Our country has always been the focus of Western intelligence services. In addition to agent intelligence, much attention was paid to the collection of information using technical means.
In addition to electronic scanning, from the end of the 40s, massive flights of reconnaissance aircraft of NATO countries began over the territory of the USSR. Especially in this matter, the Americans "distinguished themselves".
Since the summer of 1956, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft RB-57 and U-2 began flying over the USSR on a regular basis. They have repeatedly flown with impunity over large administrative and industrial centers, spaceports and rocket ranges. The invasion of air scouts deep into the territory of the USSR stopped only after May 1, 1960, over Sverdlovsk by an anti-aircraft missile, the previously unattainable American high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft U-2 was shot down.
However, even after that, the massive launch of reconnaissance balloons continued. However, their effectiveness was not great, since it is almost impossible to predict the exact route of the flight. The launch of balloons was rather provocative in nature, in order to keep the Soviet air defense system in suspense.
Almost immediately with the start of space exploration, the United States assessed the possibility of collecting visual information from orbit. The extraterritorial nature of near-earth space allows any artificial space object to fly over the territory of any state.
The satellite launch plan, developed in 1956, provided for both reconnaissance functions (observation from space for Soviet objects) and the detection of ballistic missile launches. During the Cold War, the US military space program was aimed at collecting intelligence information about the Soviet Union.
The first successful return of the captured film was carried out from the "Discoverer-14" satellite, launched into orbit on August 18, 1960. The operation of the first series of satellites equipped with close-up imaging equipment began in July 1963. The KH-7 satellites took images with a resolution of 0.46 m. In 1967, they were replaced by the KH-8 satellite (with a resolution 0.3 m), operated until 1984. Satellite "KH-9" with imaging of a vast territory with a resolution of 0.6 m was launched in 1971.
Receiving part of the radar "Danube-3". The picture was taken by the American KH-7 reconnaissance satellite in 1967.
However, the use of the returned capsules with the filmed film was associated with a high risk of their loss; in 1963, satellites of the "Samos" series were launched, information from which could be broadcast to the ground. However, the image quality at first left much to be desired.
The cardinal solution to the problem was the development of a real-time electronic data transmission system. From 1976 until the completion of the program in the early 1990s. The United States launched eight KH-11 series satellites with an electronic data transmission system. These satellites have made it possible to significantly increase the capabilities of space visual reconnaissance.
In the late 1980s. The advanced satellites of the KH-11 series (with a mass of ~ 14 tons), operating in the infrared region of the spectrum, began to operate. Equipped with a main mirror 2 m in diameter, these satellites gave a resolution of ~ 15 cm.
In July 2008, the US Department of Defense announced its intention to buy and put into operation one or two more commercial satellites and to design another, more advanced model, which will greatly facilitate the tracking of territories of interest from space. These satellites can track the movement of potential enemy troops, assess the degree of "activity" in the proposed construction sites of nuclear facilities, and detect the appearance of militant training camps. The new devices make it possible to significantly strengthen the "mosaic" spy network operating in orbit. Satellites can transmit photos more often by regularly updating the overall picture. In addition to intelligence purposes, the new system also has civilian applications. With the help of these satellites, it is possible to know in advance about impending natural disasters, about the approach of natural disasters and timely warn, evacuate the population; satellite images are widely used on the commercial market in the field of cartography and geology.
As part of the civilian use of satellite imagery, the Google search engine launched the Google Earth project, making the images publicly available. Of course, the resolution of these images is often far from the desired and are updated, not as often as we would like, but even they allow us to assess the state of the defense potential of our country.
As of June 1, 2013, the Strategic Missile Forces included 395 missile systems capable of carrying 1,303 nuclear warheads, including the Strategic Missile Forces included: 58 R-36MUTTKh and R-36M2 heavy missiles (SS-18, Satan), 70 UR-100N UTTH missiles (SS-19), 171 RT-2PM Topol mobile ground complex (SS-25), 60 silo-based RT-2PM2 Topol-M missiles (SS-27), 18 mobile complexes RT-2PM2 "Topol-M" (SS-27) and 18 mobile complexes RS-24 "Yars".
Russian strategic ground-based ICBMs as part of the Strategic Missile Forces are deployed in the positional areas of 11 missile divisions, three missile armies
Mine launchers R-36M2, in the area of Dombarovskiy, Orenburg region
Mine launchers RT-2PM2 "Topol-M", Tatishchevo district, Saratov region
RT-2PM2 "Topol-M" (mobile-based), ZATO "Sibirskiy"
There are 7 strategic missile carriers in the combat strength of the Russian Navy. The ballistic missiles, which the missile carriers are equipped with, are capable of carrying 512 nuclear warheads.
SSBN pr.667BDRM "Dolphin", Vilyuchinsk, Kamchatka
SSBN pr.941 "Akula" decommissioned from the fleet on the territory of the shipyard in Severodvinsk
SSBN "Yuri Dolgoruky" pr.955 "Borey" on the territory of the shipyard in Severodvinsk
The strategic aviation includes 45 strategic bombers (13 Tu-160 and 32 Tu-95MS6 / Tu-95MS16) which are capable of carrying up to 508 long-range cruise missiles.
Tu-95 and Tu-160 at Engels airfield
In total, thus, as of June 22, 2013, the Russian strategic nuclear forces included 448 carriers capable of carrying 2,323 nuclear warheads. In fact, these carriers carry only 1,480 nuclear warheads, since not all SLBMs on nuclear submarines are equipped with the "standard" number of nuclear warheads, and the Kh-55 and Kh-555 cruise missiles on strategic missile-carrying bombers are not deployed at all.
A-135 missile defense system has been deployed around Moscow. It is designed to repel a limited nuclear strike against the Russian capital and the central industrial region. It includes the Don-2N radar, a command and measurement point and 68 53T6 (Gazelle) interceptor missiles designed to intercept in the atmosphere. 32 long-range 51T6 (Gorgon) anti-missile missiles with megaton thermonuclear warheads, designed to intercept outside the atmosphere, have been removed from the system. Anti-missiles are housed in silo launchers. The system was put into service and put on alert in 1995.
Radar station "Don-2N", Sofrino
Anti-missile mines, Ascherino
The ground component of the Missile Attack Warning System (EWS) are radars that control outer space. Radar detection type "Daryal" - over-the-horizon radar of the missile attack warning system (SPRN). Development has been underway since the 1970s, and the station was commissioned in 1984.
Radar station "Daryal" in the region of Pechora, Komi Republic
The stations of the Daryal type should be replaced by a new generation of Voronezh radar stations, which are built in a year and a half (previously it took 5 to 10 years).
The newest Russian radars of the Voronezh family are capable of detecting ballistic, space and aerodynamic objects. There are options that work in the meter and decimeter wavelengths. The basis of the radar is a phased array antenna, a pre-fabricated module for personnel and several containers with electronic equipment, which allows you to quickly and cost-effectively upgrade the station during operation.
Radar station Voronezh-M, Lekhtusi, Leningrad Region (object 4524, military unit 73845)
Adopting Voronezh into service allows not only to significantly expand the capabilities of missile and space defense, but also to concentrate the ground grouping of the missile attack warning system on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The Krona radio complex built in Karachay-Cherkessia is designed to control outer space and recognize space objects.
Complex "Krona" took up combat duty in 2000 and consists of 2 main parts: a laser-optical locator and a radar station. After computer processing, the data obtained by him are sent to the Central Command and Control Center - Outer Space Control Center.
In the Far East, not far from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, there is one of the two operating CPs of the early warning system.
Seven 300-ton antennas installed here continuously track the constellation of military satellites in highly elliptical and geostationary orbits.
The satellites, using an infrared matrix with low sensitivity, record the launch of each ICBM or ILV by the emitted torch and immediately transmit the information to the SPRN command post.
Optical-electronic complex for space control - OEK "Window" ("Nurek", military unit 52168). It is a component of the outer space control system (SKKP). It is intended for prompt receipt of information about the space situation, cataloging space objects of artificial origin, determining their class, purpose and current state. The complex allows detecting any space objects at altitudes from 2000 km up to the geostationary orbit.
The complex is located at an altitude of 2216 m above sea level in the Sanglok Mountains (Pamir), not far from the city of Nurek (Tajikistan) in the region of the Khodjarki village. It is the property of Russia and is part of the space forces.
The Pacific Fleet includes the only ship of the measuring complex (KIK) "Marshal Krylov".
Designed to control the parameters of missile flight at various segments of the trajectory, as a continuation of ground-based scientific and measuring points and to ensure testing of ICBMs at the maximum range.
The Russian Navy as part of four fleets and the Caspian Flotilla, as of mid-2013, there were 208 warships and boats and 68 submarines. A significant part of the ships is in permanent "repair" lasting for decades or in "reserve".
The Northern Fleet is considered the most combat-ready, and the only aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov is based there in the Murmansk region.
Surface ships in Severomorsk
DPL and nuclear submarine in Gadzhievo
Surface ships of the Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok
Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol
An ekranoplan and hovercraft in Kaspiysk
Naval aviation is in a very poor condition. At the end of 2012, the fleet of naval aviation equipment consisted of about 300 aircraft: 24 Su-24M / MR, 21 Su-33 (in flight condition no more than 12), 16 Tu-142 (in flight condition no more than 10), 4 Su- 25 UTG (279th naval aviation regiment), 16 Il-38 (in flight condition no more than 10), 7 Be-12 (mainly in the Black Sea Fleet, will be decommissioned in the near future), 95 Ka-27 (no more than 70 are operational), 10 Ka-29 (assigned to the Marines), 16 Mi-8, 11 An-12 (several in reconnaissance and electronic warfare), 47 An-24 and An-26, 8 An-72, 5 Tu-134, 2 Tu- 154, 2 Il-18, 1 Il-22, 1 Il-20, 4 Tu-134UBL. Of these, no more than 50% are technically sound, capable of performing a combat mission in full.
Patrol IL-38 at the Nikolaevka airfield, Primorsky Territory
According to official data, the strength of the RF Air Force as of May 2013 was 738 fighters, 163 bombers, 153 attack aircraft, 372 transport aircraft, 18 tankers, about 200 trainers and 500 other aircraft. This number includes aircraft in “storage” and long-term repairs.
VKP IL-80 at the Chkalovsky airfield
Aircraft AWACS A-50 at the airfield in Ivanovo
MTC An-22 and Il-76 at the airfield in Ivanovo
Tu-22M at the Shaikovka airfield
Combat aircraft at the Akhtubinsk airfield
Su-24, Su-25, Su-34 at the airfield of the Center for Combat Use in Lipetsk
Aircraft of the group "Russian Knights" in Kubinka
MiG-29 at the Lugovitsy airfield
MiG-31 and Su-27 at the Uglovoe airfield (Vladivostok)
Unlike the United States, where combat aircraft can be stored at the Davis-Monten airbase for decades, in our country, decommissioned aircraft very quickly turn into scrap metal.
MiG-27 in "storage"
The Air Force includes anti-aircraft missile troops, there are about 2000 launchers of the S-300, S-400, Buk and Pantsir-S1 air defense systems
Test site of the Kapustin Yar landfill
SAM S-400 in the area of the city of Elektrostal
SAM S-300, Irkutsk
The most modern are S-400 and Pantsir-S1. However, the rate of their entry into the troops cannot be considered satisfactory. The problem is aggravated by the fact that most of the complexes produced during the Soviet era have practically exhausted their resource, the newest S-300P entered service with the Russian army in 1994, the element base is outdated, and new missiles for them are produced in insufficient quantities.
At the end of the review, especially for lovers of secrecy, in order to avoid accusations of disclosing information constituting a state secret, all the data provided are taken from open, publicly available sources, the list of which is indicated.
