Where they serve. Portrait of a RVSN soldier: "working with personnel is like working with children"

04.11.2020

Nikolai Vladimirovich Yudin, 1971 graduate of the Perm Higher Command and Engineering School (PVKIU). He gave 44 years of service in the army, of which 37.5 years - service in the Strategic Missile Forces. Now the major general of the reserve is retired and is writing a book of memoirs, in our opinion, completely unique. With his kind consent, we are publishing excerpts from a future book dedicated to difficult events in the life of the Strategic Missile Forces.

It has always been extremely pleasant for me to communicate with young officers who arrive after schools to serve in missile units. Already in the mid-80s, a whole ritual of meeting and putting them into operation, providing housing, placing children in Kindergarten or nursery. Other small everyday tricks were also taken into account, without which the life of a young officer sometimes turned into continuous torment. Therefore, in each missile division, a plan was developed for accepting young officers and putting them into operation, where all the previously listed issues were taken into account.

All graduate officers came mainly from million-plus cities, and regional centers did not always please them, especially their wives. It happened, on this basis, what to hide, and such that the wives left and the family broke up.

Lutsk was a special place where everyone aspired to serve. As they said among the officers, Lutsk is a land that looks like paradise. It probably is! The regional center of Western Ukraine, a city with a thousand-year history and original culture. The officers, almost all 100%, are provided with apartments. Not far from the city center there was even a special DOS quarter (houses of officers), where the officers of the division, regiments and units of the special forces and rear lived. That is why the officers greatly valued their service in Lutsk and did not seek to leave even for a promotion to other God-forgotten places. Almost all of the young officers also wanted to serve in Lutsk. But it's one thing to want, and another - where you will be appointed.

But back to the ritual. That's how it was in the 80s. And in the 70s, no one thought about the procedure for meeting arriving officers. The command, apparently, was not up to us, they were solving more important issues from their point of view. And let the youth themselves find out “how much is a hundred scallops” and overcome the difficulties that they face!

After graduation, I ended up in a not the worst place in the Rocket Forces, in the 170th missile regiment, which was stationed in the Belarusian city of Lida. Clean, neat, compact regional town, where by 6 o'clock in the morning all the streets were swept, and in the heat watered. In that year, 1971, about 25 of us arrived in Lida. But only five remained in the Lida regiment. These were two true rocket scientists from the Perm VKIU (I and Volodya Shcherbinin), two doctors from the S. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy and one specialist in rocket fuels and fuels and lubricants from the Dzerzhinsky Academy. The rest of the fate scattered whom where. Someone went to Slutsk, someone - to Gezgaly and Novogrudok.

By and large, everyone was happy, except for those who ended up in Gezgaly - five houses, a school, a kindergarten, a club, a large lake, and all around - forest, forest and forest. And no work for the wives. And here we are, five, in full dress uniform, polished boots, like new copper nickels just issued at the Mint, appeared before the commander of the 170th missile regiment, Colonel Valentin Ivanovich Gorshkov. Colonel Gorshkov was an old, still that, front-line, hardening. He was under two meters tall, with a wart on his nose and a straight back, as if he had swallowed a crowbar, he even inspired fear with his appearance. He spoke slowly, pronouncing each word clearly and making small pauses, but always to the point. Subsequently, only when I saw him from afar, I always tried to bypass him, God forbid, ask a question, and, worse, give me some kind of job.

After the presentation to the commander, the personnel officer introduced us to the deputy commanders of the regiment, and then he took the two of us to the commander of the 1st division, Lieutenant Colonel Neverov. This was a completely different person. As it became known to me later, he had the nickname "Wagtail", and people do not give nicknames for nothing. Always in a hurry somewhere and afraid of everything, he spoke unintelligibly, swallowing the words. He only asked us where we were assigned, and sent us with the assistant on duty for the division to the second battery, to the commander of the battery of the guard, Major Ivan Ivanovich Starovoitov. Ivan Ivanovich set the main tasks, explained the procedure for passing on admission to independent work. And he asked us a question: “Where are you located and how did you get settled?” It was the first commander to ask such a question. We answered that we live with our wives and children in a hostel, that the money is running out, and in the hostel they charge an unbearable fee for living for us, as if we had come not to serve, but on a business trip. He said that he would figure it out, advised whom to contact, and gave two days to arrange and search for an apartment. With the help of the ubiquitous battery warrant officers, we quickly found rented apartments and two days later we were already in service, began to master the technique and get acquainted with the routine. It must be said that my wife, with her higher pharmaceutical education, was hired on the second day as a deputy manager of a district hospital pharmacy. And with the help of the head physician of this hospital, the son was placed in a nursery. Everyday problems of my family at this stage were solved! We got with Volodya Shcherbinin with the development of military equipment "like chickens in a pluck." In the Perm VKIU, they studied and underwent military training on 8K84 (SS-11 according to NATO classification), and ended up serving on the "old woman" 8K63 (SS-4).

By the way, this rocket was also produced in Perm at the plant named after V. I. Lenin (“Motovilikha Plants”). Few people even in Perm knew about it. And now there are detailed publications. For example, this one: http://www.arms-expo.ru/articles/124/72950/. But back to Lida. I was appointed to the position of senior operator of the gas station, and Volodya was appointed to the position of senior operator of the NKS (terrestrial cable network). Quite quickly, we passed for admission to independent duty: the basic knowledge acquired at the school allowed us to do this. And ... rushed!

Then they were on duty for a week, and not in the same way as later - “chained” to the chair and the launch control panel. The entire shift on duty was located on the territory of a residential town, and we resorted to the combat zone only at the signal "Alarm". And then they proceeded to prepare the rocket for launch or for the regulations and maintenance. I was always on duty with the battalion commander. And all the ups and downs of the personnel were, of course, mine. That is, "young", as he liked to call me. And there were three, or even four guards at the guardhouse per shift. And all this fell on my shoulders.

I did not grumble, I understood that the battalion commander, who was already aged, wanted to sleep in the morning and read in the evening or just relax and unwind. By the end of the shift, I was terribly tired, barely dragging my feet. And in the kung, which took the officers to the "winter apartments", where everyone usually played cards from the moment of landing until the very landing, I instantly fell asleep and woke up only when someone pushed me after the stop.

The 4th section (tankers) is probably the most troublesome section in the battery. We were also called "barrels". In the department there were: two "barrels" 8G131 with AK-27I oxidizer and SRGS hoses (sealed welded steel hoses), they carried these "barrels" of KRAZA-214; "barrel" with fuel TM185 and starting fuel TG-02 with an ATT tractor; 8G210 hydrogen peroxide filling machine based on ZIL-157: 8G113 oxidizer tanker; two "water washers" 8T311 based on ZIL-157 and there was another car for two 8G11 batteries - for storing and transporting hydrogen peroxide. And all this economy at the right time had to reach the launch site, refuel the rocket with all four components of rocket fuels and still have time to "wash away" in a timely manner, that is, leave the launch site when refueling from full combat readiness ...

The head of the department was a captain, and at that time the heads of the departments were already captains, Nikolai Afanasyevich Efimenko was already aged. And everything that concerned the training and education of subordinates, as well as the maintenance of equipment, was placed on my broad shoulders. He himself rarely appeared in the regulations, and in the classroom for special training. His passion was playing cards, and not in preference, but in elementary borax. Lost often and a lot, then recouped, but almost always remained in the red. Many times I tried to tear him away from this pernicious passion, but nothing happened to me - he still continued to play and lose. He was "stubborn" in this respect, but otherwise a fine man.

I remember, as now, my first independent exit to the field positions at the Zapad-72 exercises. It all started really suddenly, on the night of March 9, when the country had not yet moved away from congratulating women. My task was to deliver 8 "barrels" with oxidizer to the field area, which was located at a distance of 120 kilometers. The weather at this time in Belarus is vile, drizzling rain, ice on the asphalt surface. The wheels of the tanks, even at the construction site, “stuck” to the concrete in such a way that it was necessary to move one tank with two tractors in a coupler.

By 11 p.m. the column was ready to march, the senior sergeants at KRAZ, the chiefs of the oxidizer crew and the drivers were instructed by me. We started. I lead the convoy in the front car. Speed 20 km per hour, no more, ice. We approached a small lift and my KRAZ stalled. The column is up! The tank - on the parking brake, unhooked. We pour sand under the wheels of KRAZ. Barely KRAZ climbed up the hill.

What to do next? The second one was attached to the first KRAZ, which was coming from behind. We hooked up the tanker, removed it from the parking brake, covered it with sand all the way, set off, constantly pouring sand under the KRAZA. And vnatyag managed to move the tank from its place and slowly pull it up the hill. But this is just one. And there are seven more. Here "come in large numbers" advisers from the regiment, or rather, from the city. Almost everyone is drunk and began to learn how to do everything right. He sent everyone to the well-known three Soviet letters, including the chief engineer of the regiment. And slowly pulled out all the remaining 7 tanks. And then he continued the march without problems and advisers. And then there was a serious dispute with the chief engineer of the regiment. He always tried to subjugate everyone to himself, and push the performer aside. I then asked him: “Are you on duty? Not! So, step back and do not interfere with my task, and if you want, lead the column yourself. After these words of mine, he stepped aside and no longer interfered with my leadership.

I ran into the cold, damp wind that penetrated under warm clothes, got worried about completing the task, got into the KRAZ cabin - and then another misfortune appeared: I just wanted to sleep to death! Not only to me - to the driver too. It was the second hour of the night. He stopped the column, called the elders to him, told him what to do. And all my drivers and elders, including me, made a run from the beginning of the column to its end. The dream passed, we set off again. Three or four more times they made the same runs and by 8 o'clock in the morning they arrived in an organized column at the field position, called at that time SZPR (secret reserve position area). Later, my “barrels” helped the first squad install the SP-6, digging and biting into the frozen ground with crowbars and shovels, in order to subsequently install a launch pad on the SP-6. The division completed the task at these exercises, but I didn’t know how. For some reason, the results were not brought to the “snotty” lieutenants at that time. This is how my first combat independent exit to field positions ended, which taught me a lot and gave me a lot of commanding practice. How many more will be ahead, I could not even imagine then.

RVSN (Strategic Missile Forces) are a separate branch of the military Armed Forces 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 silo-based Minuteman-3 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 state of the art Strategic Missile Forces of Russia, let's 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 Training Ground 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 troops. 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 RVGK engineering teams armed with the 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.

December 17, 1959 No. 1384-615 by a top-secret decree 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" was created independent view Armed Forces - Strategic Rocket 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. December 31, 1959 were formed: Main Headquarters 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 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 RGC (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 the entire 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 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 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 basing 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 Far East, a grandiose construction of new position areas for basing ICBMs 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) included 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 was armed with 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 in Bershet (52nd RD), Bologom (7th RD), Gladkaya, 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 warhead with 10 individual targeting 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 further development"Satans". 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 only 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 new stage 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 Temp-S operational-tactical missile systems (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 in 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. Nevertheless, 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 focus was 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 "stealth 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, it can be a maximum of reducing 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, 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 unopened.

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 will automatically unlock 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 protected 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 in the days of " 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 launchers, and therefore has the right to deploy another 185. At the same time, Russia will have to get rid of 90 non-deployed launchers 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 they expire deadlines their operation: UR-100NUTTH - 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 ICBM "Sarmat" approximately correspond to the UR-100NUTTH, which will make it relatively easy to convert 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 receive 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 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 tasks was worked out, including higher degrees 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 areas where troops are deployed.

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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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 fulfill the assigned combat missions in any setting. 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."

Over 98% of missile officers have higher education, wherein average age military personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces in 2014 amounted to 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 forces with the Tatishchevsky 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.

As part of the "Portrait of a Warrior" column, the correspondent news agency the site talked with a serviceman of the Taman missile division. The ensign told why he chose the Strategic Missile Forces and why you need to be strict with your subordinates.

Tell us about your place of work, how did you get there?

I serve in the Strategic Missile Forces. At the age of 18 he entered the branch of the Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces. Peter the Great in Serpukhov, Moscow Region. He studied there for 2 years and 10 months, then was sent for distribution to the city of Atkarsk.

What do you know about the history of your unit?

The division was formed in September 1961 in the village. Birobidzhan. It included battalions that were part of the 229th Taman Fighter Aviation Division and the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. The newly formed division began its first combat duty in 1964. In 1964, she was relocated to the village of Tatishchevo, Saratov Region, and became part of the 18th Separate Missile Corps. Withdrawn from it and transferred to the 27th Guards Vitebsk Army in June 1970. In 1978 she was awarded the Order of the October Revolution, and in 1982 she received the title "60th Anniversary of the USSR". Today, the unit is equipped with a silo missile system and nearly 50 Topol-M rocket launchers.

How are you fed? What is usually served for breakfast, lunch and dinner? What is the approximate weight or serving size?

They feed wonderfully. At breakfast you are full - and until lunch you are full of energy. We eat milk porridge, chocolate, buckwheat, sour cream, pasta, chicken, pork and beef, various soups: borscht, pickle, solyanka, cabbage soup - everything is very tasty and healthy. I can’t name the approximate portion size, the main thing is that I’m full.

In what conditions do you live, what opportunities are there for spending free time in the unit itself and outside it?

I live at home, as I serve in the rank of ensign, on the territory of the unit there is a gym where you can pull yourself up in terms of sports. In general, the whole day you have to work hard.

Tell us about your personal and team achievements during the service.

Developed a commanding voice, learned how to give commands correctly when moving in formation. During the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic war took part in the parade.

What are your plans for the service? What rank would you like to achieve in the armed forces?

I do not build grandiose plans, but I set small goals: to enter a university, get a higher education and become an officer - at least a major.

Tell me about the relationship between officers and ordinary. Help in solving problems?

The commanders are sympathetic, understanding and competent people, you can’t speak badly about them. I am also a commanding officer and a link between the military and contract service. Always ready to compromise. I try to be courteous in problems, like my colleagues, I am always ready to help in some way.

Are you satisfied with the current level of technical equipment of your department?

Quite, absolutely satisfied. Satisfied with all equipment provided. For example, the VKPO form. It is designed for any weather conditions: rain, snow, heat, frost. The kit includes a lot of things that save you from all kinds of natural misfortunes.

In the rain we wear a rubberized windbreaker with pants, in the cold - a warm vest, a demi-season suit, warm winter berets (each weighing 2 kg), a hat, a balaclava (or a mask / balaclava), a fleece collar under the neck, winter underwear.

In the heat, we put on a light jacket and pants - and the skin breathes, and appearance remains appropriate to the military man.

Of course, there are disadvantages: in winter form, even in severe frost it can be quite hot. But if you take something off, you freeze. It is also advisable not to cling to a sharp object like a nail or glass - the clothes will tear and the seam will be visible.

How do you assess the quality of combat training?

All on highest level. There are various classes to improve various training skills.

What was the first thing you improved when you became a commander?

Each commander contributes something of his own and confers with his deputies, that's all. known fact. Therefore, I am not ready to answer such a question.

Why did you choose to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces?

My grandfather is a Colonel of the Strategic Missile Forces. I followed in his footsteps and decided to continue the military dynasty in our family.

Are you interested in other branches of the Armed Forces?

I'm interested, but I don't want to go anywhere. Where they were sent - there I serve and will serve.

Do you read military literature, industry press?

From literature I prefer science fiction, otherwise I periodically read the newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda.

Have you already thought about getting housing from the Ministry of Defense?

Of course, everything must be taken from the army. After all, not everyone will be able to endure this burden: to live according to the charter, routine, and so on.

What do you think is the best way for you: military mortgage, in-kind housing, housing subsidy?

military mortgage. You serve, years go by, the mortgage is repaid at the expense of the state.

In your opinion, is it justified to send conscripts to serve in such strategically important types of troops as the Strategic Missile Forces, or would you be more comfortable serving in a team of professional contractors?

To be honest, I myself serve in the army not so long ago, before that I was a cadet. Therefore, I get used to the "army weekdays" to the end and cannot say where I would feel good.

Conscripts are needed in all branches of the military, it is interesting and useful to serve everywhere.

Now you are a commander, and some time ago you were the same soldier as you are now leading. What is it like to be on the other side of the barricades?

This is normal: at first, at 18, I complained, like everyone else. When I graduated from the Academy, I began to understand why the commanders behave this way. Working with personnel is like working with children: if they don't obey, you start wasting your nerves on them. You need to be stricter so that they don’t sit on your neck - it’s checked.

If you are a serviceman and want to tell the site about life in your unit, your achievements or problems that have arisen, please contact our editors. Let us recall that according to the Mass Media Law, the editorial office is obliged to keep the source of information secret and is not entitled to name the person who provided the information on condition of anonymity.

Officers and soldiers of the Makhachkala Regiment
I dedicate the wild Caucasian division of the Strategic Missile Forces ...

Wild Caucasian division of the Strategic Missile Forces

In the army, first Soviet, and then Russian, I served exactly 20 years and went to
retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel. And my service began at the end of August 1978, when, after graduating from Moscow Higher Technical School, I was assigned to TsNIIMASH in the current Korolev and quickly realized that no one really needed it there. I was sent to build some garages, they didn’t give me a hostel, I didn’t get a residence permit either, and at the family council we decided that we needed to join the army. You still have to serve...
From Zagorsk, the military registration and enlistment office sent us with one boy from ZEMZ - Kolya Chuprin to
Vinnitsa, to the headquarters of the army of the Strategic Missile Forces. in Moscow to us
joined by another guy who worked in the Central Committee of the Komsomol. All the way on the train we
they played pref and wrote bullet after bullet, filing them onto a nail in the compartment wall.
At the army headquarters, we were redirected to the shores of the Caspian - to the Makhachkala regiment
Ordzhonikidzevsky division, nicknamed among the two-year-old officers Wild
Caucasian. We arrived there on the weekend and, since none of the authorities were there, again
were playing cards for two more days.
And on Monday morning we were changed into field uniforms and taken to the commander
division. As I remember now, he was sitting in a smoking room on the street, and in front of him stood at attention
a hefty lieutenant with a bandaged head. It all looked like a battle
environment, scary. But later it turned out that the two-year officer Seryoga Seregin
when carrying out the regulations of the rocket, he stuck his head somewhere in the wrong place, and he was hit on
turnip operated air valve ...
We were divided into divisions. Who got into the launch preparation groups (GPP), who
to the headquarters, and I was assigned to the Regiment's Regulations Group.
There we honestly served our two years and returned home - some to civilians, and some, how
I remained in the cadres and continued to serve in the Strategic Missile Forces ...

One MIC out of a thousand

In the meantime, my colleague, two-year-old Yura Marulin, the same lieutenant as me, but only from Kazan, was distributed according to the calculations of the Regulations Group. I ended up as the head of the 4th crew serving the underground MIK (assembly and test building) of the 1st division of the regiment, where combat missiles were delivered for inspections during routine maintenance. In the interval between the flights of American spy satellites, they were taken out by installers from the mines, placed on special transport carts and delivered along a concrete path to my now MIK.
The regulations were carried out once every six months, and the rest of the time I beat the bullshit, studying various technical instructions and filling out a thick pack of ZhUTS (technical condition logs) with replies about the daily inspections of the technical equipment of the MIK that I allegedly carried out. After that, he went to the surface, sat down in a smoking room and once again stupidly examined the surrounding nature, consisting of small mountains and a low oak forest. It was boring. But the prescribed two years had to endure and serve.
But at the time of the regulations, life was in full swing. My crew, consisting of Tajiks and Belarusians, fussily scattered into their pockets, manually opened multi-ton hydraulic gates. The use of automation, as always happens in the army after an emergency, was forbidden by the higher command, since in one of the regiments two soldiers were crushed, riding on the same gate.
Once, my fighters were taken away from me to work in the vineyards of a neighboring collective farm, and I alone opened both leaves of the gate, manually pumping the hydraulics, first one gate, and then the second. Breathless, I ran to the obscene cries of officers who had already rolled two carts with missiles from one pocket to another pocket to open first one and then the second armored doors - each weighing 8 tons. There was hardly enough strength. But I managed...
The 8K65 missiles we served on are huge metal ingots over 24 meters long and about 2.5 meters in diameter, stuffed with the most sophisticated equipment. There was practically no free space inside the engine compartment, and my duties included climbing through the hatch inside and checking the absence of electrostatic electricity with a special probe. I hardly squeezed between the nozzles and tubes, and sometimes I took a nap there so as not to climb back and forth while the officers of the regulations group eliminated any malfunctions ...

Captain Aces

Service in the division was not sugar. If someone thought otherwise, then it is not so. Every day, early in the morning, officers and warrant officers living in Makhachkala got into PAZiki and kungs and set off for 70 kilometers to their divisions. Ours was the farthest.
The dirt road along the foothills of the Caucasus is not the avenue of the Red Army. Sometimes in the winter, on ice, the cars were blown to the edge of the road, and we hovered in horror over a terrible abyss. It was especially scary when the drivers were inexperienced first years. But you get used to everything, and the old officers no longer paid attention to these “minor” incidents, and soon we all became fatalists too ...
They also all left the regiment together, scolding and waiting for an hour and a half for the division commander, who was always giving orders to the duty shift at the very last moment. On weekends, as a rule, all those who were not on duty long or short shifts (for 4 or 3 days, respectively) were on duty at the barracks - supervised the soldiers.
The officers were practically not allocated housing, almost all of them lived in rented apartments. Getting the next rank was also difficult. If a person retired as a major, it was considered good luck because there were few majors. And there were only a few lieutenant colonels in the regiment.
That is, no career growth, no apartment prospects. And to retire, you had to serve 25 years. And it was possible to quit early only either due to disability or drunkenness. So these people also SERVED. And we, who accidentally fell into their circle from different capitals and major cities, only marveled at their patience and perseverance.
They brightened up their heavy hopeless bondage of the family, which they saw only at night, and the usual male entertainment - hunting, fishing, and sometimes just vodka at night.
With all this, among the regular officers there were very talented specialists, professionals from God. I remember two.
The head of our department, Captain Alexander Nikolaevich Smirnov, knew the entire rocket to perfection. If we young people had difficulty mastering the motor part, the control system, then he knew EVERYTHING. I don’t remember a single regulation so that there were no failures - there was definitely no check. And then the brainstorming of our smartest and most intelligent commander began. And he almost always brilliantly found the solution to the malfunction of one or another parameter, one or another device.
And when he could not find the reason for the refusal, then the head of the engineering service of the regiment, Captain Tuzov, came. Above average height, a slightly stooped man with a worn face and in an officer's cap with a broken visor and a spring taken out long ago for foppery possessed some inexplicable qualities of material Marxist science. He was a genius.
I remember that all the officers gathered around him in a circle and with reverent astonishment followed his seemingly erratic manipulations of the control panel for routine checks. But minutes passed, a maximum of half an hour, and everything started to WORK again! It was unfathomable. But, apparently, thanks to precisely such folk nuggets, often having only a secondary military engineering school behind them, our missiles hit the target. From 1969 to 1974, the regiment carried out live firing at the range three times and performed them perfectly. Many officers and soldiers then received well-deserved military orders and medals ...
Usually, after a successful completion of the regulations, we gathered at the divisional officer's hotel and poured half a flask of alcohol into faceted glasses for stew with boiled potatoes. Moreover, as the veterans said in an undertone, the regulations for only one rocket were supposed to release 20 liters of alcohol, and we checked as many as three of them! But, as they say, everyone needs alcohol, including the command, which received numerous checks from Moscow and from the army headquarters in Vinnitsa ...
The thin face of Captain Tuzov, who was often brought to the regulations straight from the next binge (because of which he never got the chance to get the major's shoulder straps), lit up with inspiration. He made a short speech and traditionally proclaimed our main toast: "To those in the pit!" (pit, who does not know, rocket men call their mines) ...

ground water

With my call to the regiment, 17 two-year officers arrived at the same time from Moscow, Kazan, Tula and Kuibyshev (now Samara). Without replenishment of specialists from a civilian, the then huge army could not exist, since there were a catastrophic shortage of regular officers. That is why, after graduating from universities, we were awarded lieutenant ranks and called up for service.
Among our brother there were mostly ordinary guys, but there were also talented techies, or even just heroes.
One of these heroes was Valera Kuznetsov from an earlier draft, originally from Podolsk near Moscow, a graduate of the Moscow Aviation Institute.
Once a check from Moscow came to the regiment. Inspectors in high ranks, accompanied by local commanders, descended into the missile silo, and then, as if on purpose, the unforeseen happened - groundwater poured into the pit, unknown as it broke through the protection!
The inspectors - pot-bellied guys - instantly appeared at the top, all the rest too. And only once they were safe, everyone suddenly realized that if the water breaks into the mine itself, where the fueled missile with a warhead stood, then the consequences would be unpredictable. Only Valera Kuznetsov was not taken aback, who did not panic and did not rush upstairs after everyone, but remained in the mine. Not thinking about the danger threatening him, he, tearing off his hands in the blood, battened down the hatch into the rocket shaft and only then hurried out. The rocket was saved.
The accident was eliminated, the hole was patched up, the water was pumped out. And the head of the Moscow inspectors silently removed the watch from his hand and presented it to Valera. No one offered him a medal for courage and courage - no one was going to report upstairs about the emergency that had happened - it’s more expensive for himself ...

Failed brakes

Lieutenant Eldar Rafikov, a Tatar from the remote village of Verkhnyaya Tereshka, lived with me in a private apartment. He was younger than us, from the next draft after us.
He was assigned to serve in the ESD (missile installation department) of the 1st division. It was a skinny little weird guy. We did not notice anything outstanding in it. But one day he came from the division all pale, as if taken down from the cross. We begged him for a long time to tell us what had happened to him. And he told a terrible story.
It was necessary to overtake a training rocket to the 2nd division. If military missiles are transported accompanied by guards, and huge KRAZs insure the column from car accidents in front and behind, then the training missile was sent on an old tractor driven by a young first-year soldier. Our Eldar was appointed senior to him in the cockpit. In the army, soldiers did not travel independently, always accompanied by an officer. That's how it was supposed to be.
We left in the afternoon, through the window between the American satellites. The road to the 2nd division lay along a plateau between endless poppy fields. And then, on one of the descents, the hydraulic brakes unexpectedly failed, and a multi-ton tractor with a huge rocket, gradually accelerating, crawled down, moving off the road towards the abyss. The soldier fell into a stupor, grabbed the steering wheel and froze, closing his eyes. Eldar, who was driving such a tractor for the first time in his life, tried to turn the steering wheel, but the hydraulics failed everywhere - both the brakes and the steering wheel did not work. Then the lieutenant tried to open his door - it turned out that there was no inner handle on his door!
And then the Eldar climbed over the soldier and jumped out of the tractor through his door to the outside. Jumping down, he looked around in panic. A huge colossus with wheels in human height has already slid off the road and rolled straight into the abyss.
For the death of a rocket, albeit a training one, one could end up under a tribunal - and this is a prison! In desperation, Eldar threw his cap under the wheels - the tractor continued to move. Then the overcoat - the tractor drove. And then the young lieutenant, instantly looking around, noticed a huge stone fifty meters from the road and ran towards it. How he picked it up, how he dragged it, Eldar no longer remembered. He only remembered how he threw it under the front wheel of the tractor, and the multi-ton colossus finally stopped ...
He pulled the shaking boy out of the cab, sat next to him exhaustedly and, clasping his face in his hands, sobbed ...

dropped warhead

Our regiment was equipped with obsolete missiles, and therefore the equipment on its
armament was quite old. This inevitably led to various accidents. But sometimes they happened for other reasons. I will remember one of these incidents for the rest of my life.
At night, a convoy of KRAZ vehicles and security vehicles drove towards the secret railway station, where they were supposed to bring new missiles from the arsenal in special wagons disguised as ordinary civilians. I, like several of my comrades, were senior in cars. On a deserted road, accompanied by traffic police, we got to the station, were present at the loading of missiles on transport carts, and took them to another division. Having safely passed them to our colleagues, we went to fill up in the officer's hotel. And in the morning they found out that an emergency had happened at night.
When trying to attach a warhead to the rocket, the installer, in which the novice driver was sitting, turned over, unable to withstand the weight of the warhead, and it hit the concrete with all its foolishness. They say they even struck a spark!
One can imagine a mute scene: everyone for one, the most terrible, moment froze in fright, and then the commanders-chiefs rushed to inspect the fallen warhead with obscenities, and then find out the causes of the accident and look for those to blame. A nuclear explosion, thank God, did not threaten us - there is protection not only against such accidents - this was understood almost immediately. But the MS was crushed. And this is already a case.
They began to find out WHY the installer overturned?! It turned out that the soldier forgot to put the crane on special stops that prevent it from tipping over (or maybe they were just wrong). And for some reason the senior officer also didn’t remember about it ...
What to do here?! Reporting upstairs about such an emergency would have sent the heads of not only the commander of the regiment and division, but also people from much big stars. Therefore, they kept silent about the accident - by common consent, and punished one old major, the commander of the OUR, who was already preparing for retirement, degrading him to captain and transferring him out of harm's way to another regiment. On that matter, they hushed up ...

War, especially nuclear war, never starts suddenly. There is always a certain period of deterioration in the political situation between rival countries, during which the command takes measures to save its nuclear potential. Understanding that the deployment of missile silos has long been known to both one side and the other, in order to save their missiles from a nuclear strike, special OVBG (combat readiness recovery units) were created in our army from improvised transport. At the pre-crisis moment, on command from above, they were supposed to go to specially designated points away from the missile silos, which would be hit by a potential enemy missile attack, in order to then return to combat positions and try to restore dilapidated military facilities and organize a return salvo. By the way, this is no longer a secret, the missiles of our Caucasian division were aimed at northern cities China, relations with which the USSR in the 70s were not very ...
We had such an OVBG in our regiment. It included almost all the machines of the Regulations Group, in which I had the honor to serve. But the whole trouble was that our regiment was old, and the vehicles in it were old and worn out. Of course, new cars came to us from time to time, but such was the order in the brainless Soviet country that they were immediately sent along with the soldiers, as we said, to the "virgin lands" - that is, to harvest the collective farm crop somewhere in Siberia or the Urals. From there, they returned broken to rubble. It was on these half-dead machines that we were instructed to restore the combat readiness of the nuclear forces of our beloved regiment.
These machines, to my misfortune, were listed on me as on the head of the 4th calculation of the Regulation Group. When my predecessor handed them over to me during a generously covered "clearing", I still did not suspect anything, because even today I am not very strong in automotive technology. But after the "acceptance" it turned out that NOT every car has engines. Therefore, our VBG detachment, leaving for the next "training", resembled a column of disabled people on crutches, only the crutches were rigid couplings, on which cars with motors were dragging cars WITHOUT motors.
It was terrible. But it was, and you had to live with it ...
I think that our combat readiness recovery unit would have coped with the combat mission in any case, but not because, but DESPITE all the circumstances. Because there were such people who were not afraid of any difficulties.
And when I left the regiment, I handed over my cars through the covered "clearing" to the shift - young lieutenant Andryusha Kvas from the Kiev Polytechnic University. We, the officers, believed each other, and what difference does it make whether there were engines or not - all the same, we would have to fight on what we have. I didn't come up with this...

Japanese truth

They told me - a long time ago, when I was still serving, that they had seen a funny Japanese cartoon about our and American missilemen. The Americans in the cartoon had everything automated, everything was accurate and cool. But when they pointed the rocket at a large paper target (like the one in the shooting gallery), it started and fell ... next to the target, not reaching the target.
And then they showed our rocket men. Soviet officers in uniform with big red stars, dressed for some reason in windings and bast shoes, drank vodka and slurped cabbage soup from a common pot in some kind of wooden hut, apparently symbolizing the barracks. On an alarm signal, they quickly ran to the Soviet missile, opened its warhead like a lid and began pouring buckets of fuel inside, by eye. Then they raised the rocket with a rope thrown over the bough of a tree to a vertical position. Start - and she hit EXACTLY on the target!
Yes, so, by and large, everything was ...

And yet ... Despite all these stupidities, accidents and absurdities, our army is alive. The Strategic Rocket Forces are also alive. It is they, our formidable “troops that never fight” (and, God forbid, that they ever fight) that have kept and are keeping the arrogant Americans from imposing their will on the whole world. It is because of our missiles that there are no more world wars on the planet.
Let's remember this.
And I believe (I'm just SURE!) that our missiles will ALWAYS hit right on target, despite all this past and present mess in our country. Because SUCH guys like Valera Kuznetsov, Eldar Rafikov and Captain Tuzov served, serve and will always serve in the "troops that do not fight" ...