S-75 Dvina

S-75 Dvina is a Soviet Union surface-to-air missile system developed by the OKB-2 design bureau, led by Pavel Kuksenko, in collaboration with the NII-20 institute, under the guidance of Dmitri Ustinov, the Minister of Defense of the Soviet Union. The system was designed to counter United States Air Force B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress bombers, as well as other high-altitude NATO aircraft, such as the Royal Air Force's Avro Vulcan and the French Air Force's Dassault Mirage III. The S-75 Dvina system was first deployed in 1957, around the same time as the Sputnik 1 launch, and played a significant role in the Cold War, particularly during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when it was deployed by the Soviet Armed Forces in Cuba.

● Development

The development of the S-75 Dvina system began in the early 1950s, with the Soviet Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union providing guidance and support. The system was designed to use a combination of radar and command guidance to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, such as the Lockheed U-2 and the North American F-100 Super Sabre. The development team, which included notable engineers like Nikolai Alekseyev and Boris Bunkin, worked closely with the Soviet Air Defense Forces to ensure that the system met the requirements of the Soviet military. The S-75 Dvina system was tested at the Kapustin Yar range, where it demonstrated its effectiveness against various targets, including the Tupolev Tu-4 and the Il-28.

● Design and Features

The S-75 Dvina system consists of a missile launcher, a radar system, and a command center, which are typically deployed in a battery configuration, similar to the S-200 Angara system. The missile itself is a liquid-fueled rocket with a warhead and a guidance system, which uses a combination of inertial guidance and radio command guidance to intercept its target, such as the F-4 Phantom II or the F-105 Thunderchief. The system is capable of engaging targets at altitudes of up to 20 km and ranges of up to 45 km, making it effective against high-altitude bombers like the B-58 Hustler and the XB-70 Valkyrie. The S-75 Dvina system was also designed to be highly mobile, with the ability to be deployed in a variety of environments, from the GDR to North Vietnam.

● Operational History

The S-75 Dvina system has been used in a variety of conflicts, including the Vietnam War, where it was deployed by the North Vietnamese Army to counter United States aircraft, such as the F-100 Super Sabre and the A-4 Skyhawk. The system was also used during the Yom Kippur War, where it was deployed by the Egyptian Air Defense Forces to counter Israeli Air Force aircraft, such as the F-4 Phantom II and the A-4 Skyhawk. In addition, the S-75 Dvina system has been used by the Soviet Air Defense Forces to defend against NATO aircraft, such as the Royal Air Force's Avro Vulcan and the French Air Force's Dassault Mirage III, during the Cold War. The system has also been used by other countries, including China, Cuba, and Syria, to defend against a variety of threats, from the Taiwan Strait to the Golan Heights.

● Variants

There have been several variants of the S-75 Dvina system developed over the years, including the S-75M, which was an improved version of the original system, and the S-75M2, which was a further upgraded version. The S-75M3 was another variant, which was developed in the 1960s and featured improved radar and guidance systems, similar to those used in the S-200 Angara system. The S-75M4 was a later variant, which was developed in the 1970s and featured even more advanced electronics and computer systems, similar to those used in the MiG-25 and the Su-24. Other variants of the S-75 Dvina system have been developed by countries such as China and North Korea, which have produced their own versions of the system, such as the HQ-2 and the Pongae-5.

● Operators

The S-75 Dvina system has been operated by a variety of countries, including the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, North Korea, and Syria. The system has also been used by other countries, including Egypt, Libya, and Iraq, to defend against a variety of threats, from the Israeli Air Force to the United States Air Force. The S-75 Dvina system has been deployed in a variety of environments, from the GDR to North Vietnam, and has been used to counter a range of aircraft, from the F-4 Phantom II to the B-52 Stratofortress. The system remains in service with some countries, including China and North Korea, and continues to be used as a key component of their air defense systems, along with other systems like the S-300P and the S-400 Triumf. Category:Surface-to-air missiles