Currently, Russian-American relations are at their lowest level in the past 25 years. Big politicians and prominent public figures started talking about the beginning of a new "Cold War", and the military does not exclude the occurrence of all sorts of incidents between the Russian Aerospace Forces and the US Air Force and Russian and American special forces in Syria. All this is happening against the background of the extremely bellicose rhetoric of some politicians, both in our country and in the West. Irresponsible statements warm up the degree of political tension and contribute to "hurray-patriotic" sentiments among some of the inhabitants. Unfortunately, this is reflected on the Voennoye Obozreniye website. But our countries were once already one step away from the "nuclear apocalypse", and only the restraint of the leaders of the USSR and the United States made it possible to avoid the start of a full-scale suicidal conflict.
In the early 1960s, the United States deployed 60 PGM-17 Thor medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) to the UK. The Torahs in the UK were followed by 45 PGM-19 Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Italy. The Thor and Jupiter missiles could deliver a W49 warhead with a capacity of 1.44 Mt to a range of 2,400 km. The advantage of the Jupiter was its mobility. Unlike the "Thor", which was launched from a stationary position, the "Jupiter" could be launched from a mobile launch pad, which increased the survivability of the missile system.
In 1962, the Americans had a significant advantage in the strategic nuclear forces (SNF). At that time, there were about 3,000 warheads on strategic carriers in the United States, while in the USSR there were about 500. By the beginning of 1962, the US Air Force and Navy, taking into account the tactical carriers deployed in Europe and Asia, had more than 1,300 bombers in service. Strategic and tactical American and British bombers stationed in Europe had short flight times. The supply of fuel on board the aircraft of the American strategic aviation and refueling in the air allowed them to carry out combat patrols with thermonuclear bombs on board along the borders of the USSR. In addition, the US Strategic Nuclear Forces had 183 SM-65 Atlas and HGM-25A Titan ICBMs and 144 UGM-27 "Polaris" submarine ballistic missiles (SLBMs) on nine nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles SSBNs of the George Washington and Ethan Allen types.
The Soviet Union had the opportunity to deliver about 400 warheads to the United States, mainly with the help of strategic bombers and ICBMs R-7 and R-16, which required lengthy preparation for launch and the high cost of building launch complexes. The economic capabilities of the Soviet Union, which suffered huge human and material losses in the war, did not allow achieving parity with the United States in the field of strategic weapons in the early 60s.
The deployment of the Thor and Jupiter MRBMs in Europe provided Washington with a number of serious advantages in the event of a nuclear conflict. The flight time of American missiles launched from England, Italy and Turkey was 10-15 minutes, and their number in 1962 was quite enough to destroy the positions of a few Soviet ICBMs, strategic bombers' airfields, communication centers and radars of the missile attack warning system. In addition, by deploying its nuclear attack force in Europe, the United States reduced the number of Soviet nuclear warheads in retaliation against its territory and reduced its own losses.
Launch position MRBM PGM-19 Jupiter
For the Soviet Union, the American MRBM posed a mortal threat. The United States, by deploying missiles in Europe, radically changed the balance of forces of the first strike in its favor. The USSR urgently needed adequate countermeasures to restore equilibrium. By that time, the Soviet strategic submarine fleet was under construction and did not yet represent a significant force. Diesel submarines with Project 629 SLBMs did not pose a big threat to the United States: being on combat patrols, they could hit targets in Western Europe and American bases in the Pacific Ocean. By October 1962, the USSR Navy had five nuclear-powered ships of Project 658, but in terms of the number and range of missile launch, they were significantly inferior to the American SSBNs.
The USSR needed a base from which the Soviet R-12 and R-14 MRBMs could create a similar threat to the United States, thereby restoring the status quo in the possibility of inflicting "unacceptable damage" on a potential adversary. At that time, the only place where it was possible to place Soviet medium-range missiles was Cuba. The combat radius of the R-12 (2000 km) and R-14 (4000 km) missiles, if deployed on the "Freedom Island", made it possible to threaten a significant part of the US territory, especially its southeastern regions with numerous large cities and industrial centers. But for the implementation of these plans, it was required to have a friendly Cuba for the USSR and to protect it from the threat of the overthrow of F. Castro by the United States. After the defeat of the counterrevolutionary amphibious assault force formed from Cuban emigrants on Playa Giron, the economic blockade of the "Freedom Island" began, and there was a constant danger of invasion by American troops directly. To strengthen the defense of the island in April 1962, it was decided to send to Cuba 4 air defense missile systems S-75, 10 front-line bombers Il-28, 4 launchers of anti-ship missiles P-15. By October 22, a group of Soviet troops numbering 40 thousand people was deployed on Cuban territory, led by General of the Army I. A. Pliev. The main striking force of the Soviet contingent was 42 R-12 ballistic missiles with a range of up to 2000 km. These included 36 thermonuclear warheads with a capacity of 1 Mt. However, the missiles were not put on alert. The R-12s themselves were stored in open areas or in hangars. Warheads - separate from rockets in caves at a distance of a kilometer from the starting positions. It took 3 hours to dock the warhead to the rocket, and 15 minutes to bring the rocket into combat readiness.
IRBM R-12 on the launch pad
In addition to ballistic missiles, Il-28 bombers, FKR-1 front-line cruise missiles, Luna tactical missiles, MiG-21-F-13 fighters, S-75 air defense systems, anti-aircraft guns and missile boats of the 183R project were placed on the "Freedom Island", as well as motorized rifle and tank units. Due to the imposed blockade, it was not possible to deliver all the equipment and weapons. So, for example, the Soviet ships with the R-14 MRBM were forced to turn back under the threat of the use of weapons by the warships of the US Navy. At the same time, nuclear warheads for the R-14 and the personnel of the missile divisions were already in Cuba. The R-14 missiles had a launch range of up to 4500 km and would have shot through most of the United States, right up to the west coast.
The radius of destruction of Soviet missiles and bombers Il-28, a large radius - IRBM R-14 (not deployed in Cuba).
The R-12 missiles launched from Cuba were capable of hitting targets in the United States up to the Washington-Dallas line, and posed a threat to the United States similar to that created for the USSR by American missiles deployed in Europe. The appearance of Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba came as a shock to the Americans. Of course, they knew that Soviet transports were delivering equipment and weapons to the island, but after October 14, 1962, a reconnaissance U-2, piloted by Major Richard Heizer, crossed all of Cuba from south to north, it became known about Soviet missiles on the island. Despite the fact that the necessary measures were taken to camouflage the missile sites, the security of the storage of missiles and warheads, the prepared missile positions and stored missiles were easy to read on aerial photographs. The fact of the delivery of missiles to Cuba angered the American leadership, since Soviet officials did not make an official statement about this in the relevant international organizations. At the same time, American missiles were deployed in Turkey openly, and the Soviet government was notified of this in advance. This circumstance played an important role in the escalation of the Soviet-American crisis.
The layout of Soviet military units in Cuba
Following the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba, Kennedy ordered reconnaissance flights from two a month to six a day. This, of course, contributed to the aggravation of the situation, especially since supersonic tactical aircraft, flying at low altitude, began to be involved in reconnaissance. At the end of October, a pair of MiG-21 fighters made an attempt to intercept and land an American reconnaissance aircraft RF-101 at their airfield, but he managed to escape.
On October 19, during the next flight of U-2, several more prepared missile positions were discovered, Il-28 bombers at an airfield off the northern coast of Cuba and a division of front-line cruise missiles FKR-1 located on launchers on the eastern coast of Cuba.
On October 22, President Kennedy made a televised address to the nation announcing the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. He also warned that the armed forces are "ready for any development of events" and condemned the USSR for "secrecy and misleading." The flywheel of confrontation continued to unfold, the US Congress recommended the President to use force to eliminate the missile threat. The highest American military leadership came up with a proposal to start a military operation against Cuba. The generals rushed the president to give the order to strike, because they feared that when the USSR would deploy all the missiles, it would be too late.
On October 24, from 10 am, the Americans imposed a complete naval blockade of the "Freedom Island". Officially, this was called the "quarantine of the island of Cuba", since the blockade meant an automatic declaration of war. The US Navy demanded that all ships sailing to Cuban ports stop and present their cargo for inspection. In case of refusal to admit the inspection team on board, the ship was to be arrested and escorted to an American port under escort. In addition to the "blockade", preparations began for a possible invasion of the island. A tank and five infantry divisions were deployed to the southwest of the United States. Strategic bombers B-47 and B-52 conducted constant air patrols, tactical aircraft were deployed at civilian airfields in Florida, and 180 US Navy warships were deployed to Cuba.
As a retaliatory measure, the Armed Forces of the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries were put on high alert. This meant the cancellation of all vacations and dismissals, as well as the withdrawal of part of the troops with equipment and weapons outside their places of permanent deployment. Combat aviation was dispersed over alternate airfields, warships went out to sea. Most of the Soviet nuclear and diesel submarines in combat readiness, after loading torpedoes and missiles with "special" warheads, moved to the areas of combat patrols. At that time, in the USSR, the fleet had 25 diesel and nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles and 16 boats with cruise missiles designed to destroy coastal targets.
By October 24, the situation became aggravated, the brother of the American President Robert Kennedy, at a meeting with the Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin during the discussion of the blockade of Cuba, said: "I do not know how it will all end, but we intend to stop your ships."In response, Khrushchev in his letter called the quarantine "an act of aggression, pushing humanity into the abyss of a world nuclear missile war." He warned Kennedy that "the captains of the Soviet ships will not comply with the orders of the American Navy," and also that "if the US does not stop its pirate activities, the USSR government will take any measures to ensure the safety of the ships."
On October 25, the US President gave an order to increase the combat readiness of the Armed Forces to the level of DEFCON-2 (English DEFense readiness CONdition). This level precedes maximum combat readiness. The announcement of the first level meant the readiness to launch a nuclear strike. At this moment, humanity was more than ever close to the beginning of a full-scale conflict between the USSR and the United States. And if the leaders of the great powers did not show restraint, the case could end in mutual destruction.
At that moment, the situation in Cuba was tense to the limit, the command of the Soviet contingent on the island and the Cuban leadership were expecting the start of an American invasion or a large-scale airstrike. On October 27, a U-2 of Major Rudolph Anderson was shot down by an S-75 anti-aircraft missile system in Cuban airspace during a regular reconnaissance flight. On the same day, two US Navy RF-8A photo reconnaissance personnel were fired upon by anti-aircraft artillery during a low-altitude reconnaissance flight. One plane was damaged, but managed to reach its airfield.
Let's imagine the darkest scenario. What would have happened if President Kennedy's nerves had failed and he had followed the lead of the military? Taking into account that at that time the American intelligence already knew about the presence of tactical missiles "Luna" with nuclear warheads in the composition of the Soviet troops in Cuba, there could be no talk of an amphibious operation. Aviation would be used to eliminate the "Soviet missile threat". The first strike involved tactical and carrier-based aircraft operating at low altitudes, while nuclear bombs were not used. The missile positions of the 79th and 181st missile regiments, as well as airfields, were subjected to intensive bombardment. The MiG-21 fighters, S-75 air defense systems and anti-aircraft artillery that managed to take off in the air offer fierce resistance, but the forces were clearly not equal. At the cost of the loss of about two dozen combat aircraft, the Americans manage to destroy all Soviet R-12 missiles, Il-28 bombers, radar stations, most of the fighters and destroy the runways of the main airfields. After tactical aviation, the B-47 and B-52 bombers come into play, which "clean up" the terrain with massive area strikes. However, some of the tactical Luna and FKR-1 cruise missiles hidden in the jungle survived, which later became an unpleasant surprise for the Americans.
The entire air operation, taking into account the actions of strategic bombers, took three hours, after which the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, General LeMay, reported to the President that the Cuban missile threat had been completely eliminated. Simultaneously with the air raid in the Caribbean, the US Navy's anti-submarine forces, after establishing acoustic contact, sunk three Soviet diesel submarines, as the commander of the American fleet considered them to be a threat, and several ships of the Soviet merchant fleet were arrested. US troops around the world are on high alert, including medium-range ballistic missiles in Europe.
The Soviet leadership, having received news from Cuba and intelligence information about preparations for the launch of the Jupiter MRBM in Turkey, regards this as the beginning of a full-scale aggression against the USSR and decides to strike a preemptive strike. Approximately 100 Soviet R-12 and R-14 missiles on the morning of October 28 attack the known deployment sites of the Jupiter MRBM in Italy and Turkey and the Thor in the UK. More than 80 nuclear warheads are detonated over suspected US missile sites and US and British strategic bombers. Wanting to get by with "little blood" and limit the combat zone, the Soviet leadership does not give an order to launch an attack on facilities in the United States, Soviet ICBMs and strategic bombers remain at their bases for now.
For technical reasons, not all Soviet medium-range missiles reached their targets, in addition, some of the Jupiters were withdrawn from American missile bases and escaped destruction. Approximately 20 Jupiters from mobile launchers and 10 Thors from Flatwell Base in Scotland were launched in response, as decided by the US Air Force Europe Command. Positions of the 43rd Missile Army in Ukraine are subject to nuclear strikes. This attack destroyed about a third of Soviet medium-range ballistic missiles. However, in the USSR there are still about 100 MRBMs that can be quickly prepared for launch, most of them are R-5M and R-12. When ready, these missiles are fired at naval bases, major airfields and known NATO troop concentrations. The surviving R-14 missiles launched from positions in Ukraine destroyed several cities in the UK, including London and Liverpool. The R-12 missiles of the 50th Missile Army, stationed in the Baltic States, hit 2.3-megaton thermonuclear warheads at the RAF airbase in Great Britain and the American nuclear submarine base Holy-Lough in Scotland. The destruction of the Holy Lough base makes it impossible for American SSBNs operating in the North Atlantic to replenish ammunition and carry out the necessary maintenance. As a result of the explosion of a torpedo with a nuclear warhead, fired from the Soviet submarine pr.613, secretly penetrated into the Sea of Marmara, the coastal part of Istanbul was severely destroyed. The Turkish naval bases Sinop and Samsun were destroyed by nuclear torpedo strikes from the Black Sea. In addition, Soviet missile diesel submarines of project 629, front-line cruise missiles FKR-1 and operational-tactical R-11 stationed in the GSGV are connected to the attacks. The shipyards in Hamburg, the Spandal and Geilenkirchen airbases were destroyed by the launches of front-line cruise missiles at targets in the FRG. The warheads of missiles launched from a Soviet missile boat disabled the American AN / FSP-49 early warning radar and the runway at Thule airbase in Greenland. Destroyed: Amsterdam, Bonn, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Paris, Dunkirk, Dieppe, Rome, Milan, Turin. Paris especially suffered because of the NATO headquarters located there, the city center was turned into ruins as a result of the explosions of warheads of two R-12.
Retaliatory launches of OTR MGR-1 Honest John, MGR-3 Little John, MGM-5 Corporal and KR MGM-13 Mace from bases in Germany and France and nuclear bombs from tactical aircraft destroyed the GSGV headquarters in Wünsdorf, the headquarters of the Southern Group of Forces in Budapest, the headquarters of the Northern Group of Forces in Legnica, the headquarters of the 16th Air Army in Woltersdorf and the Wittstock, Grossenhain and Rechlin airfields.
At the first stage of hostilities with the use of nuclear weapons in the European theater of operations, as a result of a preemptive attack and the withdrawal of part of its forces from under attack, the Soviet Union was able to minimize its own losses. At the same time, it was not possible to solve the problem of the complete destruction of American MRBMs in Europe and to avoid retaliatory launches. The losses of the sides during the exchange of nuclear strikes exceeded 4 million people killed and about 11 million - wounded, burned and received high doses of radiation. Huge territories as a result of nuclear explosions have turned into a zone of continuous destruction.
After news of the attack on American missile positions in Europe, all the top military and civilian leadership of the United States is urgently evacuated from Washington and three hours later gathers for an emergency meeting in a secret atomic shelter carved into the Mount Weather rock near the city of Berryville, Virginia. After a short discussion of the situation, John F. Kennedy gives the order to bomb the USSR with all available means.
Having received an order from the President, the US Navy command from a special communications station in Norfolk transmits a low-frequency coded signal with a command to launch missiles to submarines in combat positions. It takes 15 to 30 minutes to prepare for the launch of an A1 Polaris SLBM and test the missiles. Then the submarines SSBN 598 "George Washington", SSBN 599 "Patrick Henry" and SSBN 601 "Robert E. Lee", located in the North Atlantic, fire 16 rocket salvos. Two missiles with 600 kt warheads were launched against each target. With the level of technical reliability of missiles 0, 8, this guarantees hitting the target with a high degree of probability. The bases of the Northern and Baltic fleets in Gremikha, Vidyaevo, Polyarny, Baltiysk, the cities of Arkhangelsk, Severomorsk, Murmansk, Severodvinsk, the airfields of Olenya, Bykhov, Lakhta and Luostari, as well as objects in the Baltic, Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions are subject to nuclear strikes.
SSBN 608 Ethan Allen and SSBN 600 Theodore Roosevelt launch missiles from the Mediterranean Sea. The target of these missiles is the Crimea and facilities on the Black Sea coast. First of all, the Black Sea Fleet parking in Sevastopol, facilities in Balaklava, Novorossiysk, Odessa, Gvardeyskoye, Belbek and Saki airbases are affected.
As of mid-October 1962, the US Navy had four Aten Allen-class SSBNs with A2 Polaris missiles with a launch range of 2,800 km. It can be assumed that by the beginning of the conflict, there were two boats of this type on alert, their missiles already made it possible to hit targets deep in the territory of the USSR. In addition, the Polaris A2 was the first missile to be equipped with missile defense penetration means.
Launch of a cruise missile "Regulus" from an American diesel-electric submarine
The American diesel-electric submarines SSG-574 "Greyback" and SSG-577 "Grauler", surfacing to the west of the Aleutian Islands, launch SSM-N-8A Regulus cruise missiles at the fleet parking in Vilyuchinsk. The nuclear submarine SSGN-587 "Khalibat", in turn, is launching a cruise missile at the Pacific Fleet bases in Primorye. The boat itself was unlucky, it was caught on the surface and sunk by a Be-6 anti-submarine aircraft.
Some of the cruise missiles were shot down by the S-75 air defense system and fighters, but the ones that broke through were more than enough to make the facilities in Kamchatka and in the Primorsky Territory unusable for further use. On the coastal regions of the USSR in the Far East, carrier-based bombers A-3 and A-5 are carrying out nuclear strikes. The ports of Vanino, Kholmsk, Nakhodka, the cities of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Ussuriisk, Spassk-Dalniy were badly damaged. An attack by American cruise missiles on Vladivostok and an attempt to break through carrier-based bombers were repelled by air defense systems. Unable to break through to the city, an American bomber drops an atomic bomb at an air defense position on Russky Island. The Skywarrior squad tried to strike at Khabarovsk, but was shot down by fighters.
American carrier-based bomber A-3 "Skywarrior" takes off from an aircraft carrier
In response to Alaska and to American targets in Asia and within reach, the R-5M and R-12 and R-14 of the 45th missile division stationed in Primorye are attacked. Airbases Kadena and Atsugi, naval bases Yokosuka and Sasebo, anchorage of ships and airfields on the island of Guam are subjected to atomic strikes. Several warheads of Soviet MRBMs manage to shoot down American long-range air defense systems MIM-14 Nike-Hercules. Most of the missiles of this type of anti-aircraft systems at the disposal of the US Army were equipped with a nuclear warhead. "Nike-Hercules" possessed certain anti-missile capabilities, the real probability of hitting an ICBM warhead was 0, 1, in other words, 10 anti-aircraft missiles could repel an attack from one ballistic missile.
After the first nuclear explosions thundered, preparations began for the launch of ICBMs. But if the Soviet leadership initially refrained from nuclear bombing of the continental territory of the United States, the Americans were not tormented by doubts. In the afternoon of October 28, 1965, within half an hour, 72 mine-based SM-65F Atlas ICBMs were launched across the territory of the Soviet Union. Following the mine Atlas, the SM-65E Atlas ICBMs, stored horizontally in protected "sarcophagi", and the HGM-25A Titan, stored in the mines, are launched as soon as they are ready, but require longer preparation for launch and radio command control at the booster section. In total, more than 150 missiles are launched from the United States within two hours.
Launch of the ICBM "Titan"
Their targets are mainly large administrative and industrial centers of the USSR, long-range aviation airfields, naval bases and positions of Soviet ICBMs. Several missiles exploded at the start, another part went out of trajectory due to malfunctions, but more than 70% of the warheads were delivered to the intended targets. Each target, depending on the degree of importance, is aimed at 2-4 ICBMs. Moscow is one of the priority targets. The Kremlin and the city center were completely destroyed by the explosions of four 4.45 Mt warheads. The Baikonur cosmodrome was covered and destroyed along with the R-7 and R-16 ICBMs preparing for launch. Objects of the Soviet nuclear industry are being subjected to nuclear strikes. The underground complex "Arzamas-16" was seriously damaged as a result of the explosions of two 3, 75-megaton warheads of the ICBM "Titan", put on contact detonation near the surface.
After the first wave of ballistic missiles, B-47, B-52 and B-58 bombers invade Soviet airspace, their actions are covered by EB-47E electronic warfare aircraft. In total, before the outbreak of hostilities, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain and the US Air Force had more than 2,000 long-range bombers, of which about 300 aircraft took part in the first raid. The Americans are actively using the AGM-28 Hound Dog aviation cruise missiles, which scatters the forces of the Soviet air defense, which, in addition to bombers, is forced to fight them as well. At that time, the US Air Force had more than 500 cruise missiles, and about 150 were used in the first attack.
There could be many more aircraft participating in the bombing of the USSR, but almost all British long-range bombers and part of the American ones were destroyed at RAF bases as a result of a preemptive Soviet strike with medium-range missiles and the actions of missile submarines. Many planes caught by a nuclear attack in the air have nowhere to return and they make forced landings on lanes unsuitable for the reception of heavy vehicles, or their pilots, after running out of fuel, are thrown out by parachute.
The breakthrough of American bombers is also facilitated by the ionization of the atmosphere after numerous nuclear explosions; the surviving Soviet ground radars often simply did not see air targets due to interference. In addition, only Moscow is relatively well covered. However, the multichannel S-25 turned out to be practically useless. American intelligence turned out to be well informed about their capabilities, and one B-52 and two B-47, which accidentally invaded the air defense zone of Moscow, became victims of stationary complexes. In 1962, the basis of fighter aviation in the USSR was made up of the MiG-17, MiG-19 and Yak-25, by that time these aircraft no longer fully met modern requirements, and there were still few new supersonic MiG-21 and Su-9. Only four years have passed since the adoption of the S-75 air defense system, and the industry has not yet had time to build them in sufficient numbers, and anti-aircraft guns of caliber 85, 100, 130-mm, even with radar-controlled cannon aiming stations, turned out to be ineffective against jet strategic bombers. Soviet air defense destroys up to a third of the invading bombers and half of the cruise missiles. Soviet pilots, having fired ammunition, often go to the ram, but they are not able to stop all the bombers.
In total, as a result of strikes by ICBMs and long-range bombers, more than 150 Soviet strategic facilities were completely destroyed or permanently disabled, including nuclear facilities, naval bases, long-range aviation airfields, defense enterprises, large power plants and command centers. In addition to Moscow, Leningrad, Minsk, Baku, Kiev, Nikolaev, Alma-Ata, Gorky, Kuibyshev, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Chita, Vladivostok and a number of other cities were completely destroyed. Objects in the countries of the "Eastern Bloc" are also subjected to bombing. Although the evacuation of the population was announced in advance, many do not have time to take refuge in shelters or leave the city limits. As a result of nuclear missile attacks and bombings in the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries, more than 9 million people died, and another 20 million were injured to one degree or another. The number of destroyed industrial enterprises, military and civilian objects exceeds that in the entire Second World War.
In October 1965, the USSR had 25 R-7 and R-16 ICBMs at the starting positions. These missiles required a fairly lengthy preparation for launch. Despite the fact that they began to prepare almost simultaneously with the receipt of the order to strike the MRBM, the Soviet response through the United States was delayed. About a quarter of the Soviet missiles were destroyed at launch sites, and only 16 R-16s and 3 R-7s were launched. Due to the large CEP, Soviet missiles carrying 3-6 Mt thermonuclear warheads were aimed at large cities and air bases where strategic bombers were deployed. Of the 19 missiles launched, the target reaches 16. Two warheads were shot down by concentrated volleys of Nike-Hercules anti-aircraft missiles with nuclear warheads.
Now it is the turn of the Americans to learn all the horrors of nuclear war. In New York alone, two warheads have killed more than half a million people. Washington and San Francisco are destroyed. Within a short period of time, thermonuclear strikes are almost simultaneously carried out on the air bases of the Strategic Air Command: Altus, Grissom, Griffis, McConnell, Offut, Fairfield-Swisson and Francis Warren. According to the results of missile attacks, the destruction at these air bases reaches 80%. Due to the partial dispersal of aircraft over secondary airfields, it is possible to somewhat reduce the damage, but about 30% of long-range bombers have been lost. Due to the destruction and radioactive contamination of storage facilities with nuclear bombs and cruise missiles, the US nuclear arsenal suitable for further use is significantly reduced.
After the ICBM attack, the FKR-1 cruise missiles hiding in the Cuban jungle and written off by the Americans entered into action. Eight rockets were launched at close intervals towards Florida. Before the launch of the CD towards the US coast, the tactical "Moon" is launched first. Having flown about 30 km, the rocket falls into the sea in the patrol area of American warships and its nuclear warhead is activated. At the same time, two American destroyers were destroyed, and several more warships were damaged. But, most importantly, the American radars observing the airspace over Cuba are disabled by an electromagnetic pulse, and the curtain formed after a nuclear explosion, impenetrable for radar radiation, does not allow timely detection and interception of cruise missiles flying at a subsonic speed at an altitude of 600-1200 meters. Their targets are the airbases of Key West, Opa Loska, the cities of Miami and Palm Beach. In response, American tactical and carrier-based aircraft once again bombed the alleged cruise missile launchers, and B-47 bombers dropped several nuclear bombs on Havana and the locations of Soviet military units.
Soon, three R-13 missiles from the Project 658 nuclear submarine, which was on combat patrols in the Pacific at the beginning of the crisis, destroyed the city and a large naval base of San Diego. The boat itself was discovered and sunk by American anti-submarine forces after the missile was launched. But at the cost of her death, she destroyed two American aircraft carriers, three dozen large combat and landing ships and about 60 combat aircraft of naval aviation.
