15th Special Purpose Aerospace Forces Army

15th Special Purpose Aerospace Forces Army. It is a key component of the Russian Aerospace Forces, responsible for the nation's strategic Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) defense and Space surveillance network. The army's primary mission is to provide early warning of Ballistic missile attacks and to control Russia's A-135 anti-ballistic missile system. Its history is deeply intertwined with the Cold War arms race and the development of the Soviet Air Defence Forces.

History

The unit's origins trace back to a directive from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in **1960**, establishing a dedicated force for Anti-Ballistic Missile and Anti-satellite weapon missions. It was initially formed within the Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO Strany) as a response to advancements in United States ICBM technology. A pivotal early system was the experimental A-35 anti-ballistic missile system deployed around Moscow. Throughout the Cold War, the army expanded its network of radars, including the iconic Daryal radar and Dnepr radar stations, and later oversaw the deployment of the operational A-135 anti-ballistic missile system in the **1980s**. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the formation was integrated into the Russian Aerospace Forces and has since undergone modernization, incorporating new systems like the Voronezh radar.

Structure and organization

The army is headquartered in Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. Its structure is divided into several specialized divisions and brigades focused on distinct mission areas. The **1st Division of Anti-Ballistic Missile Defense** is responsible for operating the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system and its successor systems safeguarding Moscow. The **Space Surveillance Division** manages a vast network of early-warning radars and optical stations, including sites at Armavir Radar Station, Barnaul Radar Station, and Olenegorsk Radar Station. Furthermore, the army controls the **Main Centre for Missile Attack Warning**, located in Solnechnogorsk, which fuses data from its terrestrial sensors and the Oko and Tundra satellite constellations. Key supporting institutions include the Sary Shagan test range and the Military Academy of Aerospace Defence in Tver.

Equipment and capabilities

The army's capabilities are built upon a layered system of sensors and interceptors. Its early-warning network consists of modern Voronezh radar stations and older Daryal radar installations, providing coverage against Ballistic missile launches from multiple vectors. For Space surveillance and Space domain awareness, it utilizes facilities like the Okno complex in Nurek, Tajikistan. The core defensive weapon is the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system, which employs the Gazelle exo-atmospheric interceptor and the PRS-1 (53T6) endo-atmospheric missile, based in launch silos around the Moscow region. Command and control is executed through the Krokus system, linking all sensors and shooters.

Commanders

Leadership of the army has included several prominent officers from the Russian Aerospace Forces and its predecessor services. Notable commanders have been Colonel-General **Vladimir Popov**, who later served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Another key figure was Colonel-General **Anatoly Higer**, who played a significant role in the force's development during the **1990s**. The position is typically held by an officer with extensive experience in Air and missile defence and Space surveillance operations.

Deployments and operations

The army's assets are permanently deployed across the vast territory of the Russian Federation and at several key overseas sites. Major radar installations are operational in Kaliningrad Oblast, Krasnoyarsk Krai, and the Komi Republic, while interceptor sites are concentrated in the Moscow Oblast. Internationally, it maintains the Okno space surveillance station in Tajikistan and previously operated the Daryal radar in Azerbaijan. The army is on constant peacetime duty, monitoring global Ballistic missile launches and tracking objects in Low Earth orbit. Its systems were reportedly activated during periods of heightened tension, such as the **2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine**, to monitor for potential Intercontinental ballistic missile threats from NATO countries.