"Don-2N" radar: tactical and technical characteristics

In the northwest of the Moscow region, a few dozen kilometers from the city, there is an unusual object - the multifunctional radar station "Don-2N". In form, it is a truncated pyramid with four faces. The width of the base of the structure is 130, and the height is 35 meters. The object is aimed at controlling outer space over the Russian Federation and neighboring countries. It also performs the function of detecting and destroying ballistic missiles. Today we will get acquainted with the characteristics and capabilities of the "Don-2N" radar.

Summary

As you already understood, the station has four faces. On each of them you can see the characteristic round and square panels, thanks to which an informed person can guess about the belonging of the building. Behind each of the four circular panels are active phased array antennas, whose diameter is 18 meters. Behind the square panels are the antennas that control the anti-missiles. They also represent a square whose side is approximately 10 meters.

In fact, this radar station (RLS) is the central link of Moscow's missile defense (ABM). It can not only detect potentially dangerous objects at altitudes of up to forty thousand kilometers, but also ensure the guidance of anti-missiles on them. Due to the fact that the radar is equipped with four antenna arrays at once, it allows covering the entire surrounding area and obtaining the most accurate data about the detected targets.

There are no analogues of the radar "Don-2N" all over the world. Where is the station located? This is a question that interests many people. The missile defense center of the Russian capital is located in the village Sofrino, Pushkin district. The prototype of the radar was built in Kazakhstan, at the Sary-Shagan training range. According to the codification of NATO, the station was named Horse Leg.

Beginning of work

In 1963, the Moscow Radio Engineering Institute (RTI) under the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union received the task of creating a target detection radar for a prospective missile defense project. So the history of the radar "Don-2N" began. Initially, it was assumed that the future station will operate in the decimeter range. However, soon after the launch of the project, designers realized that the characteristics of such a system would be too scarce. A station operating in the decimeter range will not be able to provide high-precision target detection. In real life, this can lead to fatal consequences.

Already at the beginning of 1964, the Radio Engineering Institute was engaged in the development of a centimeter attachment. It was planned that this equipment would allow the station to obtain new, quite acceptable characteristics, and also provide convenient and relatively simple operation. The prefix was supposed to act as part of a system designed using the latest developments and technologies. But this time the decision of designers was considered to be unpromising.

It was necessary to create a completely new radar station, which would not only cover the needs of that time, but also far ahead of its time. In this connection, until the end of 1965, the employees of the RTI were engaged in the development of five different variants of a prospective radar station. But this time, despite all the efforts of engineers, the project was not approved, as it did not give practical solutions.

All five proposed options had separate defects and were not recommended for the continuation of developments. Thanks to the analysis of the work done and the technical solutions put forward, another version of the prospective radar station design appeared. Later it was he who became the main one for the radar "Don-2N".

New solutions

In the beginning of 1966 engineers of RTI began to work on a project called "Don". Within its framework, it was planned to build a pair of radars operating in different ranges. The decimetric system was planned to be designed in the form of two options: ground and ship. This would allow not only to observe outer space from its territory, but also to track the positional areas of enemy missiles with the help of ships located off its coasts and equipped with radars.

The centimeter radar was assumed only in a stationary ground variant. In the range of its tasks, in addition to detecting enemy missiles, also included the targeting of missiles for interception. In the first versions of the project it was assumed that a centimeter station will track a sector of 90 degrees wide. Therefore, in order to provide a circular survey, it was necessary to build four such stations.

At the time of completion of the draft version of the project centimeter station work on the system of the decimeter range was stopped, since it was no longer necessary. The engineers were able to combine all the necessary solutions in one large earth station and ensure the fulfillment of all requirements. Since 1968, engineers have developed equipment that operates exclusively in the centimeter range. For the early warning stations for missile attack, meter waves were chosen.

Avantproekt

In 1969, RTI was commissioned to develop a preliminary design for the Don-N station. In it, it was necessary to combine all the lessons learned from the experience of working on past programs of radar stations. At the same time, the customer, represented by the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union, put forward quite a few requirements for the RTI project. The problem was that the characteristics of the altitude and flight range of the targets served in the mission were too large for the electronics of that time. In the late seventies of the last century, even the most innovative equipment could not with great accuracy track, and also accompany ballistic targets, located at a distance of more than two thousand kilometers.

To carry out this task it was necessary to conduct a number of fundamental research, and then tests. Then a proposal was made to make the missile defense system simpler, dividing it into two echelons, each of which will receive its own type of missile. In this case, the erection of one radar with an aiming system for two types of missiles was quite acceptable and economically feasible. To determine the final look and layout of the future radar, the designers took some time. Only in mid-1972 was launched a full-fledged implementation of the project.

In order for the radar to meet all the required characteristics, it was proposed to equip it with a new generation computing complex, the development of which began simultaneously with the full design of the Don-N system. Soon the multifunctional radar station of the circular survey of the centimeter range acquired the main number of features that have survived to the present day. In particular, RTI employees finally decided on the construction of the building: a truncated tetrahedral pyramid with phased array antennas on each of the faces and separate square-shaped antennas to control the anti-missiles. Due to the correct calculation of the location of the antennas, a complete survey of the upper hemisphere was provided. The field of view of the radio station could be limited only by the peculiarities of the spread of the radar signal and the terrain.

Adjustments

Soon the project was finalized and received some adjustments. The innovations concerned mainly the equipment that processes signals. Especially for the operation in the "Don-N" was developed and created a supercomputer called "Elbrus-2." Even with the fact that the computer complex of the station was equipped with the most sophisticated at that time electronics, the equipment occupied a little more than a thousand cabinets. To ensure that this amount of equipment could be fully cooled, the engineers provided a special system consisting of heat exchangers and water pipes. The total length of the pipes was several hundred kilometers. That all parts of the equipment of the radar station were connected to each other, it took about twenty thousand kilometers of cables.

Building

By 1978, the project, which by that time received the updated name "Don-2N," was ready for the stage of construction of the station. Approximately at the same time a similar complex was erected on the Kazakh test site Sary-Shagan. From Moscow region it differed in dimensions, equipment and, as a consequence, functionality.

The construction of the long-range radar "Don-2N" was delayed for about ten years. During this time the builders installed more than 30 thousand tons of metal structures, filled more than 50 thousand tons of concrete and laid a huge number of pipes, cables and other elements. The installation of radio electronic equipment started in 1980 and lasted for seven years.

Exploitation

A quarter of a century after the start of development, the radar station "Don-2N" was launched. In 1989, she began monitoring objects of outer space. According to official figures, the height of the detection of the target near Moscow's radar station is up to forty thousand kilometers. The detection range of the head of the intercontinental missile is 3,700 kilometers. Radio transmitters of the station produce a signal with a pulse power of up to 250 MW. The phased antenna arrays together with the computational complex determine the angular coordinates of the target with an accuracy of up to 25 arc seconds. The error in determining the range is not more than 10 meters. According to various sources, the "Don-2N" radar in the Moscow region is capable of accompanying about a hundred objects at the same time and aiming at them several dozen anti-missiles. One shift of station operators includes about one hundred specialists.

In the mines of the station there are anti-missiles of model 53 T6. The power of their nuclear warhead is 10 kilotons. The length of such a rocket is 12 kilograms, and the mass is 10 tons. The range of damage (according to different data) is from 50 to 100 kilometers, and the height of the lesion is 45 kilometers. The speed of the rocket is 5.5 km / s, which is why, in the West, it is called "Gezel".

Cooperation with America

At first, and more precisely until 1992, the existence and characteristics of the station were not particularly disclosed. But in that year, the USSR agreed with the United States on cooperation in the exploration of detection capabilities and tracking of objects located in Earth's orbit. The program was named Orbital DEbris RAdar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS), which translates as "Orbital Balls for the Calibration of Radar Systems Tracking Space Debris".

The first experiment should have taken place in the winter of 1992, but due to technical difficulties, it did not take place. Only two years later the study was conducted. In the course of the experiment, called ODERACS-1R, the American Discovery shuttle threw six balls of metal into the open space. Two of them had a diameter of 5 cm, two - 10 cm, and two more - 15 cm. For several months they were in orbit of the Earth. All this time they were watched by the radar "Don-2N" and American radars. In the course of the study, balls with a diameter of 10 and 15 centimeters were observed by both American and Russian researchers. But the balls with a diameter of five centimeters were detected only by the Russian radar.

During the next ODERACS-2 study, 3 balls and 3 dipole reflectors were thrown into space. According to the results of the experiment, the Russian radar station once again proved to be the best. Her radar found the smallest targets at a distance of up to two thousand kilometers.

Features of the station

Notable features of the radar "Don-2N" (Sofrino) are:

1. Multifunctionality. It provides near and distant interception of ballistic targets, their accompaniment, as well as coded information exchange.
2. High degree of noise immunity. It is based on a narrow antenna pattern, a high frequency of selectivity, a wide frequency range, the presence of automatic interference cancellers, the use of special probing signals and the ability to vary the sensitivity of a signal directed at sources of interference.
3. Adaptation to changes in tactical situation. Achieved due to the ability to change the modes, pace and boundaries of serving the elements of goals.
4. High accuracy of measuring the trajectory of the target, separate measurements of target coordinates in five channels.
5. The ability to identify and track fast-moving and unobtrusive goals.
6. High level of informative signals.
7. Modular construction.
8. High degree of automation.

Danger zone from the radar "Don-2N"

When the radar station is operating, it is strictly forbidden to stay near it. Damage to health from the radar "Don-2N" is associated with strong radiation. Speaking in everyday language, "Don-2H" can be compared to a huge microwave oven. Only here the heating occurs not inside, but there, where the radiator hits - outside. At the same time it's perfectly safe to be inside. For those who for some reason turned out to be outside, special protective flaps have been built.

Ten minutes before the station is turned on, a signal sounds, indicating that employees need to leave the surrounding area. Sanitary-protective zone for the radar "Don-2N" is one kilometer. However, there are no settlements at this distance from the station. Under the ground a special tunnel is installed, along which it is possible to leave the working station without leaving the danger zone.

Potential

The bulk of information about the capabilities and features of the service of the station "Don-2N" remains classified. Therefore, information about the complex, as a rule, is scanty and sketchy. Nevertheless, even on the basis of available information, it is possible to draw the appropriate conclusions. The ability to accompany hundreds of targets simultaneously indicates the ability of the radar to identify a limited nuclear strike in the protected area.

Having discovered the targets, the station itself can put missiles on them. According to different data, their number varies from 25 to 30. Thus, due to the lack of a sufficient number of missiles, at present the radar's protective potential can not be used in full. But this is only an assumption, based on the available data. And the exact information about the Moscow missile defense system has been and remains classified.