On August 31, 1958, the United States deployed the first Thor ballistic missiles to Britain against the USSR. After they put the Jupiter missiles on alert and made plans to deploy them not only in Great Britain, but also in France. The break with De Gaulle prevented the implementation of these plans, but the Yankees were not at all at a loss. In 1959, they stationed their ballistic missiles in Italy and began to pressure the Turkish government on the same topic. Khrushchev's patience ran out, and the allies of the USSR in the Warsaw Pact Organization (OVD, 1955-1991) were offered modern missile weapons. This is how the history of the Bulgarian missile forces began in 1960.
OTR 9K714 "Oka" at the National Museum of Military History of Bulgaria in Sofia
The General Staff of the Bulgarian People's Army (BNA) studied in detail the capabilities of the proposed missile weapons and decided to equip the ground forces (Land Forces) with operational-tactical missile systems (OTR) 8K11 with R-11 missiles, tactical missile systems (TR) 2K6 "Luna" with 3R9 missiles, 3R10 and 3R11 and anti-tank missile systems (ATGM) 2K15 "Bumblebee". The terms and programs of training Bulgarian officers in the USSR were agreed with the General Staff of the Soviet Army. Operators were trained at VOASh in Leningrad, and technicians - at VTsOAC in Sumi and VOATSh in Penza. In February-March 1962, Bulgarian officers from the launch and technical positions control group carried out practice in the SA missile unit in the village. Bear, near Novgorod.
For the training of officers and sergeants of the missile forces in Bulgaria in 1961, units were created in the departments of "Artillery" at the military academy "G. S. Rakovsky "in Sofia and in VNVAU" Georgy Dimitrov "in Shumen. The Missile Training Center (URC) was founded in Smolyan.
On March 5, 1961, on the basis of the 56th artillery regiment from the reserve of the High Command (RGK) in Smolyan, the first Bulgarian missile unit was formed - the 56th Missile Brigade (RBR). She was armed with OTR 8K11 and provided with the 128th mobile missile technical base (PRTB).
In August 1961, Soviet missilemen arrived in Bulgaria: General Leith. G. S. Nadisev, regiment. N. T. Kononenko and lieutenant regiment. I. I. Gamarnik. They provided invaluable assistance in the formation of the Bulgarian missile forces and left warm human memories for everyone who worked with them. At the request of the gene. Nadisev from a missile brigade near Bendery (Moldavian SSR), officers, sergeants and soldiers of the USSR under the command of a regiment arrived in Bulgaria. M. P. Chernishova. During the practical training of the personnel of the first three launch batteries (SBat) of the first missile division (RDn) of the 56th RBR, a Soviet missile officer in an equivalent rank stood next to each Bulgarian officer, sergeant and soldier.
In mid-August 1962, the railway echelon left the Kostenets station, on which the command and headquarters of the 56th RBR, the 1st RDN, a technical battery, a meteorological platoon, support units and military equipment went. At 11:20 a.m. on August 28, 1962, the first combat training launch of an operational-tactical missile in the history of the Bulgarian army took place from the site 71 (Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan region). 1st SBat fired at a distance of 120 km. The missile deviation from the target was 70 m in range and 50 m in azimuth. In accordance with the Training Course for 1962 (KP-62), the first shooting of the Bulgarian missilemen received an excellent mark.
At the same time, the 66th RBR and 130th PRTB were formed in the city of Yambol as part of the 7th Motorized Rifle Division (MSD) of the 3rd Bulgarian Army (BA). After the return of the 56th RBR in Bulgaria, it was reassigned to the 2nd BA and redeployed to the village. Marno, in the field where the 129th PRTB was created. In Samokov, the 128th PRTB remained and the 46th RBR was formed, which were subordinate to the 1st BA.
By the end of 1962, each of the three Bulgarian armies had their own RBR, which included two RDNs with three SBATs in each. Each SBat had two launchers (PU). They were armed with OTR 8K11 with R-11 missiles. The starting units of the 66th RBR were tracked 8U218. The staffing table of the Bulgarian RBRs almost completely corresponded to the Soviet ones. Due to the initial shortage of RMS-1 weather stations, each RD had only one meteorological platoon. Full-fledged weather batteries were deployed only in 1964.
September 12, 1964 in the village. Telish formed the 76th missile regiment (RP) RGK, consisting of three SBATs and support units, which received the latest 9K72 Elbrus OTR with R-17 missiles. In 1975, 9K72 with R-17 was adopted by the 66th RBR. In 1981, the 76th RP was deployed to the RBR. In 1986, the 76th RBR began rearmament on the 9K714 Oka, and by the end of 1990 it had 2 missile launchers with 2 SBats, 2 launchers 9P117 each. In 1962-1989. Bulgarian OTR conducted tactical exercises from combat training launches: 46th RBR - 10; 56th RBR - 11; 66th RBR - 11; 76th RP (RBR) - 6. Almost all launches were carried out at the Kapustin Yar training ground in the USSR, only two launches were made on the territory of Bulgaria. Bulgarian missilemen made friends with their Soviet colleagues from Ploshchad 71 (military unit 42202) and always spoke of them with gratitude and sincere human warmth. The middle-level officers remembered the regiment's chief of staff. Kalmykov, with whom he met them and was responsible for the deployment of personnel and equipment. Generals write about the regiment general. L. S. Sapkove. Without unnecessary red tape, he supplied the Bulgarian generals with the best and most modern materials on the combat training of missile forces. In addition, he provided great assistance to the Bulgarian missilemen with advice and considerations about combat work. In the 80s, gen. Sapkov initiated the creation of the Friendship Park, where each RBR, who arrived for the exercises in Kapustin Yar, planted a tree from its edge. In 1984, the 76th RBR also planted a tree and erected a small monument from Vratsan limestone. It would be very interesting to know if they have survived to this day?
The formation of the TR unit in the Bulgarian army began on April 6, 1962 from the 7th separate missile division (ORDn) of the 7th MRD of the 3rd BA. The division had 2 SBats with 2 TR 2K6 "Luna" in each. On May 11, 1963, at the Novoye Selo training ground, the 7th ORDn carried out the first tactical missile launch in the history of the Bulgarian army. In 1963, the 16th ORDn was formed to the 16th MSD of the 3rd BA, the 2nd and 17th ORDn to the 2nd BA. In 1965 - the 3rd ORDn of the 1st BA. In 1966 - the 5th ORDn of the 2nd BA. In 1967 - the 13th ORDn of the 3rd BA. In 1968 - the 21st ORDn of the 1st BA. In 1966 - 1968 the 2nd, 7th, 16th and 17th ORDn were rearmed on TR 9K52 "Luna-M". In the 70s, the 1st, 9th, 11th and 24th ORDn were created in 2K6. In the 80s, the 5th, 11th, 21st and 24th ORDn were transferred to 9K52, and the 2nd ORDn was equipped with TR 9K79 "Tochka". Today these "Points" are all that remains of the former missile power of the Bulgarian army. Organizationally, the ORDN were subordinate to the commanders of the MSD and tank brigades (TBR). Over the forty-year history of the Bulgarian missile forces, each of the 13 independent reconnaissance patrols carried out 7-12 combat training launches. In total, more than 120 tactical missile launches were made, all without exception on the territory of Bulgaria.
In parallel with the deployment of RBR and ORDN in 1961-1963, PRTB was deployed in each of the three BAs. Unlike the organization of the launching units, the Soviet experience turned out to be almost inapplicable here. ATRB in Bulgaria deployed in the garrisons of the deployment of RBR. In 1964, the Central Missile Technical Base (CRTB) was deployed in Karlovo, and in 1967 it was redeployed to Lovech. In the CRTB there was a separate park missile division, which was engaged in the acceptance, storage, dispersal, protection and delivery of ammunition and technical equipment to the PRTB. A number of original and rationalizing technical developments were created at the Central Technical Research Center, among which: equipment for checking the parameters of the I-265, I-266 Mk-4A11 devices on the 9F213 machine; a device for monitoring the voltage on the rocket body; machine 2U663 for transportation of products 9Ya241 and 9Ya258 and many others.
End of the first part.
The article is based on the book of the former commander of the missile forces and artillery of the BNA, retired lieutenant-general Dimitar Todorov "Missile troops on Bulgaria", ed. "Er Group 2002", Sofia, 2007, 453 p.
