A-135 anti-ballistic missile system

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The A-135 or ABM-3 anti-ballistic missile system is a Russian military complex deployed around Moscow to counter enemy missiles targeting the city or its surrounding areas. A successor to the previous A-35, it reached alert status on February 17th, 1995. It is compliant with the now-defunct 1972 ABM Treaty, in its upper limit. ABM-3 was considered to be technologically equivalent to the United States Safeguard system of the 1970s.^[1]

An integrated system, it is composed by:

• Two Daryal-type (Pechora to the west) bistatic phased-array early warning radars,^[2] deployed at Pechora and Qabala radar in Qabala, Azerbaijan ( 40°52′14.6″N, 47°48′09.6″E)^[3] Five other Daryal sites have never been completed.
• Hen House radars at Mishelevka, Olenegorsk, Sary Shagan, Kamchatka and Abalakova.

• The Pushkino Don-2NP (aka Pill Box to the west) large battle-management phased-array radar with 360º coverage for the long-range interceptors supplementing the Dog House and Cat House radars.( 56°10′30″N, 37°45′54″E )^[4]
• The ABM-3 phased-array short-range battle management radar, replacing the Try Add radars.
• 16 launchers of long-range SH-11 Gorgon exoatmospheric interceptor missiles with conventional warheads at two launch sites with eight missiles each ( 56°14′55.40″N, 38°35′13.18″E and 55°20′49.70″N, 36°28′59.08″E), though originally designed with nuclear warheads. Comparable to LIM-49A Spartan (at least in function).
• 68 launchers of short-range SH-08 Gazelle endoatmospheric interceptor missiles with conventional warheads at five launch sites with 12 or 16 missiles each, though originally designed with nuclear warheads. Similar to Sprint (missile).
• Command, communications and intelligence services.

The A-135 system is currently operational although its SH-11 component is deactivated (as of February 2007).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Globalsecurity.org on the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system.