Moscow Anti-Ballistic Missile System

Moscow Anti-Ballistic Missile System. It is a strategic anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defense complex designed to protect the capital region of Russia from nuclear missile attack. Initially deployed during the Cold War as the world's first operational strategic ABM system, it has been continuously modernized and remains a cornerstone of Russian national missile defense. The system's existence and evolution have been a significant factor in arms control negotiations, including the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Overview

The system was conceived by the Soviet Union in the 1960s as a direct response to the perceived threat from United States intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) forces. Its initial deployment around Moscow in 1971, known as the A-35 missile system, marked a historic milestone in military technology. Managed by the Russian Air Defence Forces, the network is a layered defense incorporating long-range engagement and terminal-phase interceptors, with command centers like the legendary Don-2N station near Moscow. Its strategic purpose is to defend key political and military command nodes in the Moscow region, ensuring second-strike capability for Russian Strategic Rocket Forces.

Development and Deployment

Development began under decree from the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, with leading design bureaus like OKB-1 and NPO Almaz playing pivotal roles. The first-generation A-35 missile system achieved operational status in 1971, though its capabilities against sophisticated attacks were limited. A major upgrade commenced in the 1970s, leading to the far more capable A-135 system, which became operational in 1995 under the Russian Federation. This system's deployment, involving radars like the Don-2N radar and interceptors based at sites such as Sofrino, occurred amidst the tensions of the late Cold War and the strategic uncertainties following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Further modernization into the A-235 system, dubbed Nudol, began in the 2010s under the auspices of Almaz-Antey.

System Components

The architecture integrates several critical subsystems. The early warning and battle management layer relies on radars like the Voronezh radar and the colossal Don-2N radar, which provides precise tracking and guidance. The interceptor force historically consisted of two primary missile types: the long-range, exo-atmospheric 51T6 (NATO: Gorgon) and the short-range, endo-atmospheric 53T6 (NATO: Gazelle). These nuclear-armed interceptors were deployed from silo-based launch sites surrounding Moscow. The modernizing A-235 system is testing new interceptors, potentially including the PRS-1M, and may incorporate technologies from other programs like the S-500 missile system.

Operational History

The system was placed on combat duty in 1971, becoming a constant fixture of the Strategic Air Defense Forces throughout the Cold War. It was regularly tested, with intercepts of target missiles launched from sites like Kapustin Yar. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the system was inherited by the Russian Federation and remained operational, though concerns arose over the aging stockpile of its nuclear-armed interceptors. Major modernization efforts were announced by leaders including Vladimir Putin, leading to the ongoing transition to the A-235 system. The system's infrastructure, such as the Don-2N radar, has also been used to track objects in space, including the International Space Station.

Strategic Role and Capabilities

Its primary role is to defend the national command authority in Moscow against a limited ICBM strike, thereby preserving Russia's nuclear retaliatory potential. This capability directly influenced the negotiation of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the United States, which permitted one ABM site for each nation. While its traditional interceptors like the 53T6 were armed with nuclear warheads to ensure destruction of incoming reentry vehicles, the new A-235 system aims for hit-to-kill, conventional interception. The system's evolution is a key part of Russia's broader air and missile defense network, which includes the S-400 missile system and the future S-500 missile system, and is a stated counter to systems like the U.S. Ground-Based Midcourse Defense.

Category:Anti-ballistic missile systems of Russia Category:Military of Moscow Category:Russian Air Defence Forces