missiles are located in five positional areas - Ascherino (16 launchers), Oboldino (16), Korolev (12), Vnukovo (12) and Sofrino (12).
Long-range intercept missiles with megaton thermonuclear warheads were deployed in two parts, based in Naro-Fominsk-10 and Sergiev Posad-15, now they are removed from combat duty and unloaded from the mines.
The system of control of outer space includes the optical-electronic complex “Window” in Nurek (Tajikistan), which allows the detection of objects at altitudes up to 40 000 km. The complex began work at the end of 1999. The complex’s facilities allow data processing, determination of the motion parameters of the objects and their transfer to the appropriate command posts.
For this purpose, the “Krona” radio-technical unit is also used near the Stanorozheva stanitsa in Karachay-Cherkessia. As part of the site are specialized radar decimeter and centimeter ranges. The Krona system consists of an early warning radar and an optical tracking system. It is designed to identify and track satellites. The Krona system is able to classify satellites by type.
The system consists of three main components:
- Decimeter radar with phased antenna array for target identification
-RLS centimeter range with a parabolic antenna for the target classification
- The optical system combining an optical telescope with a laser system
The Krona system has a range of 3200 kilometers and can detect targets in orbit up to 40000 kilometers. A similar complex is being created in the Far East in the Fokino area. The system, located in Primorye is sometimes called the “Krona-N”, it is represented only by UHF radar with a phased antenna array.
At present, Russian nuclear forces, means of controlling outer space and rocket attack warnings are the guarantor of the independence and territorial integrity of the country. They, despite the ongoing processes of reform of the armed forces, remain the most combat-ready and formidable part of them, capable of crushing any aggressor.
At the same time, this should not be a reason for complacency, the processes of degradation, physical and moral aging of equipment and weapons have affected this vital part of the Russian army. Against the background of the development of the US national missile defense system and technical improvement with a simultaneous increase in the number of Chinese nuclear weapons, urgent measures are needed that can counter the new threats and give new impetus to the development of Russian strategic forces.
Based on:
http://russianforces.org/rus/blog/2009/10/posledniy_obmen_dannymi.shtml
http://berlogamisha.mybb.ru/viewtopic.php?id=45
All satellite images courtesy of Google Earth.
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