After the creation of nuclear weapons in the United States, its main carriers until the mid-60s of the XX century were strategic long-range bombers. Due to the rapid growth in flight data of combat jet aircraft, in the 50s, it was predicted that supersonic long-range bombers would appear within the next decade. Work on such machines was actively carried out both in our country and in the United States. But unlike the USSR, the Americans could also launch nuclear strikes with non-intercontinental bombers from multiple bases along the borders with the Soviet Union.
Under these conditions, the task of creating a transportable long-range anti-aircraft missile system capable of hitting high-altitude high-speed targets has acquired particular urgency. Adopted in the late 50s, the S-75 air defense system in its first modifications had a launch range of slightly more than 30 km. The creation of defense lines to protect the administrative, industrial and defense centers of the USSR using these complexes was extremely costly. The need for protection from the most dangerous northern direction was especially acute; it is the shortest route for the flight of American strategic bombers in the event of a decision to launch nuclear strikes.
The north of our country has always been a sparsely populated territory, with a sparse network of roads and vast expanses of almost impenetrable swamps, tundra and forests. To control vast areas, a new mobile anti-aircraft complex was needed, with a large range and height reach. In 1960, the specialists of OKB-2, who were engaged in the creation of a new anti-aircraft system, were tasked with achieving a launch range when hitting supersonic targets - 110-120 km, and subsonic ones - 160-180 km.
At that time, the United States had already adopted the MIM-14 "Nike-Hercules" air defense system with a launch range of 130 km. "Nike-Hercules" became the first long-range complex with a solid-propellant rocket, which greatly facilitated and reduced the cost of its operation. But in the Soviet Union in the early 60s, effective solid fuel formulations for long-range anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAMs) had not yet been developed. Therefore, for the new Soviet long-range anti-aircraft missile, it was decided to use a liquid-propellant rocket engine (LPRE) operating on components that have already become traditional for domestic first-generation missile systems. Triethylaminexylidine (TG-02) was used as a fuel, and nitric acid with the addition of nitrogen tetroxide was used as an oxidizing agent. The rocket was launched using four discharged solid-propellant boosters.
In 1967, the S-200A long-range air defense system entered service with the USSR air defense missile forces (more details here: S-200 long-range air defense missile system) with a firing range of 180 km and an altitude reach of 20 km. In more advanced modifications: S-200V and S-200D, the target engagement range was increased to 240 and 300 km, and the height reach was 35 and 40 km. Such indicators of range and height of destruction today can be equal to other, much more modern anti-aircraft systems.
Talking about the S-200, it is worth dwelling in more detail on the principle of guiding anti-aircraft missiles of this complex. Prior to that, in all Soviet air defense systems, radio command guidance of missiles to the target was used. The advantage of radio command guidance is the relative simplicity of execution and the low cost of guidance equipment. However, this scheme is very vulnerable to organized interference, and as the flight range of the anti-aircraft missile from the guidance station increases, the magnitude of the miss increases. It is for this reason that almost all the US long-range missiles MIM-14 "Nike-Hercules" in the United States were armed with nuclear warheads. When firing at a range close to the maximum, the magnitude of the miss of the "Nike-Hercules" radio command missiles reached several tens of meters, which did not guarantee that the target was hit by a fragmentation warhead. The real range of destruction of front-line aircraft by missiles that did not carry a nuclear warhead at medium and high altitudes was 60-70 km.
For many reasons, it was impossible in the USSR to arm all long-range anti-aircraft systems with missiles with atomic warheads. Realizing the dead end of this path, Soviet designers developed a semi-active homing system for the S-200 missiles. Unlike the S-75 and S-125 radio command systems, in which guidance commands were issued by the SNR-75 and SNR-125 missile guidance stations, the S-200 air defense system used a target illumination radar (ROC). The ROC could capture the target and switch to its auto-tracking with the missile seeker (GOS) at a distance of up to 400 km.
ROC
The ROC probing signal reflected from the target was received by the missile's homing head, after which it was captured. With the help of the ROC, the range to the target and the affected area were also determined. From the moment the rocket was launched, the ROC carried out continuous target illumination for the seeker of the anti-aircraft missile. The control of missiles on the trajectory was carried out using a control transponder, which is part of the onboard equipment. The detonation of the missile warhead in the target area was carried out by a non-contact semi-active fuse. For the first time, a digital computer TsVM "Flame" appeared in the equipment of the S-200 air defense missile system. It was entrusted with the task of determining the optimal launch moment and the exchange of coordinate and command information with higher command posts. When conducting combat operations, the complex receives target designation from a radar with a circular view and a radio altimeter.
Thanks to the use of anti-aircraft missiles with a semi-active seeker as part of the S-200 air defense system, the radio interference previously used to blind the S-75 and S-125 became ineffective against it. It was even easier to work on the source of powerful noise interference for the "200" than on the target. In this case, it is possible to launch the rocket in a passive mode with the ROC turned off. Taking into account the fact that the S-200 air defense systems were usually part of the mixed-strength anti-aircraft missile brigades with the S-75 and S-125 radio command units, this circumstance significantly expanded the range of combat capabilities of the brigades' fire weapons. In peacetime, the S-200, S-75 and S-125 complexes complemented each other, making it much more difficult for the enemy to conduct reconnaissance and electronic warfare. After the start of the massive deployment of the S-200 air defense system, the country's air defense forces acquired a "long arm" that made the US and NATO aviation respect the integrity of our air borders. As a rule, taking an intruder aircraft to escort the ROC forced it to retreat as quickly as possible.
The S-200 complex included firing channels (ROC), a command post and diesel power generators. The firing channel consisted of a target illumination radar, a launch position with a launch pad system for six launchers, twelve loading vehicles, a launch preparation cockpit, a power plant and roads for the delivery of missiles and loading of launching "guns". The combination of the command post and two or three S-200 firing channels was called a group of firing divisions.
Although the S-200 air defense system was considered transportable, changing firing positions for him was a very difficult and time-consuming business. To relocate the complex, several dozen trailers, tractors and heavy off-road trucks were required. S-200s, as a rule, were deployed on a long-term basis, in engineering-equipped positions. To accommodate a part of the radio-technical battery's combat equipment at a prepared stationary position of fire divisions, concrete structures with an earthen bulk shelter were built to protect equipment and personnel.
Maintaining, refueling, transporting and loading missiles onto the "cannons" was a very difficult task. The use of toxic fuel and an aggressive oxidizer in missiles implied the use of special protective equipment. During the operation of the complex, it was necessary to carefully observe the established rules and very carefully handle the missiles. Unfortunately, neglect of skin and respiratory protection means and violation of the refueling technique often led to serious consequences. The situation was aggravated by the fact that, as a rule, conscripts from the Central Asian republics with low executive discipline were involved in work at launch positions and refueling missiles. No less a threat to health was posed by high-frequency radiation from the hardware of the complex. In this respect, the illumination radar was much more dangerous compared to the guidance stations CHR-75 and CHR-125.
As one of the pillars of the country's air defense forces, until the collapse of the USSR, the S-200 air defense system was regularly repaired and modernized, and the personnel went to Kazakhstan for control firing. As of 1990, more than 200 S-200A / V / D air defense systems (modifications "Angara", "Vega", "Dubna") were built in the USSR. Only a country with a planned command economy, where the expenditure of public funds was tightly controlled, could produce and maintain such a number of very expensive complexes, albeit with unique characteristics at that time, to build capital firing and technical positions for them.
The reforms of the economy and the armed forces of Russia, which had begun, rolled like a heavy roller through the air defense forces of the country. After combining them with the Air Force, the number of medium and long-range anti-aircraft systems in our country decreased by about 10 times. As a result, entire regions of the country were left without anti-aircraft cover. First of all, this concerns the territory beyond the Urals. The harmonious, multi-level system of defense against air attack weapons created in the USSR actually turned out to be destroyed. In addition to the anti-aircraft systems themselves, all over the country were ruthlessly destroyed: capital fortified positions, command posts, communication centers, missile arsenals, barracks and residential towns. At the end of the 90s, it was only about focal air defense. Until now, only the Moscow industrial region and partly the Leningrad region have been adequately covered.
It can be said unequivocally that our "reformers" hurried to write off and transfer "for storage" the latest long-range S-200 variants. If we can still agree with the abandonment of the old S-75 air defense systems, then the role of the "two hundred" in the inviolability of our air lines is difficult to overestimate. This is especially true for the complexes that were deployed in the European north and the Far East. The last S-200s in Russia, deployed near Norilsk and in the Kaliningrad region, were decommissioned in the late 90s, after which they were transferred to "storage". I think it is not a special secret how our complex equipment was "stored", in the electronic blocks of which there were radio components containing precious metals. Over the course of several years, most of the mothballed S-200s were ruthlessly looted. Writing them off for scrap during the period of "Serdyukovschina" was, in fact, a formal signing of a "death sentence" for long-time "killed" anti-aircraft complexes.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the S-200 air defense systems of various modifications were at the disposal of many former Soviet republics. But not everyone was able to operate and maintain them in working order.
SAM complex S-200 at a military parade in Baku in 2010
Until about 2014, four divisions were on combat duty in Azerbaijan, in the Yevlakh region and east of Baku. The decision to decommission them was made after the Azerbaijani servicemen mastered the three S-300PMU2 air defense missile systems received from Russia in 2011.
In 2010, Belarus formally still had four S-200 missiles in service. As of 2015, all of them have been decommissioned. Apparently, the last Belarusian S-200 on alert was the complex near Novopolotsk.
Several S-200 complexes are still in service in Kazakhstan. In 2015, the S-200 anti-aircraft missiles were demonstrated at the anniversary Victory Parade in Astana, along with the S-300P air defense systems. Positions for one S-200 air defense system were recently equipped in the Aktau region, another deployed division is located north-west of Karaganda.
Google earth snapshot: C-200 air defense missile system near Karaganda
It is not known what modifications of the S-200 are still in operation in Kazakhstan, but it is quite possible that these are the most modern S-200Ds that remained at the Sary-Shagan test site after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Tests of the S-200D air defense system with a 5V28M missile with the far border of the affected area up to 300 km were completed in 1987.
In Turkmenistan, in the area of the Mary airfield, on the border of the desert, one can still observe equipped positions for two stations. And although there are no missiles on the launchers, the entire infrastructure of the anti-aircraft complexes has been preserved and the ROC is maintained in working order. Access roads and technical positions cleared of sand.
Painted anti-aircraft missiles for the S-200 are regularly displayed at military parades in Ashgabat. How efficient they are is unknown. It is also unclear why Turkmenistan needs this long-range complex, which is quite complex and expensive to operate, and what role it plays in ensuring the country's defense capability.
Until the end of 2013, the S-200 air defense system guarded the airspace of Ukraine. It is worth telling in more detail about Ukrainian complexes of this type. Ukraine inherited a huge military legacy from the USSR. S-200 alone - more than 20 zrdn. At first, the Ukrainian leadership squandered this wealth right and left, selling military property, equipment and weapons at bargain prices. However, unlike Russia, Ukraine did not produce air defense systems on its own, and chronically there was not enough money to purchase new complexes abroad. In this situation, at the enterprises of "Ukroboronservice" an attempt was made to organize refurbishment and modernization of the S-200. However, the matter did not progress beyond the declaration of intent and advertising brochures. In the future, in Ukraine, it was decided to concentrate on the repair and modernization of the S-300PT / PS air defense system.
On October 4, 2001, during a major exercise of the Ukrainian air defense forces in Crimea, a tragic incident occurred. A missile of the Ukrainian S-200 complex, launched from Cape Opuk, unintentionally shot down the Russian Tu-154 of Siberia Airlines, which was flying on the Tel Aviv-Novosibirsk route. All 12 crew members and 66 passengers on board were killed. The accident occurred due to poor preparation for training and control firing, the necessary measures were not taken to free the airspace. The size of the range did not ensure the safety of firing long-range anti-aircraft missiles. During the Soviet era, control and training firing of the S-200 air defense system was carried out only at the Sary-Shagan and Ashluk ranges. The low qualifications of the Ukrainian calculations and the nervousness caused by the presence of the high Ukrainian command and foreign guests also played a role. After this incident, all launches of long-range anti-aircraft missiles were prohibited in Ukraine, which had an extremely negative impact on the level of combat training of the crews and the ability of the air defense forces to perform the assigned tasks.
Since the mid-80s, the S-200V air defense system has been supplied abroad under the S-200VE index. The first foreign deliveries of the S-200 began in 1984. After the defeat of the Syrian air defense system during the next conflict with Israel, 4 S-200V air defense systems were sent from the USSR. At the first stage, the Syrian "two hundred" were controlled and serviced by Soviet crews from anti-aircraft missile regiments deployed near Tula and Pereslavl-Zalessky. In the event of the outbreak of hostilities, Soviet servicemen, in cooperation with Syrian air defense units, were supposed to repel Israeli air raids. After the S-200V air defense missile system began to carry out combat duty, and the ROC began to regularly take Israeli aircraft to escort, the activity of Israeli aviation in the affected area of the complexes sharply decreased.
Google earth snapshot: Syrian C-200VE air defense system in the vicinity of Tartus
In total, from 1984 to 1988, the Syrian air defense forces received 8 S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 4 technical positions (TP) and 144 V-880E missiles. These complexes were deployed at positions in the Homs and Damascus areas. How many of them survived during the ongoing civil war in Syria for several years is difficult to say. Syria's air defense system has suffered greatly over the past few years. As a result of sabotage and shelling, a significant part of the anti-aircraft systems deployed at stationary positions was destroyed or damaged. Perhaps the bulky S-200 with its capital firing and technical positions is the most vulnerable to attacks by militants of all anti-aircraft systems available in Syria.
An even more sad fate befell the 8 S-200VE air defense systems delivered to Libya. These long-range systems were the number one targets in pre-emptive strikes by NATO aircraft. At the time of the start of the aggression against Libya, the technical readiness coefficient of the Libyan air defense systems was low, and the professional calculation skills left much to be desired. As a result, the Libyan air defense system was suppressed without offering any resistance to air attack.
Google earth snapshot: destroyed firing position of the Libyan C-200VE air defense system in the Qasr Abu Hadi area
It cannot be said that in Libya no attempts were made at all to improve the combat characteristics of the available S-200VE. Taking into account the fact that the mobility of the S-200 has always been its "Achilles' heel", in the early 2000s, with the participation of foreign specialists, a mobile version of the complex was developed.
For this, the complex launcher was installed on a MAZ-543 heavy-duty all-terrain chassis, placing a rocket between the cabins, like the OTR R-17. The guidance radar was also mounted on the MAZ-543. The means of technical and material support were placed on the basis of the KrAZ-255B road trains. However, this project did not receive further development. Muammar Gaddafi preferred to spend money on bribery and election campaigns of European politicians who, as he thought, were loyal to Libya.
In the second half of the 80s, supplies of the S-200VE air defense system to the countries of the Warsaw Pact began. But in quantitative terms, the export of S-200 and missiles for them was very limited. So Bulgaria received only 2 S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 1 TP and 26 V-880E missiles. Bulgarian "dvuhsotkas" were deployed 20 km north-west of Sofia, not far from the village of Hradets and were on combat duty here until the early 2000s. Elements of the S-200 systems still remain in the area, but already without missiles on the launchers.
In 1985, Hungary also received 2 S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 1 TP and 44 V-880E missiles. For the S-200, positions were built near the town of Mezofalva in the central part of the country. From this point, thanks to the long launch range, the air defense systems could control almost the entire territory of Hungary. Having served for about 15 years3, the Hungarian Vegi-E were decommissioned and remained in this area until 2007, except for the S-200, the S-75 and S-125 air defense systems were also stored in the territories of the firing and technical positions.
The GDR was supplied with 4 S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 2 TP and 142 V-880E missiles. After serving for about 5 years, the East German anti-aircraft systems were removed from combat duty shortly after the unification with the FRG.
Google earth snapshot: SAM complexes S-75, S-125 and S-200 at the Berlin Aviation Museum
German S-200VE became the first complexes of this type to which the Americans gained access. Having studied the ROC, they noted its high energy potential, noise immunity and automation of combat work processes. But a large number of used electrovacuum devices in the hardware of the complex shocked them.
In the conclusion, based on the results of the survey, it is said that the relocation of the complex and the equipment of firing and technical positions is a very difficult task and the S-200 air defense system, in fact, is stationary. With very good indicators of the range and altitude of the missiles, their refueling and transportation in the fueled form were considered unacceptably difficult and dangerous.
Almost simultaneously with the GDR, two S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 1 TP and 38 V-880E missiles were delivered to Poland. The Poles have deployed two Vegas in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship on the Baltic Sea coast. It is unlikely that these complexes are operational now, but illumination radars and launchers without missiles are still in position.
Czechoslovakia became the last country where before the collapse of the "Eastern Bloc" they managed to deliver "two hundred". In total, the Czechs received 3 S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 1 TP and 36 V-880E missiles. Together with the S-300PS air defense system, they defended Prague from the western direction. After the "divorce" with Slovakia in 1993, anti-aircraft systems were transferred to Slovakia. But it never came to putting them into operation as part of the air defense forces of the Slovak Republic.
S-200VE are on alert in the DPRK. North Korea acquired two S-200VE air defense systems (channels), 1 TP and 72 V-880E air defense systems in 1987. The technical condition of the North Korean Vegas is unknown, but in the areas where they are deployed, numerous false positions are equipped and anti-aircraft artillery batteries are deployed. According to media reports, the radiation typical for the operation of the Russian Orthodox Church of the S-200 air defense system was recorded by South Korean and American radio-technical reconnaissance means near the demarcation line. Located in the border areas (front line in North Korean terminology), the S-200 are capable of striking air targets over most of South Korea. It remains a mystery in what composition the North Korean anti-aircraft systems were redeployed to the border. It is possible that Kim Jong-un is bluffing, deciding to simply unnerve the South Korean and American pilots by transferring only the target illumination station to the border, without anti-aircraft missiles.
In 1992, 3 S-200VE air defense systems (channels) and 48 V-880E missiles were delivered from Russia to Iran. The Iranians used a very unusual scheme of placement in firing positions, for each ROC there are only two missile launchers.
Google earth snapshot: launchers of the Iranian S-200VE air defense system near the city of Isfahan
Iranian long-range complexes, evenly distributed throughout the country, are deployed near air bases and strategically important facilities. The Iranian leadership attaches great importance to maintaining the existing S-200 in working order.
The Iranian air defense troops regularly undergo exercises with practical launches of air defense missiles of these complexes against air targets. Western intelligence services have repeatedly recorded attempts by Iranian representatives to acquire anti-aircraft missiles, spare parts and power generators for the S-200 air defense system. According to information published in the Iranian media, Iran has established refurbishment and modernization of long-range anti-aircraft missiles. It is likely that we are talking about used missiles purchased abroad.
Several complexes from Eastern Europe have sailed overseas. Of course, we are not talking about copying Soviet missile technologies of the 60s. On the American air ranges were the target illumination radars of the S-200 air defense missile system. However, not only they, there are guidance stations for Soviet, Chinese, European and American complexes, which are in service in countries that are not US satellites. This also applies to the guidance equipment of the complexes: "Crotal", "Rapier", "Hawk", HQ-2, S-125, S-75 and S-300.
According to the methodology for training combat pilots adopted in the United States after the end of the Vietnam War, so far at least one anti-aircraft complex of a certain type is available on the territory of a potential theater of operations - countermeasures are being worked out against it. Therefore, during training and various kinds of exercises, special technical services and units responsible for simulating enemy air defense use radio equipment that is not in service in the United States.
Although the S-200 air defense system did not receive such a wide distribution and combat experience as the C-75 and C-125, and in the anti-aircraft missile forces of Russia it was quickly replaced by the more modern air defense systems of the S-300P family, it left a noticeable mark on the history of the country's air defense forces. Apparently, in the air defense forces of a number of countries, the S-200 complexes will still be operated for at least the next 10 years.
