Reviews of those who served in the Strategic Missile Forces. How they serve in the missile forces

On December 17, the Strategic Rocket Forces celebrate the 55th anniversary of its founding. According to the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev, the rocket men are able to carry out their assigned combat missions in any situation with a guarantee. Read about the service in the missile forces today and what awaits the military personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces in the future in our material.

400 ballistic missiles from the Strategic Missile Forces group are on combat duty in Russia every day. "About two-thirds of the nuclear warheads of Russia's strategic nuclear forces are concentrated in it." - said the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev.

In total, about 400 missiles with warheads assigned to them are on combat duty.

“In 2014, we continued to re-equip the group with the latest missile systems, which have enhanced capabilities to overcome the existing and prospective missile defense,” Karakaev said. According to him, the troops received 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles RK "YARS". 12 of them are mobile ground-based, and 4 are mine-based. As part of the rearmament, the personnel of three missile regiments were retrained for new missile systems.

In addition to new missile systems, the Strategic Missile Forces are equipped with modern digital information transmission technologies, advanced electronic warfare and camouflage systems.

Active rearmament will make it possible by 2015 to significantly increase the share of modern missile systems, both mobile and stationary, in the Strategic Missile Forces. “By the end of December this year, the share of modern missile systems will be about 50%,” Karakaev specified.

Photo: Strategic Missile Forces

It is planned to create the latest combat railway missile system (BZHRK) "Barguzin".

According to Karakaev, it will be developed exclusively at the enterprises of the domestic military-industrial complex and will become the embodiment of "the most advanced achievements of our military rocket science."

Components and assemblies of the newest heavy liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile "Sarmat" are currently being tested. It is planned that the rocket will be created by 2020.

Since July 2014, the State Rocket Center named after academician V.P. Makeev has been extending the life of the Voevoda missile system.

Ukrainian enterprises were withdrawn from industrial cooperation, which ensures the maintenance of the complex in technical readiness.

In 2015, the Strategic Missile Forces will increase the number of combat training and test launches of missiles. “14 launches are planned for 2015, which provide for flight tests of advanced weapons and control of the technical readiness of missile systems put into service,” Karakayev said. In 2014, 8 launches were carried out, two more are planned to be carried out in December.

Military units of the Strategic Missile Forces will not be formed on the territory of Crimea.

According to Karakaev, this is not necessary: ​​"the firing range of modern ballistic missiles allows you to hit targets anywhere in the world without approaching the borders of Russia."

More than 98% of missile officers have higher education, while the average age of the Strategic Missile Forces in 2014 was 31 years.

Interest in serving in the Strategic Missile Forces is not weakening, as evidenced by the high "competitive bar". “This year, 4,300 candidates were selected, and contracts were signed with only 2,700 of the best of them,” says Karakaev.

To date, more than 40% of the military positions of privates and sergeants are staffed by contracted military personnel.

It is planned that in 2015 the number of contractors in the Strategic Missile Forces will increase to 50%.

Photo: Andrey Luft/Defend Russia

In 2014, command and staff exercises of the missile troops with the Tatishchev and Barnaul missile formations were held in the Altai Territory, during which more than 4,000 servicemen and about 400 pieces of military equipment were involved.

Particular attention was paid to the issues of withdrawing units and subunits of the Strategic Missile Forces from attacks by a mock enemy and countering modern and advanced air attack weapons, as well as warning about the threat of their use in cooperation with formations and units of the Central Military District.

In 2014, about 800 military personnel received permanent housing, and another 206 received housing through a housing subsidy.

RVSN (Strategic Missile Forces) are a separate branch of the military Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. They represent the ground component of the strategic nuclear forces - the Strategic Nuclear Forces, or the so-called "nuclear triad", which includes, in addition to the Strategic Missile Forces, strategic aviation and naval strategic forces. Designed for nuclear deterrence of possible aggression and destruction by group or massive nuclear missile strikes of enemy strategic targets, which form the basis of its military and economic potential. They can be used independently or in conjunction with other components of the strategic nuclear forces.

The Strategic Missile Forces are troops of constant combat readiness. The basis of their weapons are ground-based ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) ground-based, equipped with warheads with nuclear warheads. According to the method of basing, ICBMs are divided into:

• mine;
• mobile (ground) based.

Currently, only three countries in the world (Russia, the United States and China) have a full-fledged nuclear triad, that is, land, air and sea components of strategic nuclear forces. At the same time, only Russia has such a unique structure as the Strategic Missile Forces as part of its armed forces.

In the United States, unlike the Russian Federation, ICBM formations are part of the air force. The ground and air components of the American nuclear triad are subordinate to a single structure - the Global Strike Command as part of the US Air Force. The American analogue of the Strategic Missile Forces is the 20th Air Army of the Global Strike Command, consisting of three missile wings armed with Minuteman-3 silo-based ICBMs. Unlike the Strategic Missile Forces, there are no mobile-based ICBMs in service with the American ground strategic forces. The air component of the US strategic nuclear forces includes the 8th Air Force of the Global Strike Command, armed with B-52H strategic bombers Stratofortress and B-2 Spirit.

Before considering the current state of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, let us turn to the history of this type of troops and briefly consider the main milestones in the creation and development of the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces.

Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR: HISTORY, STRUCTURE AND WEAPONS

The development of strategic missile weapons in the USSR began in the early postwar years. Captured German V-2 missiles served as the basis for the creation of the first Soviet ballistic missiles.

In 1947, the construction of the 4th Central State Polygon Kapustin Yar began, where a special-purpose brigade of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (bron RVGK) arrived under the command of Major General of Artillery A.F. Tveretsky with elements of V-2 rockets. In the same year, test launches of German missiles began, and a year later, on October 10, 1948, the first Soviet ballistic missile R-1 was launched - a copy of the FAU-2, assembled from units already of Soviet production.

Between 1950 and 1955 as part of the artillery of the RVGK, six more armors were formed (since 1953 - engineering brigades of the RVGK), armed with missiles R-1 and R-2. These missiles had a range of 270 and 600 km, respectively, and were equipped with conventional (non-nuclear) warheads. Special-purpose brigades armed with missiles were theoretically intended to destroy large military, military-industrial and administrative facilities of great strategic or operational importance, but their real combat value was low due to the low characteristics of missile weapons. It took 6 hours to prepare the rocket for launch, the fueled rocket could not be stored - it had to be launched within 15 minutes or the fuel was drained and then the rocket was prepared for re-launch for at least a day. For knocks, the brigade could fire 24-36 missiles. The accuracy of the R-1 and R-2 missiles was extremely low: the CEP (circular probabilistic deviation) was 1.25 km, as a result of which it was possible to fire at objects with an area of ​​​​at least 8 square meters. km. However, a missile with a non-nuclear warhead ensured the complete destruction of urban buildings within a radius of only 25 m, which made the use of the R-1 and R-2 ineffective in real combat conditions. In addition, numerous starting battery equipment was very vulnerable to artillery fire and air attack weapons. In view of all of the above, the first Soviet missile brigades had minimal combat value, being more of a training and testing center for training specialists and testing missile technologies. To turn them into a real fighting force, much more advanced missile weapons were required.

In the second half of the 50s. The R-5 and R-12 IRBMs (intermediate-range ballistic missiles) with ranges of 1,200 and 2,080 km, respectively, as well as the R-7 and R-7A ICBMs, are being put into service.

Single stage tactical ballistic missile R-5 became the first truly combat Soviet missile. An increase in the firing range led to its extremely low accuracy: the KVO was 5 km, which made the use of this missile with a conventional warhead meaningless. Therefore, a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 80 kilotons was created for it. Its modification - R-5M carried a nuclear warhead with a capacity of already 1 megaton. The R-5M missiles were in service with six RVGK engineering brigades and significantly increased the firepower of the Soviet Army. However, their range of 1200 km was clearly insufficient for a strategic confrontation with the United States. In order to “cover” the territory controlled by NATO as much as possible, two divisions of the 72nd engineering brigade with four R-5M missiles were moved to the territory of the GDR in strict secrecy, after which the southeastern part of Great Britain was within their reach.

Here we should make a small digression in order to understand the further development of Soviet ballistic missiles. The fact is that a split arose among Soviet designers. Outstanding designer of rocket technology S.P. Korolev was a supporter of liquid rockets, where liquid oxygen was used as an oxidizer. The disadvantage of such missiles was discussed above: they could not be stored in a refueled state for any long period of time. At the same time, M.K. Yangel, Korolev's deputy, advocated the use of nitric acid as an oxidizing agent, which made it possible to keep the rocket refueled and ready for launch for a long time.

Ultimately, this dispute led to the creation of two independent design bureaus. Yangel and his team founded the Special Design Bureau No. 584 at the rocket-building plant under construction in Dnepropetrovsk (Yuzhmash). Here he develops MRBM R-12, which was put into service in 1959. This missile had a CEP of 5 km and was equipped with a nuclear warhead with a capacity of 2.3 Mt. With a relatively short range of the R-12, its indisputable advantage was the use of stored fuel components and the ability to store in the required degree of combat readiness - from No. 4 to No. 1. At the same time, the launch preparation time ranged from 3 hours 25 minutes to 30 minutes. Looking ahead, let's say that the R-12 rocket became the "long-liver" of the Soviet missile forces. In 1986, 112 R-12 launchers were still in service. Their complete removal of weapons took place only at the end of the 80s in the framework of the Soviet-American treaty on the elimination of medium and short-range missiles.

While Yangel was creating the R-12, Korolev was developing the R-7 rocket. Introduced into service in 1960, this ICBM with a range of 8,000 km was the first Soviet ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States. However, a serious drawback of the R-7 was the long refueling time - 12 hours. This required 400 tons of liquid oxygen, and a fueled rocket could be stored for no more than 8 hours. Thus, the R-7 was well suited for a pre-emptive strike on the enemy, but did not make it possible to carry out a retaliatory launch. For this reason, the maximum number of deployed R-7 launchers never exceeded four, and by 1968 all R-7s were withdrawn from service, giving way to new generation missiles.

In 1958, the missile forces were divided in accordance with their tasks: the engineering brigades of the RVGK, armed with R-11 and R-11M operational-tactical missiles, were transferred to the Ground Forces, and the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missiles were part of the first ICBM formation under conditional the name "Object" Angara ".

Creation of the Strategic Missile Forces

Thus, by the end of the 1950s in the USSR, samples of missiles with sufficient combat effectiveness were created and put into mass production. There is a need to create a centralized command of all strategic missile forces.

On December 17, 1959, No. 1384-615, by a top-secret resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR "On the establishment of the post of commander-in-chief of the missile forces in the Armed Forces of the USSR", an independent branch of the Armed Forces was created - the Strategic Missile Forces. December 17 is currently celebrated as Strategic Missile Forces Day .

Decree No. 1384-615 ordered the Strategic Missile Forces to have missile brigades (medium-range) of three to four regiments and missile divisions of five to six regiments, as well as ICBM brigades consisting of six to eight launches.

The formation of directorates and services of the Strategic Missile Forces begins. On December 31, 1959, the following were formed: the Main Headquarters of the Missile Forces, the Central Command Post with a communications center and a computer center, the Main Directorate of Missile Weapons, the Combat Training Directorate, and other services. The first commander of the Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense - Chief Marshal of Artillery Nedelin M.I.

Within a short time after the official creation of the Strategic Missile Forces, numerous missile regiments and divisions began to appear on the territory of the USSR. Tank, artillery and aviation units were hastily transferred to the staff of the missile troops. They handed over their old weapons and mastered new rocket technology in the shortest possible time. So, two directorates of the air armies of the Long-Range Aviation were transferred to the Strategic Missile Forces, which served as the base for the deployment of missile armies, three directorates of air divisions, 17 engineering regiments of the RGK (they were reorganized into missile divisions and brigades) and many other units and formations.

By 1960, 10 missile divisions were deployed as part of the Strategic Missile Forces, based in the western part of the Union and the Far East:

1) 19th Missile Zaporozhye Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division, headquarters in the city of Khmelnitsky (Ukrainian SSR);

2) 23rd Guards Rocket Orel-Berlin Red Banner Division - headquarters in the city of Valga;

3) 24th Guards Missile Gomel Order of Lenin Red Banner Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky Division - Gvardeysk in the Kaliningrad region;

4) 29th Guards Rocket Vitebsk Order of Lenin Red Banner Division - Siauliai (Lithuanian SSR);

5) 31st Guards Rocket Bryansk-Berlin Red Banner Division - Pruzhany (BSSR);

6) 32nd Rocket Kherson Red Banner Division - Postavy (BSSR);

7) 33rd Guards Rocket Svirskaya Red Banner Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky Division - Mozyr (BSSR);

8) Guards Rocket Sevastopol Division - Lutsk (Ukrainian SSR);

9) missile division - Kolomyia (Ukrainian SSR);

10) missile division - Ussuriysk.

All these divisions were armed with R-12 missiles, the total number of which in 1960 was 172 units, but a year later there were 373 of them. Now all of Western Europe and Japan were under the gunpoint of the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces.

The only division armed with R-7 and R-7A intercontinental missiles was based in Plesetsk.

In the formations of the IRBM, the main combat unit was the missile division (rdn), in the formations of the ICBM - the missile regiment (rp).

By 1966, the number of R-12 MRBMs in service with the Soviet missile forces reached 572 - this was the maximum, after which a gradual decline began. However, the range of the R-12 was still not very large. The task of creating a mass rocket capable of "reaching out" to US territory has still not been solved.

By 1958, Soviet chemists had developed a promising new fuel - heptyl. This substance was extremely toxic, but at the same time it was effective as a fuel, and most importantly, it was long-lasting. Heptyl missiles could be kept in combat condition for years.

In 1958, Yangel began designing a rocket R-14, which was adopted in 1961. The flight range of the new missile, equipped with a 2 Mt warhead, was 4,500 km. Now the Strategic Missile Forces of the USSR could freely keep the whole of Western Europe at gunpoint.

However, the R-14, like the R-12, was extremely vulnerable in an open launch position. It was urgently necessary to increase the survivability of missiles. The way out was found simple, albeit labor-intensive - to place strategic missiles in mines. This is how launchers for silo-based missiles R-12U "Dvina" and R-14U "Chusovaya" appeared. The starting position of the Dvina was a rectangle measuring 70 by 80 m, in the corners of which there were launch mines, and underground - a command post. "Chusovaya" had the shape of a right triangle with legs 70 and 80 m, with launch shafts at the tops.

Despite the colossal progress in the development of rocket technology, achieved in the 50s - the first half of the 60s, the Soviet Union was still unable to launch a full-fledged nuclear missile attack on the territory of America. An attempt in 1962 to place Soviet R-12 and R-14 missiles in Cuba, closer to the US borders, ended in a sharp confrontation known as the Caribbean Crisis. There was a real threat of the Third World War. The USSR was forced to retreat and remove its strategic missiles from Cuba.

At the same time, by 1962, the United States was armed with three hundred (!) Atlas, Titan-1 and Minuteman-1 intercontinental ballistic missiles with a maximum deviation from the target of 3 kilometers, equipped with nuclear warheads with a capacity of 3 Mt. And the Titan-2 missile, adopted in 1962, was equipped with a thermonuclear warhead with a capacity of 10 megatons, and had a maximum deviation of only 2.5 km. And this is not counting the huge fleet of strategic bombers (1,700 vehicles) and 160 Polaris SLBMs on 10 George Washington-class submarines. The superiority of the United States over the USSR in the field of strategic weapons was simply overwhelming!

It was urgent to close the gap. Since 1959, the development of a two-stage ICBM R-16. Unfortunately, the haste had tragic consequences in the form of a series of accidents and disasters. The largest of them was the fire at Baikonur on October 24, 1960, which arose as a result of a gross violation of safety regulations (engineers and rocket scientists tried to troubleshoot the electrical circuit on a fueled R-16 rocket). As a result, the rocket exploded, propellant and nitric acid spilled over the launch pad. 126 people were killed, including the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Marshal Nedelin. Yangel miraculously survived, because a few minutes before the disaster he went behind the bunker to smoke.

Nevertheless, work on the R-16 continued, and by the end of 1961 the first three missile regiments were ready for combat duty. In parallel with the development of R-16 missiles, silo launchers for them were created. The launch complex, which received the Sheksna-V index, consisted of three silos placed in one line at a distance of several tens of meters, an underground command post and fuel and oxidizer storage facilities (the missiles were refueled immediately before launch).

In 1962, there were 50 R-16 missiles in service, and by 1965 their number in the Strategic Missile Forces reached its maximum - 202 launchers of silo-based R-16U missiles in several base areas.

The R-16 became the first mass-produced Soviet missile with a flight range (11,500-13,000 km) that made it possible to hit targets in the United States. It became the base missile for creating a group of intercontinental missiles of the Strategic Missile Forces. True, its accuracy was not high - the maximum deviation was 10 km, but it was compensated by a powerful warhead - 3-10 Mt.

Around the same time, Korolev was developing a new oxygen ICBM R-9. Its tests dragged on until 1964 (although the first combat systems were deployed in 1963). Despite the fact that Korolev himself considered his missile to be significantly superior to the R-16 (the R-9 was much more accurate, had a range of 12500-16000 km and a powerful warhead of 5-10 Mt at half the weight), it did not entrust wide distribution. The Strategic Missile Forces received only 29 R-9A missiles, which served until the mid-1970s. After the R-9, oxygen rockets were not created in the Soviet Union.

Despite the fact that the R-16 missiles were adopted and built in significant numbers, they were too large and expensive to become truly massive. Rocket designer academician V.N. Chelomey proposed his solution - a light "universal" rocket UR-100. It could be used both as an ICBM and in the Taran missile defense system. The UR-100 was put into service in 1966, and in 1972 its modifications with improved performance characteristics were adopted - UR-100M and UR-100UTTH.

UR-100 (according to NATO classification - SS-11) became the most massive missile ever adopted by the USSR Strategic Missile Forces. From 1966 to 1972 990 UR-100 and UR-100M missiles were put on combat duty. The launch range of a missile with a light warhead with a capacity of 0.5 Mt was 10600 km, and with a heavy warhead with a capacity of 1.1 Mt - 5000 km. The great advantage of the UR-100 was that it could be stored in a refueled state for the entire period of its stay on combat duty - 10 years. The time from receiving the command to launch was about three minutes, which was required to spin up the rocket's gyroscopes. The mass deployment of relatively cheap UR-100 missiles was the Soviet response to the American Minutemen.

In 1963, a decision was made that determined the appearance of the Strategic Missile Forces for many years to come: to start building single-launch mine launchers (silos). Throughout the USSR, from the Carpathians to the Far East, a grandiose construction of new ICBM positioning areas was launched, in which 350 thousand people were involved. The construction of a single-launch silo was a labor-intensive and expensive process, but such a launcher was much more resistant to nuclear strikes. Mine launchers were tested by real nuclear explosions and showed high stability: all systems and fortifications remained intact and capable of combat work.

In parallel with the development of the light ICBM UR-100, the Yangel Design Bureau began developing the complex R-36 with heavy ICBMs. Its main task was considered to be the defeat of highly protected small targets in the United States, such as ICBM launchers, command posts, bases of nuclear submarine missile carriers, etc. Just like the rest of the Soviet ICBMs of that time, the R-36 was not very accurate, which they tried to compensate for with a 10 Mt warhead. In 1967, the R-36 heavy ICBM was adopted by the Strategic Missile Forces, by which time 72 missiles had already been deployed, and by 1970 - 258.

The R-36 launcher was a huge structure: depth - 41 m, diameter - 8 m. Therefore, they were placed in deserted areas: Krasnoyarsk Territory, Orenburg and Chelyabinsk regions, Kazakhstan. Formations armed with R-36s became part of the Orenburg missile corps, later transformed into a missile army.

Strategic Missile Forces in the 60s - 70s

The rapid growth of the grouping of Soviet ballistic missiles was accompanied by numerous changes in the structure of the Strategic Missile Forces. The deployment of an increasing number of launchers of ICBMs and medium-range missiles required reliable control, warning and communication systems. In a potential nuclear conflict, time was counted by seconds - the missiles had to leave the mines before they were destroyed by the enemy. In addition, silo launchers needed complex maintenance and reliable protection. Positional areas of ICBMs occupied vast uninhabited spaces. The launchers were at a considerable distance from each other in order to make it more difficult to destroy them with one blow. Missile maintenance required a large number of personnel and a powerful infrastructure.

The Strategic Missile Forces became, in fact, a closed "state within a state." For rocket men, secret cities were built that were not on the maps. Their existence, like everything connected with the Strategic Missile Forces, was a state secret, and only railway lines leading to supposedly deserted places could indicate the location of secret objects. The Strategic Missile Forces had not only military facilities, but also their own factories, state farms, forestries, railways and roads.

The organizational structure of the Strategic Missile Forces began to take shape with the transfer to their structure of two air armies of Long-Range Aviation, on the basis of which two missile armies armed with R-12 and R-14 medium-range missiles were formed. They were placed in the western regions of the USSR.

The 43rd Rocket Army was headquartered in Vinnitsa (Ukrainian SSR). Initially, it consisted of three missile divisions and two brigades, later - 10 divisions stationed on the territory of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The headquarters of the 50th Army was in Smolensk.

The deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles required the creation of a large number of new missile formations. In 1961, the Strategic Missile Forces (in addition to the two above-mentioned armies) received five separate missile corps with headquarters in Vladimir, Kirov, Omsk, Khabarovsk and Chita. In 1965, two more separate missile corps were formed with headquarters in Orenburg and Dzhambul, and the Orenburg corps received heavy R-36 ICBMs, which were the main striking force of the Strategic Missile Forces of that time.

In the future, the number of newly created missile divisions went to dozens, which required an increase in the number of administrative structures of the Strategic Missile Forces.

By 1970, 26 ICBM divisions and 11 RSD divisions were deployed on the territory of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. By this time, a need arose for a large-scale reorganization of the Strategic Missile Forces, which was done in the first half of 1970. Three separate missile corps, Khabarovsk, Dzhambul and Kirov, were disbanded, and the remaining four were deployed into missile armies.

• 27th Guards Rocket Vitebsk Red Banner Army (headquarters in Vladimir);
• 31st Rocket Army (headquarters in Orenburg);
• 33rd Guards Rocket Berislav-Khingan Twice Red Banner Army (headquarters in Omsk);
• 43rd Rocket Red Banner Army (headquarters in Vinnitsa);
• 50th Rocket Red Banner Army (headquarters in Smolensk);
• 53rd Rocket Army (headquarters in Chita).

Heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles R-16U were in service with missile divisions stationed in Bershet (52nd missile division), Bologom (7th Guards RD), Nizhny Tagil (42nd RD), Yoshkar-Ola (14th RD ), Novosibirsk, Shadrinsk and Yurie (RD 8).

The Royal R-9A missiles were in the mines in the vicinity of Omsk and Tyumen.

The most massive light ICBM UR-100 was deployed throughout the Soviet Union. It was adopted by the divisions, whose headquarters were located in Bershet (52nd RD), Bologom (7th RD), Smooth Krasnoyarsk Territory, Drovyanaya (4th RD) and Yasnaya Chita region, Kozelsk (28th RD), Kostroma and Svobodny (RD 27) of the Amur Region, Tatishchev (RD 60), Teikovo (RD 54), Pervomaisky (RD 46) and Khmelnitsky (RD 19).

Heavy R-36 ICBMs were adopted by five divisions of the 31st Orenburg Missile Army - the 13th Missile Division in Dombarovsky (Yasnaya), the 38th in Zhangiz-Tobe, the 57th in Derzhavinsk, the 59th in Kartaly, the 62nd I am in Uzhur.

After the death in 1972 of Marshal N.I. Krylov, the Strategic Missile Forces was headed by Chief Marshal of Artillery V.F. Tolubko, who since 1960 was the first deputy commander of the missile forces. He remained in this position for 13 years, until 1985.

Despite the strict secrecy that surrounded the Strategic Missile Forces, it was hardly possible to hide the location of the launchers and garrisons of the Soviet missile forces from the Americans. The means of space, air and electronic intelligence allowed them to track and establish the exact coordinates of all strategic objects of interest. Western intelligence sought to obtain information about Soviet missiles and undercover. In the early 1960s GRU Colonel Oleg Penkovsky, working undercover in England, passed on to the American and British intelligence services a huge amount of information about Soviet strategic missiles, in particular, those then deployed in Cuba.

SALT-1 agreement

In the early 70s. both sides of the nuclear-missile confrontation - the USSR and the USA - owned such large nuclear arsenals that their further quantitative build-up lost its meaning. Why be able to destroy your opponent twenty times when once is enough?

On May 26, 1972, in Moscow, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU Brezhnev and US President Nixon signed two important documents: the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Missile Defense Systems and the Interim Agreement on Certain Measures in the Field of Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, as well as a number of annexes to them.

For the first time in history, rivals in the largest geopolitical confrontation were able to agree on limiting their nuclear missile arsenals. The interim agreement, which later became known as the SALT-1 Treaty, provided for a mutual renunciation of the construction of new silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as the replacement of light and obsolete ICBMs with heavy modern ones. It was allowed to complete the construction of stationary launchers that were already under active construction. At the time of signing the SALT-1 Treaty, the number of Soviet silos was 1,526 units (the United States had 1,054). In 1974, after the completion of the mines, the number of deployed Soviet ICBMs increased to 1,582, reaching a historical maximum.

At the same time, the number of sea-based nuclear missiles was limited. The USSR was allowed to have no more than 950 SLBM launchers and no more than 62 modern ballistic missile submarines, the USA - no more than 710 SLBM launchers and 44 submarines, respectively.

Third generation of strategic missiles

The conclusion of the SALT-1 Treaty was only a short respite in the nuclear missile race. Formally, the Soviet Union now surpassed the United States in the number of ICBMs by almost one and a half times. But the Americans negated this advantage with their new technologies.

In the early 70s. The Minuteman ICBMs with multiple reentry vehicles are being put into service. One such missile could hit three targets. By 1975, there were already 550 Minutemen in service, equipped with multiple warheads.

The USSR began to urgently develop an adequate response to the new American missiles. Back in 1971, the USSR adopted ICBM UR-100K, which could carry three scattering-type warheads of 350 Kt each. In 1974, another modification of the UR-100 was adopted - UR-100U, which also carried three 350 Kt dispersal warheads. They did not yet have individual warhead guidance on targets, and therefore could not be considered an adequate response to the Minutemen.

Less than a year later, the USSR Strategic Missile Forces received a rocket UR-100N(developed by the Chelomey design bureau), equipped with six individually targetable multiple warheads with a capacity of 750 kt each. By 1984, the UR-100N ICBMs were in service with four divisions located in Pervomaisk (90 silos), Tatishchevo (110 silos), Kozelsk (70 silos), Khmelnitsky (90 silos) - a total of 360 units.

In the same 1975, the Strategic Missile Forces received two more new ballistic missiles with multiple independently targetable warheads: MR-UR-100(designed by Yangel Design Bureau) and the famous "Satan" - R-36M(aka RS-20A, and according to NATO classification - SS-18Mod 1,2,3 Satan).

This ICBM has long been the main strike force of the Strategic Missile Forces. The Americans did not have missiles with such combat power. The R-36M missiles were equipped with a multiple reentry vehicle with 10 individual guidance units of 750 Kt each. They were located in huge mines with a diameter of 6 m and a depth of 40 m. In subsequent years, the Satan missiles were repeatedly modernized: its variants were adopted: R-36MU and R-36 UTTKh.

Fourth generation missiles

Missile complex R-36M2 "Voevoda"(according to NATO classification - SS-18 Mod.5 / Mod.6) became a further development of "Satan". It was put into service in 1988 and, compared to its predecessors, got the ability to overcome the potential enemy's missile defense system and deliver a guaranteed retaliatory strike against the enemy even under conditions of multiple nuclear impact on the positional area. This was achieved by increasing the survivability of missiles to the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion both while in the silo and in flight. Each 15A18M missile could technically carry up to 36 warheads, however, under the SALT-2 agreement, no more than 10 warheads were allowed on one missile. Nevertheless, a strike with just eight to ten Voyevoda missiles ensured the destruction of 80% of the US industrial potential.

Other performance characteristics were also significantly improved: the accuracy of the rocket increased by 1.3 times, the preparation time for launch was reduced by 2 times, the duration of autonomy was increased by 3 times, etc.

The R-36M2 is the most powerful strategic missile system in service with the USSR Strategic Missile Forces. Currently, "Voevoda" continues to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation. According to the statement of the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Lieutenant General S. Karakaev, made in 2010, this complex is planned to remain in service until 2026, until a new promising ICBM is put into service.

Ever since the 60s. in the USSR, attempts were made to create mobile ground-based missile systems, the invulnerability of which would be ensured by constantly changing location. This is how the Temp-2S mobile missile system appeared. In 1976, the first two missile regiments, each with six launchers, took up combat duty. Later, on the basis of the Temp-2S complex, Nadiradze Design Bureau created the Pioneer medium-range ballistic missile, known as the SS-20.

For a long time, RSD remained "in the shadow" of intercontinental ballistic missiles, but since the 70s. their importance has increased due to the restrictions imposed by the Soviet-American treaties on the development of ICBMs. Complex development "Pioneer" began in 1971, and in 1974 the first launch of this rocket was made from the Kapustin Yar test site.

Self-propelled units for the complex were created on the basis of the MAZ-547A six-axle chassis, manufactured by the Barrikady plant in Volgograd. The mass of the self-propelled unit with the transport and launch container was 83 tons.

The 15Zh45 rocket of the Pioneer complex was a two-stage solid propellant. Its flight range was 4500 km, KVO - 1.3 km, readiness for launch - up to 2 minutes. The missile was equipped with three individually targetable warheads of 150 Kt each.

The deployment of Pioneer complexes proceeded quickly. In 1976, the Strategic Missile Forces received the first 18 mobile launchers, a year later 51 installations were already in service, and in 1981 already 297 complexes were on combat duty. Three Pioneer divisions were deployed in Ukraine and Belarus each, and four more in the Asian part of the USSR. Pioneer complexes were armed with units that previously had R-12 and R-14 RSDs.

At that time, the USSR was preparing not only for a confrontation with NATO - there were tense relations with China as well. Therefore, in the late 1970s. regiments of "Pioneers" appeared at the Chinese border - in Siberia and Transbaikalia.

The active deployment of the Pioneer missile systems caused serious concern among the leadership of the NATO countries. At the same time, the Soviet leadership stated that the Pioneers did not affect the balance of power in Europe, as they were adopted instead of the R-12 and R-14 missiles. The Americans also deployed their Pershing-2 medium-range missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles in Europe. All this marked a new stage in the nuclear missile race. The nervousness on both sides about medium-range missiles was understandable. After all, their danger lay in their proximity to potential targets: the flight time was only 5-10 minutes, which did not give a chance to react in case of a sudden impact.

In 1983, the USSR deployed missile systems in Czechoslovakia and the GDR "Temp-S". The number of Pioneer complexes continued to grow and by 1985 reached its maximum - 405 units, and the total number of 15Zh45 missiles on combat duty and in the arsenals of the Strategic Missile Forces amounted to 650 units.

With the coming to power of M.S. Gorbachev, the situation in the field of nuclear missile confrontation between the USSR and the USA has changed radically. Unexpectedly for everyone, in 1987 Gorbachev and Reagan signed an agreement on the elimination of short and medium-range missiles. This was an unprecedented step: if the previous treaties only limited the buildup of ICBMs, here it was about the elimination of a whole class of weapons on both sides.

Subsequently, many high-ranking Soviet military figures announced the unfavorable terms of this treaty for the USSR, calling Gorbachev's actions a betrayal. Indeed, the USSR had to destroy more than twice as many missiles as the United States. In addition to the Pioneers, the operational-tactical missile systems Temp-S (135 installations, 726 missiles), Oka (102 installations, 239 missiles) and the latest RK-55 cruise missile installations (not yet deployed) were also eliminated. By June 12, 1991, the process of destroying these missile systems was completely completed. Some of the missiles were destroyed by launching into the Pacific Ocean, the rest were blown up after the dismantling of nuclear warheads.

Part of the missile formations that were armed with medium-range missiles had to be disbanded, and the rest received Topol mobile ICBMs.

SALT-2 agreement

The signing of the SALT-1 treaty gave hope that the nuclear missile confrontation between the USSR and the USA would finally end. From 1974 to 1979, negotiations took place with varying success on further limiting the sides' strategic nuclear arsenals. The final version of the treaty, agreed in 1979, provided for each of the parties the opportunity to have no more than 2250 strategic carriers (ICBMs and strategic bombers with cruise missiles), of which no more than 1320 carriers with multiple warheads. Strategic bombers were equated with intercontinental ballistic missiles with MIRVs. It was allowed to have no more than 1200 units of land-based and sea-based missiles with MIRVs, of which land-based ICBMs - no more than 820 units each.

Interestingly, during the negotiations, all domestic missiles came up with "pseudonyms". The true names of the missiles were a military secret, but still they had to be identified somehow. Later, the pseudonyms of the ICBM, along with the original names, began to appear in domestic sources. This creates some confusion, so let's be clear:

• UR-100K - RS-10;
• RT-2P - RS-12;
• "Topol" - RS-12M;
• "Temp-2S" - RS-14;
• MR-UR-100 - RS-16;
• UR-100N - RS-18;
• R-36 - RS-20.

A new aggravation of Soviet-American relations in the late 1970s - early 1980s. dealt a blow to the RSD-2 treaty. There were enough reasons for aggravation: the establishment of a pro-communist regime in Angola with the direct assistance of the USSR, the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, and an increase in the number of medium-range missiles in Europe. Therefore, the SALT-2 agreement, signed by J. Carter and L.I. Brezhnev in 1979, was never ratified by the US Congress. With the coming to power of Reagan, who took a course of confrontation with the USSR, the SALT-2 treaty was forgotten. However, in the 1980s, the parties generally complied with the main provisions of the SALT-2 treaty, and even sometimes accused each other of violating its articles.

Mobile ICBMs "Topol"

In 1975, Nadiradze Design Bureau began the development of a new self-propelled missile system based on the RT-2P solid-propellant ICBM. Learning about the development "Poplars”, the Americans accused the Soviet side of violating the SALT-2 treaty, according to which each of the parties could develop one new ICBM in addition to existing models (and at that time the RT-23 missile was already being developed in the USSR for mine and rail-based). It turned out that the USSR was developing not one, but two ICBMs. To these accusations, the Soviet leadership replied that the Topol was not a new missile, but just a modification of the RT-2P ICBM. Therefore, the new missile system received the RT-2PM index. Of course, this was a trick - "Poplar" was a new development. The Americans, although they did not agree with the Soviet arguments, considering them a trick, could not interfere with anything, and in 1984 the deployment of RT-2PM ICBMs in positional areas began.

In 1985, the first two regiments armed with Topols took up combat duty. In total, by that time, 72 RT-2PM complexes were part of the Strategic Missile Forces. In subsequent years, the number of Topol ICBMs in the USSR Strategic Missile Forces increased rapidly, reaching a maximum in 1993 - 369 units, and in 1994-2001. remained at the level of 360 units, which ranged from 37 to 48% of the entire Russian grouping of strategic missile systems.

The Topol ICBM launcher is mounted on the MAZ-7912 seven-axle chassis. The maximum flight range of the RT-2PM missile is 10,000 km, the KVO is 900 m. The warhead is monoblock, with a capacity of 550 Kt.

The massive deployment of the Topol missile systems meant a new command approach to ensuring the survivability of the Strategic Missile Forces in the face of an enemy nuclear strike. If earlier the stake was placed on the powerful protection of underground silos and their dispersal over large areas, now the main factor of protection was the mobility of launchers, which could not be kept at gunpoint - because their location was constantly changing. In the event of a sudden nuclear strike by the enemy, due to its survivability, the Topol PGRK should have provided 60% of the combat potential necessary for a retaliatory strike. The launch of the RT-2PM missile could be carried out in the shortest possible time from anywhere on the combat patrol route, or directly from the place of permanent deployment - from a special structure (shelter) with a retractable roof.

Until the collapse of the Topol Union, 13 divisions of the Strategic Missile Forces were put into service. Ten of them were based in Russia, three - in Belarus. Each Topol missile regiment consisted (and still does) of nine mobile launchers.

The deployment of a large number of mobile ICBM launchers caused serious concern to American strategists, as it significantly changed the balance of power in the nuclear missile confrontation. Measures were developed to neutralize the Topol launchers on combat patrol. Single installations were really vulnerable, for example, when meeting with an enemy sabotage group. But the destruction of one installation does not solve anything, and organizing the identification and coordinated destruction of hundreds of mobile launchers by saboteurs, and even on Soviet territory, is an unrealistic task. As another means of combating the Topols, the B-2 "invisible aircraft" was considered, which, according to its developers, could detect and destroy mobile launchers, while remaining invisible and invulnerable to Soviet air defense. In practice, American "stealth" would hardly have coped with this task. Firstly, their “invisibility” is largely a myth, we can talk about a maximum reduction in radar visibility, but in the optical range, “stealth” is visible in the same way as an ordinary aircraft. Secondly, as in the previous case, the destruction of individual launchers does not solve anything, and it is hardly possible to detect and simultaneously destroy hundreds of installations while in enemy airspace.

In addition to the Topols, the Soviet command presented the Americans with another unpleasant surprise in the form of "nuclear trains" - combat railway missile systems (BZHRK) P-450. Each missile train carried three R-23UTTH ICBMs with a multiple reentry vehicle. The first BZHRK took up combat duty in 1987, and by the time of the collapse of the USSR, there were already 12 trains, consolidated into three missile divisions.

The collapse of the Union and the fate of the Strategic Missile Forces

In the process of the collapse of the USSR, the strategic missile forces managed to maintain their combat effectiveness to a greater extent than other branches of the military. While the reduction of conventional weapons was proceeding at an enormous pace, the Strategic Missile Forces were not touched, except for the elimination of medium-range missiles. However, it was their turn. The Americans, who considered themselves victorious in the Cold War, began to dictate their terms.

On July 31, 1991, the START-1 treaty was signed in Moscow. Unlike the SALT-1 and 2 treaties, it provided not for the limitation, but for a significant reduction in strategic weapons. The number of deployed strategic missiles for each side was set at 1,600 units, and 6,000 warheads for them. However, a number of restrictions were set for the USSR, which greatly weakened the Strategic Missile Forces and, in fact, they were under the control of the Americans.

The number of the most powerful Soviet R-36 ICBMs was halved - to 154 units. It was forbidden to adopt new types of ICBMs.

The mobility of rocket trains, which the Americans were very afraid of, was maximally limited. They were allowed to stay only at stations, no more than 7 in total, for the convenience of observing them from space. It was forbidden to mask the trains.

Mobile Topol launchers were allowed to be deployed in strictly limited areas, each of which could contain no more than 10 installations (that is, approximately a regiment). Strictly limited deployment areas were also established for missile divisions. Thus, the Americans deprived the formations of mobile-based Soviet ICBMs of the main factor in their survivability - the ability to constantly and covertly move.

As a result, the gigantic resources spent on the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces were thrown to the wind. Intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear missile carriers, giant ICBM silos - everything that was created over decades was destroyed within a few years. Interestingly, the process of eliminating weapons and infrastructure of the Strategic Missile Forces took place with the direct financial support of a potential adversary - the United States. The long-term nuclear missile race ended with the collapse of the Soviet state and the degradation of its armed forces.

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ON THE RUINS OF THE EMPIRE

In 1992, after the collapse of the Union, the Strategic Missile Forces were formed "anew" as a branch of the armed forces as part of the RF Armed Forces. The main task for them at that time was to bring the organizational structure and weapons of the missile forces in line with the new realities. It's no secret that in the 1990s The combat effectiveness of the general-purpose forces of the RF Armed Forces was seriously undermined, therefore the Strategic Missile Forces and Strategic Nuclear Forces were the main factor in ensuring Russia's security from external encroachments. Despite all the upheavals, the command of the Strategic Missile Forces tried with all its might to preserve the combat effectiveness of the missile forces, their weapons, infrastructure and human potential.

Everything that could be taken out of the territory of the former Soviet republics was taken out. Topol units were withdrawn from the territory of Belarus. Missile mines in Ukraine and Kazakhstan had to be liquidated.

Launch of R-36M2 "Voevoda" rocket

In the 1990s the main trend in the development of the Strategic Missile Forces has been outlined - a bet on solid-propellant mobile missile systems. Silo-based liquid rockets have not completely disappeared, but their share in the ICBM group is steadily declining.

In 1993, G. Bush and B. Yeltsin signed the START-2 treaty, which prohibited the use of ballistic missiles with multiple warheads. The logic of the MIRV ban was as follows: with an approximately equal number of nuclear missiles on the sides, a preventive strike loses its meaning, since in order to destroy one nuclear missile of the defending side, the attacker must spend at least one of his missiles, but without a 100% guarantee of success. Some part of the defending side's nuclear missile arsenal will remain, while the attacker will completely deplete his arsenal in the first strike. But the use of missiles with MIRVs, on the contrary, gives an advantage to the attacking side, since it can destroy all the launchers of enemy nuclear missiles with a relatively small number of its missiles.

Although Russia later refused to ratify the START-2 treaty, it had a great influence on the development of the Strategic Missile Forces. The BZHRK, missile trains that the Americans were so afraid of, came under attack, because they carried ICBMs with multiple warheads. They were removed from service and disposed of (the last train was removed from combat duty in 2005). While the fate of the START-2 treaty remained unclear, Russia did not develop ICBMs with multiple reentry vehicles. The basis of the nuclear missile group was monoblock missiles.

Even in the most difficult conditions of the 90s. in Russia was developed and adopted ICBM fifth generation RT-2PM2 - "Topol-M". This missile, unified for mine and mobile basing, appeared as a response to the active creation of an anti-missile defense system by the Americans. The three-stage solid-fuel missile RT-2PM2 has a range of 11,000 km and has enhanced capabilities to overcome a potential enemy's missile defense system. It is equipped with a detachable warhead with a capacity of 550 kt. The warhead is capable of maneuvering in the final section of the trajectory after separation from the missile, and is equipped with a system of active and passive decoys, as well as means for distorting the characteristics of the warhead. The missile's sustainer turbojet engine allows it to pick up speed much faster than previous types of missiles of this class, which also makes it difficult to intercept it in the active phase of the flight.

In 1997, the first two Topol-M ICBMs in the mine version took up combat duty. In subsequent years, silo-based RT-2PM2 complexes continued to be transferred to the troops in small batches of 4-8 units, and as of 2015 their number reached 60. RT-2PM2 in the version of a mobile ground-based missile system (PGRK) entered service in 2006- 2009, and today their number is 18 units.

After Russia withdrew from the START-2 treaty in 2002 and replaced it with the softer SORT (Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty), the issue of equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with multiple-warhead ballistic missiles again arose. Significant US efforts to create a global missile defense system have made the prospect of "nullification" of the Russian nuclear missile potential real, which could not be allowed. It was necessary to provide guaranteed retaliation in the event of a preventive nuclear missile strike by a potential adversary, which means that the Strategic Missile Forces needed missiles capable of penetrating all existing and future missile defense systems.

In 2009, the first unit of new mobile missile systems was transferred to the troops RS-24 "Yars". In 2011, the first regiment of the Yars PGRK was brought to full strength (9 launchers).

The RS-24 missile is a modification of the Topol-M, equipped with MIRVs with four individually targetable warheads with a capacity of 150 (according to other sources - 300) Kt. These ICBMs, unified for mine and ground-based, in the future should form the basis of the Strategic Missile Forces, replacing the RS-18 and RS-20 missiles.

In 2001, by decree of the President, the Strategic Missile Forces were transformed from a branch of the armed forces into a separate branch of the military, and the Space Forces were separated from them.

In general, the nineties - "zero" became a difficult time for the Strategic Missile Forces. As a result of the aging of the nuclear missile arsenal, as well as political pressure from the West, the number of Russian ICBMs and nuclear warheads has steadily declined during this period. Nevertheless, it was possible to maintain the combat effectiveness of the Strategic Missile Forces, and, most importantly, the scientific, technical and human potential of the country in the nuclear missile sphere. Promising types of mobile, silo and sea-based ICBMs have been developed and put into service, which in the foreseeable future will allow Russia to maintain parity with the United States and other nuclear powers.

RVSN RUSSIA TODAY: STATUS AND PROSPECTS

START-3 Treaty

Before considering the structure and armament of modern Russian Strategic Missile Forces, we should dwell on the document that today determines the nuclear-missile balance between Russia and the United States - the SALT-3 treaty. This document was signed in 2010 by Presidents D. Medvedev and B. Obama and entered into force on February 5, 2011.

Under the terms of the treaty, each party can have no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and no more than 700 carriers: ICBMs, submarines and strategic missile-carrying bombers. An additional 100 media can be stored unfolded.

START-3 does not impose restrictions on the development of the American missile defense system. However, when developing the terms of the contract, its condition and development prospects were taken into account. In the event of an increase in the capabilities of the American missile defense system, which falls under the category of "exceptional circumstances", Russia reserved the right to withdraw from the START-3 treaty unilaterally.

As for missiles with multiple warheads, the START-3 treaty apparently does not contain a strict ban on them, like START-2. In any case, Russia is not going to abandon either the Yars ICBM or the Bulava SLBM equipped with MIRVs with individually targetable nuclear units. Moreover, it is planned to put into operation a new generation of combat railway missile systems equipped with ICBMs with MIRVs, created on the basis of Yars.

Armament of the Strategic Missile Forces of Russia

As of the beginning of 2015, the Strategic Missile Forces had a total of 305 missile systems of five types, capable of carrying 1166 warheads:

• R-36M2/R-36MUTTKh - 46 (460 warheads);
• UR-100NUTTH - 60 (320 warheads);
• "Topol" - 72 (72 warheads);
• "Topol-M" (mobile and mine versions) - 78 (78 warheads);
• "Yars" - 49 (196 warheads).

Structure of the Strategic Missile Forces

Currently, the Strategic Missile Forces are a branch of the Russian Armed Forces, directly subordinate to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The structure of the Strategic Missile Forces includes:

• headquarters;
• three missile armies;
• units and subunits of special troops (engineering, communications, RKhBZ, rocket technical, electronic warfare, meteorological, geodetic, security and intelligence);
• units and subunits of the rear;
• educational institutions, including the Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces. Peter the Great and its branch - the Serpukhov Military Institute of Missile Forces;
• research institutions and missile ranges, including: the Kapustin Yar State Central Interspecific Range, the Kura range (Kamchatka) and the Sary-Shagan range (Kazakhstan);
• arsenals, central repair plants and a storage base for weapons and military equipment.

Until April 1, 2011, the Strategic Missile Forces had their own aviation, which has now been transferred to the Air Force.

The total number of personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces is 120 thousand people, of which 2/3 are military personnel, the rest are civilian personnel.

Rocket armies

The missile armies of the Strategic Missile Forces include 12 missile divisions (RD). Consider their composition and weapons.

27th Guards Rocket Army (Vladimir):

• 60th RD (Tatishchevo) - 40 UR-100NUTTH, 60 Topol-M (mine-based);
• 28 Guards RD (Kozelsk) - 20 UR-100NUTTH, 4 RS-24 "Yars" (mine-based);
• 7 Guards Rd (Vypolzovo) - 18 "Poplar".
• 54 Guards Rd (Teikovo) - 18 RS-24 "Yars" (mobile-based), 18 "Topol-M" (mobile-based);
• 14th rd (Yoshkar-Ola) - 18 "Poplar".

31st Rocket Army (Orenburg):

• 13th RD (Dombarovsky) - 18 R-36M2;
• 42 rd (Nizhny Tagil) - 18 RS-24 "Yars"
• 8th rd (Yurya) - "Poplar".

33rd Guards Rocket Army (Omsk):

• 62nd RD (Uzhur) - 28 R-36M2;
• 39 Guards Rd (Novosibirsk) - 9 RS-24 "Yars" (mobile-based);
• 29 Guards Rd (Irkutsk) - armed with Topol missile systems, currently disarmed; it is expected to be re-equipped with the promising RS-26 Rubezh ICBM.
• 35 rd (Barnaul) - 36 "Poplar".

Strategic Missile Forces control system

The combat capabilities of the Strategic Missile Forces depend not only on the number and characteristics of the missiles in service, but also on the effectiveness of their control. After all, in a nuclear-missile confrontation, time is counted by seconds. In the process of daily service, and, moreover, in a combat situation, a quick and reliable exchange of information between all structural units of the Strategic Missile Forces, a clear communication of commands to all carriers and launchers of ballistic missiles is vital.

The first formations of ballistic missiles used the principles and experience of control developed in artillery, but with the creation of the Strategic Missile Forces as a branch of the Armed Forces of the USSR, they received their own centralized control system.

The governing bodies of the Strategic Missile Forces were created: the Main Headquarters of the Missile Forces; Main Directorate of Missile Weapons; Central command post of the Rocket Forces with a communication center and a computer center; Department of Combat Training and Military Educational Institutions; Rear of the Rocket Forces; as well as a number of special services and departments. Subsequently, the structure of the military command and control bodies of the Strategic Missile Forces changed several times.

At present, the central body of the military command of the Strategic Missile Forces is Command of the Strategic Missile Forces, which is part of the Central Office of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces - Colonel General Sergey Viktorovich Karakaev.

As part of the Strategic Missile Forces Command includes the Headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces, which reports directly to the commander of this type of troops. The functions of the Headquarters include organizing combat duty and combat use of the Strategic Missile Forces; maintaining combat readiness; development of the Strategic Missile Forces; management of operational and mobilization training; ensuring nuclear safety and some others. The headquarters is headed by a chief who is the first deputy commander of the Strategic Missile Forces.

Centralized combat control of the Strategic Missile Forces on duty is carried out The Central Command Post of the Strategic Missile Forces (TsKP RVSN). Combat duty is carried out by four identical shifts. The Central Command Center of the Strategic Missile Forces includes management and main units: shifts on duty; information preparation department; department of preparation and control of combat readiness, coordination of activities of central command posts; analytical group and others.

The Central Control Center of the Strategic Missile Forces is located in the village of Vlasikha near Moscow (since 2009 it has the status of ZATO) in an underground bunker at a depth of 30 meters. The equipment of the Central Command Center of the Strategic Missile Forces provides continuous communication with all combat posts of the Strategic Missile Forces, where a total of 6,000 missile officers are on duty.

The automated combat control system (ASBU) for strategic nuclear forces is called Kazbek. Its portable terminal "Cheget" is known as the "nuclear briefcase", which is continuously kept by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - the President of the Russian Federation. Similar "suitcases" are available to the Minister of Defense and the head of the General Staff. Their main purpose is to transfer to the command posts of the Strategic Missile Forces a special code allowing the use of nuclear weapons. Unlocking will only happen if the code comes from two of the three terminals.

With the adoption of the Yars missile system, the Russian Strategic Missile Forces are introducing a fourth-generation combat control system and state tests of the fifth-generation ASBU are already underway. Its links are planned to be introduced into the troops as early as 2016. The fifth generation ASBU will be able to communicate combat orders directly to each launcher, bypassing intermediate links. It will be possible to promptly re-aiming missiles of modern types (Topol-M, Yars, Bulava) in flight. But for missiles of obsolete types - R-36 and UR-100 - this possibility is no longer provided.

Perimeter system

Speaking about the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, it is worth noting one of their unique features - the ability to deliver a guaranteed nuclear missile strike against an aggressor even if all the command links and combat control systems of the Strategic Missile Forces are destroyed, and the personnel of the missile units are dead.

For a long time, there was no reliable information about the Perimeter system due to the strict secrecy surrounding it. Today it is known that the complex for automatic control of a massive retaliatory nuclear strike of the Strategic Missile Forces exists, and bears the index 15E601(in the Western media it was called - "Dead Hand"). According to the official website of the RF Ministry of Defense, the Perimeter system took up combat duty in 1986. The fact that she is on combat duty at the present time, in 2011, was confirmed by the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Lieutenant General S. Karakaev, in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.

"Perimeter" is a backup control system for all branches of the armed forces armed with nuclear warheads, and is designed to ensure the guaranteed launch of silo ICBMs and SLBMs in the event of the destruction of the Kazbek command system and the combat control systems of the Strategic Missile Forces, Navy and Air Force.

The principle of operation and the capabilities of the Perimeter complex are not reliably known. There is evidence that the main component of the system is an autonomous software-command complex based on artificial intelligence, which controls the situation in many parameters using its own sensors. After the final decision is made on the fact of a nuclear missile attack and on a retaliatory strike, special 15A11 command missiles, created on the basis of the MR UR-100, are launched. Using powerful transmitters in flight, they broadcast launch commands to all surviving ICBMs and SLBMs.

According to other sources (an interview allegedly by one of the developers of the system with Wired magazine), the complex is still activated manually by an authorized person. Then the monitoring of the network of sensors begins and, if the use of nuclear weapons did take place, the connection with the General Staff is checked. If there is no connection, the system automatically unlocks the nuclear weapon and, bypassing the standard complex procedure, transfers the right to decide on the launch of missiles to anyone who is in a special highly secure bunker.

Prospects for the development of the Strategic Missile Forces

At present, given the growing tension in the world, the factor of nuclear deterrence is as important as it was during the Cold War. Russia needs powerful Strategic Missile Forces - perhaps not as numerous as in the 70s and 80s. of the last century, but clearly and reliably controlled, with high survivability, armed with missile systems that have a significant modernization potential and are capable of overcoming any existing and future missile defense systems. In the foreseeable future, this guarantees the maintenance of the combat capability of the Strategic Missile Forces at a high level and the infliction of unacceptable damage to any aggressor.

As already mentioned, at present the development of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces is regulated by the START-3 treaty, which provides for the achievement of nuclear parity between Russia and the United States by 2018. The number of deployed carriers of nuclear warheads should be 700 each. At present, Russia has only 515 delivery vehicles, therefore, it has the right to deploy another 185. At the same time, Russia will have to get rid of 90 non-deployed delivery vehicles and 32 deployed nuclear warheads.

PGRK RS-24 "Yars"

The plans for the development of the Strategic Missile Forces provide for the withdrawal of obsolete types of ICBMs from combat strength as the established periods of their operation expire: UR-100NUTTKh - in 2019, Topol - in 2021, R-36M2 "Voevoda" - in 2022.

Gradually, they will be replaced by the RS-24 Yars ICBMs in mine, ground and, possibly, rail-based versions. Topol-M missile systems will no longer be purchased, but will remain on alert, presumably until 2040.

The Yars ICBM with 4 warheads, of course, cannot become a full-fledged replacement for the Voevoda, which carries 10 warheads. Therefore, the State Rocket Center. Makeev in the Urals, a new heavy liquid ICBM "Sarmat". Development work on it should be completed by 2018 - 2020. The Sarmat will be smaller and half as light as the Voevoda - its launch weight will be 100 tons, with a declared throw weight of 5 tons. Sarmat" in comparison with the R-36 will increase significantly. The weight and size characteristics of the Sarmat ICBM roughly correspond to the UR-100NUTTH, which will make it relatively easy to re-equip existing missile silos to accommodate new missiles.

In the current 2015, tests of an improved version of Yars were successfully completed - RS-26 "Frontier" developments of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (MIT). It is expected to enter the troops as early as 2016. The first RS-26 will be received by the Irkutsk 29th Guards Missile Division.

The BZHRK is expected to return to service. The new rocket train will be called "Barguzin". By 2016, MIT should prepare design documentation for it, and by 2019 the first sample will appear. The new BZHRK will be armed with Yars missiles, which are twice as light as the R-23UTTKh (49 and 104 tons, respectively). Therefore, "Barguzin" will be able to carry six missiles. At the same time, its mobility will increase, so due to the lower weight of the wagons, the train will not wear out the railway tracks so much. Instead of three diesel locomotives, like the BZHRK Molodets, the Barguzin will be pulled by only one diesel locomotive. This will increase the secrecy of the train, because it will be difficult to distinguish it from ordinary freight trains. And more importantly, the Barguzin will be a completely Russian product - unlike the Molodets, most of the parts of which were produced at the Yuzhmash plant.

CONCLUSION

At present, the Strategic Missile Forces remain the main component of Russia's "nuclear triad", the main guarantor of its security and territorial integrity. Despite the collapse of the armed forces that followed the collapse of the USSR, the missile forces retained their combat capability. The main threat to the combat effectiveness of the Strategic Missile Forces was the moral and physical aging of missile weapons. Missiles that failed due to the expiration of the established service life were not replaced by a sufficient number of new ones.

At present, the Strategic Missile Forces are being actively re-equipped with new types of missiles. It is expected that by 2020 the share of new missile systems in the Strategic Missile Forces will be 98%. The troops also receive other equipment designed to ensure combat duty. The combat control system is being improved.

The process of training the personnel of the troops is ongoing. In accordance with the plan for the preparation of the Strategic Missile Forces, about a thousand different exercises are planned for the year. So, in January-February 2015, the Strategic Missile Forces held large-scale exercises aimed at working out the tasks of maneuvering PGRKs in order to take them out of attack, and change positional areas. An extensive list of tasks and introductory ones was worked out, including those on bringing to the highest degree of combat readiness, performing maneuver actions on combat patrol routes, countering sabotage formations and strikes by high-precision weapons of a mock enemy, performing combat missions in conditions of active electronic suppression and intensive enemy operations in troop deployment areas.

The Strategic Missile Forces are professionals who have undergone a serious selection and lengthy training, devoted to their work and the Motherland. All this gives confidence that Russia's nuclear shield is reliable, and combat orders will be carried out in any scenario.

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Rocketry began to develop actively in the second half of the 20th century. Previously, people had an idea about rockets, but it was from this period that they began to be actively used. Rockets are also used in the space industry, but they are most actively used in military affairs. The advent of missiles has completely changed the idea of ​​warfare. And with the advent of nuclear weapons, rocket launchers have become the main deterrent that prevents the outbreak of a nuclear conflict.

What is RVSN

Strategic Rocket Forces is a branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which is the main component of the strategic nuclear forces of the Russian Federation.

They became a separate branch of the military from March 24, 2001 by Presidential Decree.

Prior to this, the Strategic Missile Forces were considered a type of troops, which was first allocated by the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 17, 1959. The date of December 17 is considered the official day of the missile forces.

The Strategic Missile Forces report directly to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and belong to the troops of constant combat readiness. Since August 2010, the Chief of Staff of the Strategic Missile Forces has been Colonel General Sergey Viktorovich Karakaev.

Appointment of Strategic Missile Forces

The main armament of the Strategic Missile Forces is intercontinental ballistic missiles (abbreviated as ICBMs) with nuclear warheads that are capable of hitting a target anywhere on our planet. They are of two types of base:

• mine;
• mobile.

The main purpose of the Strategic Missile Forces is to contain a nuclear conflict and eliminate possible aggression. They can perform their tasks as part of the strategic nuclear forces of the Russian Federation or as individual (mass, group, single) nuclear missile strikes against enemy strategic targets constituting its military or military-economic potential.

In peacetime, the Strategic Missile Forces perform the task of deterring large-scale aggression from potential adversaries. The implementation of this goal includes the following activities:

1. combat duty;
2. demonstration activities;
3. demonstration and shock actions.

In the event of a nuclear missile war, the Strategic Missile Forces are capable of destroying important enemy targets in a given strategic direction.

The composition of the missile forces

The composition of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation includes:

• the main headquarters, which is deployed in the village of Vlasikha, Moscow Region;
• 3 missile armies (each with its own headquarters), which include 12 missile divisions;
• State interspecific range, location - Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan region;
• test site in Kazakhstan;
• 4th Central Research Institute;
• Military Academy. Peter the Great in Balashikha;
• Serpukhov Military Institute of Missile Forces.

In addition, the Strategic Missile Forces include factories for the repair of military equipment, bases, warehouses and arsenals that store weapons and equipment.

Additionally, the Strategic Missile Forces own 7 airfields and 8 helipads. Aviation consists of Mi-8 helicopters, AN-12, 72, 26, 24 aircraft.

The Strategic Missile Forces also have engineering units, which are equipped with special vehicles MIOM, MDR, Listv and KDM.

How to get into the service in the Strategic Missile Forces

You can get to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces by conscription, on a contract basis, or after graduation from the relevant higher education institution.

Education at a military university lasts 5 years, after successful completion of studies, the cadet receives an officer military rank and a military specialty.

The term of study is counted in the total military experience.

By call

Getting into military service in the Strategic Missile Forces is not difficult. It is necessary to declare your intention to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces at the military registration and enlistment office, and it is better to do this in advance, before receiving the summons. Such a responsible approach of the future conscript increases the chances that his wishes will definitely be taken into account when deployed to the troops.

On a contract basis

The armament of the Strategic Missile Forces is gradually being updated and equipped with the latest rocket launchers, which require qualified personnel to operate and maintain.

Therefore, emphasis is placed on increasing the number of contract employees and the transition to a professional army. This task is performed in the following ways:

1. The contract is concluded with graduates of educational institutions of the Strategic Missile Forces, who arrive at the first duty station after distribution. They already have an officer rank and the necessary knowledge base, therefore they are a qualified personnel potential.
2. You can switch to a contract basis if you wish after being drafted into the army, for this you need to submit a report of your intention to the name of the unit commander and provide the necessary package of documents. When a conscript already has a higher or secondary vocational education, this can be done immediately, otherwise you will have to serve 3 months of military service.
3. You can go to serve in the army on a contract basis after completing military service. To do this, you must contact the selection point for military service under the contract and submit an application, providing the relevant documents.

Features of service in the missile forces

Service in the missile forces has its own characteristics, which are primarily due to the complex and large-scale technical equipment of this type of troops, as well as the location of the missile divisions.

Conscription service

Service in the strategic missile forces for conscripts is not as exciting as many people think. To control and maintain rocket launchers, you must have a higher military education and officer rank.

Soldiers-conscripts are allowed only for rough work. At the same time, missile divisions are located far from settlements, so recruits will also not be able to have fun on dismissal.

By contract

For those who have expressed a desire to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces on a contract basis, there are undeniable advantages over conscripts:

• the possibility of training and obtaining a military specialty;
• stable monthly salary and annual financial assistance payments;
• the possibility of obtaining official housing, and in the future, your own through a mortgage anywhere in the country.

In addition, contractors are entitled to material, food, pension and medical support, as well as to compulsory life and health insurance at the expense of the state.

Basic requirements for candidates

A candidate wishing to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces, in accordance with the Regulations on the procedure for military service, approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 16, 1999 No. 1237, is not considered if:

1. A guilty verdict was passed against him and a punishment was determined, a criminal case is underway, an inquiry or preliminary investigation is underway.
2. There is an outstanding or unexpunged conviction.
3. The candidate was serving a prison sentence.
4. The candidate was given an administrative penalty for the use of narcotic or psychotropic drugs without a doctor's prescription, until the end of the penalty.

The suitability of a candidate for service on a contract basis is assessed by a military certification commission. The basis for refusal in accordance with Article 5 of the Regulations on the procedure for performing military service may be:

• The conclusion of the medical commission on the recognition of the candidate as partially fit, temporarily unfit or unfit for military service.
• Assignment to the candidate of the fourth degree of professional suitability based on the results of professional and psychological selection.
• Recognition of a candidate unsuitable for military service on a contract basis by the level of education or physical fitness.

The physical fitness of candidates is assessed in accordance with Appendix No. 20 of the Manual on Physical Training in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, approved by order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated April 21, 2009 No. 200.

The candidate is obliged to perform 3 exercises to choose from the provided list to assess the physical condition according to three criteria: strength, endurance and speed.

Service in the Strategic Missile Forces is not only an honorable duty for the good of the Motherland, but also a good stable income with a reliable social guarantee.

Each future conscript, before joining the army, asks himself two questions, where is it better to serve in the army and how to get into the right unit. To answer this question, you need to understand what goal you want to achieve by going to serve in the army. It is worth deciding on the presence of some specific skills and acquired knowledge in civilian life.

Passing the draft board, each conscript will be asked where the conscript would like to serve. The draft office will make a note about the preferences of the conscript, where it is better to send him, taking into account his medical characteristics and abilities.

True, often this mark does not play a special role. The distribution at the recruiting station takes place according to the needs of the "buyers" who came for the young replenishment. However, in some cases, the wishes of the conscript are taken into account, and the region in which the conscript lives is also taken into account. In some cases, he may be left to serve near the house, if there are certain reasons for that. Then, the conscript should take care of this issue in advance and choose for service those troops that are in his home region.

Types of troops

What are the troops and what skills do you need to have in order to get into these troops. All troops can be divided into three types: land, fleet, aviation. It is impossible to single out any type of troops in the category of elite. Each type of troops performs certain tasks and has its own goals. Therefore, it is better to worry in advance and decide where it is better to go to serve in the army.

Land

• Tank forces. They are the main attacking force of the ground forces. The tasks of defense and offensive in battle are carried out. For these troops, recruits are selected no more than 174 centimeters tall, preferably of a strong physique, with no significant visual problems.

Find out: What is the tank army of Russia

• Motorized rifle. They have versatility and the ability to perform any combat missions in any weather and in any terrain. There is no special selection for these troops. The health category goes from A1 to B4. The troops include many units, so everyone will be assigned to the service.
• Railway troops. Participation in military operations carried out with the participation of trains, as well as the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters on the railway tracks. A conscript with not very good health has every chance of being in this type of troops.
• Special Forces. Performing special tasks that are beyond the power of any military unit. Recruitment to this unit is conducted from candidates who have already served military service. The strictest selection and testing is carried out.

Air

• Airborne troops. Conducting special operations on enemy territory. Organization of sabotage activities and disruption of control and communications, as well as the capture of enemy facilities. A candidate for these troops must meet very high requirements. Health category not lower than A1, physical endurance and psychological stability.

• Aerospace Forces (VKS, Strategic Missile Forces, Air Defense). Protection and control of the aerospace of the Russian Federation and the repulsion of enemy attacks from the air. Conscripts of technical and engineering specialties are more likely to get into these units. When selecting, the emphasis is on the psychological qualities and mental abilities of the conscript.

Marine

• Navy. Performing combat missions on sea and ocean waters, repelling enemy attacks on the water and conducting offensive operations from the sea. Includes surface, submarine troops, as well as naval aviation and marines. In order to be called up for military service in the Navy, you must have a height of at least 180 centimeters, a health category of at least A3 and good mental stability.

Where to go

If one or another branch of the armed forces is considered prestigious, then this issue is very controversial. Any army has its own elite units, such as intelligence and special forces. It is honorable and prestigious to serve in such units, but you will also have to work decently. Getting into such units is not an easy task. For service in these units, some recruits initially need to be in good physical shape and mental stability. In such a platoon, it is more likely to learn useful skills, such as hand-to-hand combat, weapons and other types of special skills.

Find out: How many serve in the Russian army on conscription in 2019

But at the same time, as practice shows, the selection of recruits takes place without the knowledge of the conscript. At the recruiting station, "buyers" usually say that the best troops are exactly where they came from, their task is to take the best with them. If a recruit goes to the recruiting station with certain knowledge, then there will be fewer problems with him in the combat unit. But after the oath is taken, a second distribution is carried out. At this point, in most cases, attention is paid to what virtues a young soldier has. In accordance with his skills, there is a division into divisions of the unit.

In order to get into good troops, before going to serve in the army, you must take the following steps:

1. Increase physical activity. Good physical shape is appreciated everywhere.
2. To raise organization and independence, you need to learn self-discipline.
3. Get a profession. In the army, soldiers with any skills are in demand.

Pre-conscription training

It is worth mentioning the pre-conscription training of a conscript, because it is advisable to think in advance about where to go to serve. If there is a strong desire to go to serve as a driver or in the airborne brigade, it would be nice to take care of this in advance. In Russia, in every major city, there are DOSAAF branches that are engaged in pre-conscription training. Through this training system, you can not only get rights, but also increase the chances of serving at the wheel of any military equipment.

Once I managed to get into the Teykovskoye missile formation in the Ivanovo region. Journalists and bloggers were shown the departure of the Yars PGRK launcher, fragments of the actions of security units to repel the attack of potential saboteurs, a training base and a new type of barracks.

The reason for inviting the press was the re-equipment of the second regiment of the Teikovsky missile formation on the Yars PGRK with the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile.

The performance characteristics of the Yars PGRK are still closed for publication. They only said that in terms of its main characteristics it is in many respects comparable to the performance characteristics of the Topol-M PGRK, but more perfect. In contrast to the Topol-M single-block missiles, the RS-24 missile is with multiple warheads, i.e. the warhead hits multiple targets at once. Compared with the Topol missile system, the Topol-M and Yars mobile ground systems have improved combat and operational capabilities, the security of the complexes has been increased in case of emergencies: lightning strikes, short circuits in electrical circuits, fire, etc. .

2. "Yars" leaves the hangar

4. In all its glory (shooting is allowed only from certain approved angles)

6. Driver

10. Crew member

11. After we were shown the missile system itself, we witnessed a training session to repel the actions of a sabotage group.

12. The alleged enemy is surrounded

13. and destroyed

14. Military personnel return to their duties

After a spectacular action, a hearty lunch was waiting for us in the headquarters canteen. Then we went to look at the life of the military: new barracks and classrooms. In addition to the re-equipment of the regiment in the missile formation, the housing stock was updated, modern simulators appeared for training drivers of the Yars PGRK and escort vehicles.

15. Soldier's canteen

18. Simulators for testing the processes of control and launch of missiles

21. In the premises of the guard service, a practice was held to repel a sabotage attack

Soldier life. Modern barracks of the kubrick type were built.

25. Beds are now one-story

26. Gym

27. Funny wooden dummies of machine guns, knives and shovels

29. Koptyorka

30. Dryer for clothes and shoes

31. Showers

33. Here you can tidy up the shape: hem, iron, stretch the hat

34. Classroom

Finally, the most interesting - 3D simulators for the training of driver-mechanics. Everything is very realistic. The simulator helps to simulate various difficult situations: from poor visibility and impassability to shelling. You can also simulate the breakdown of the machine itself. At the same time, the car behaves very naturally: it shakes, leans, even makes real sounds. Simulators mainly work out situations that are difficult or impossible to work out in real conditions.

35. Cab driver PGRK

37. Cabin of the driver of the escort vehicle

Those who wished were allowed to try their hand as a driver :) It is worth noting that I don’t know how to drive a car - I tried it once - I started off and drove several tens of meters in a straight line. Of course it was difficult. At first, I didn't feel in control at all. For the first few seconds, despite the reality of the sensations inside the cockpit, the 3D scenery ahead was somewhat confusing. I got used to it pretty quickly. But I tried to steer too gently :) Then I realized what to do, and finally I was able to get the “wheels” into a rut and drive so little (not without the help of a real driver, of course). I even overcame a couple of easy turns. But on a sharp turn, I flew off the road and fell into a ditch :) Denis says that my virtual accident even scratched the very real door of the simulator a little.