Sometimes it happens that good news on further examination turns out to be at least ambiguous or even downright strange. A few days ago, an article appeared in an old and respected publication that can be considered an excellent example of this phenomenon. This time, the strange news was about Moscow's missile defense system.
As Izvestia was informed, the command of the aerospace defense forces has determined the terms of testing the new anti-missile complex A-235 “Samolet-M”. A source in the command of the VKO troops told the publication that the main test work will take place next year. At the same time, the source could not determine the exact timing. According to him, the missiles and related equipment will be tested in the last weeks of next spring 2013 or in the fall. Soon after the test launches, the A-235 system will be put into service.
An anonymous source shared some details of the tests. He claims that the goal of future test launches is to test the 53T6 missiles (Gazelle according to NATO classification), which in the future will replace the current A-135 "Aircraft", operated since the seventies of the last century. The main advantage of the new missile is the possibility of using a nuclear warhead, like on the A-135, or a new kinetic one. Izvestia cites information about the reasons for the appearance of a kinetic warhead: the development of electronic technologies to date has led to the possibility of a significant increase in the accuracy of antimissile guidance. As a result, the missiles of the A-235 complex are said to be capable of aiming at a target with an accuracy of several centimeters.
The Izvestia article also provides an interesting comparison of the A-235 system with the S-400 and S-500 anti-aircraft missile systems. In favor of "Samolet-M" is given a high altitude (up to 30 kilometers) and a long range (up to 100 km) of interception. Also, the advantage of the A-235 is the high speed of intercepted targets. At the same time, according to the authors of the publication, the anti-missile system is inferior to the anti-aircraft one by the principle of guiding the missile at the target. The Samolet-M radio command missile guidance system was declared a minus. However, the anonymous source of Izvestia agrees with the advisability of such a technical solution. According to him, the non-use of equipment for self-guidance is justified by the fact that when flying at high altitudes, a plasma cloud is formed around the anti-missile. As a result, the seeker does not have the ability to effectively search for a target. In this case, aiming the missile at the target is possible only with the help of a powerful control signal from the ground.
At first glance, this is good news about the development of domestic anti-missile systems. However, upon closer examination, a number of characteristic things are striking, which call into question, at least, the competence of the source "in the command of the VKO". Let's start in order and first deal with the issue of names and time of creation of systems. Firstly, it is worth noting that the names A-135, A-235 and 53T6 really refer to real models of military equipment. However, even here there are errors. A person familiar with the history of domestic rocketry would immediately notice an error with the indicated time period for setting the A-135 system on duty. In fact, in the seventies, Moscow began to be defended by the A-35M complex. As for the A-135 "Amur" system, at that time its development had just begun. In 1990, its trial operation began, and in 1995 it was put into service. It is also worth dwelling separately on the 53T6 rocket (PRS-1). Such ammunition does exist, but the mass production of these missiles was discontinued back in 1993. Since then, test launches have been regularly carried out, the purpose of which is to check the condition of the existing missiles and extend their warranty period. According to various estimates, the total number of 53T6 missiles assembled is approximately equal to five hundred. One tenth of this amount was used during the tests.
The A-235 project also exists. Development work on the "Airplane-M" theme was launched shortly after the start of the construction of the A-135 complex systems. The vast majority of information about this project is still classified, but some facts have already appeared in open sources. According to available data, at present, a missile for this complex is actually being tested, but this is not the 53T6 of the A-135 system, but the 53T6M, which is a modernization of the previous anti-missile munition. According to open sources, the current modernization consists of installing a new engine and updated electronics on the rocket. Also, apparently, the launcher and ground computing complex have undergone some changes. The first launch of 53T6M was carried out in November last year. In the future, this missile may become one of the means of intercepting the A-235 system. With the available characteristics, the 53T6M missile can be used to intercept ballistic targets at short ranges. According to the assumptions of the authors of the Military Russia website, medium and long-range missiles may appear, which will allow attacking targets at a distance of at least a thousand kilometers and at an altitude of about 500-600 km. However, at present, only the 53T6M rocket is known to exist.
Data on the type of warhead of the updated anti-missile has not yet been published. With a high degree of probability, it can be argued that after modernization, the 53T6 missile with the letter "M" retains a nuclear warhead. At the same time, the development of technology suggests the possibility of using non-nuclear weapons, including kinetic ones. So, the American SM-3 interceptor missile uses exactly this principle of destroying an intercepted target. With a missile speed of 2500-2700 meters per second and the same or greater target speed, the collision of an anti-missile with an intercepted object leads to the complete destruction of the structure of both. Therefore, if it is possible to ensure the appropriate guidance accuracy, it is possible to simplify the design of the missile by removing from its composition a relatively heavy nuclear or high-explosive fragmentation warhead. At the same time, kinetic interception requires special guidance accuracy and, as a result, complicates the electronic equipment of the anti-missile. According to the most widespread opinion, the 53T6M missile, like its predecessor, will carry either a high-explosive fragmentation warhead or a nuclear one.
The use of a radio command missile guidance system was used on all previous domestic anti-missiles and fully justified itself. Its main advantage is the simplification and facilitation of the missile control system. In addition, the rapid calculation of the target trajectory and the generation of control commands requires appropriate computing power, which until a certain time could only be located on the ground. As a result, the 53T6M missile will maintain command guidance using signals sent from the ground. As for the so-called. plasma cocoon, then its formation is due not to the flight altitude, but to its speed. When the rocket moves at a hypersonic speed, a layer of air is formed around it, which has passed into a state of plasma. It shields all radio signals, which is why domestic designers had to apply an interesting technical solution. All antennas of the 53T6 rocket are of such size and shape that they "pierce" the plasma layer. To shield them from ionized gas during the flight, they are sprayed with freon. Thus, small holes are formed in the dense plasma cloud, allowing radio signals to be received from the ground.
In combination with ground-based computing equipment and the original design of the receiving antennas, the radio command guidance method provides the 53T6 rocket with high accuracy. At the same time, specific numbers of deviation from the goal have not yet been published. Information about the A-235 project suggests that the hitting accuracy of the 53T6M missiles will at least slightly exceed the performance of the basic design.
As already mentioned, most of the information about the A-235 project is still secret. Nevertheless, not so long ago - in 2010 and 2011 - information appeared in some media about work to restore the production of some components for anti-missile missiles. This fact transparently hints at the future of the 53T6 missiles. Probably, the products stored in warehouses will be converted to the state of 53T6M.
The general secrecy of the project does not allow us to speak confidently about further actions in the course of the Samolet-M program, as well as about the timing of testing and adoption. In principle, one could heed the words of an anonymous source of Izvestia. However, a number of rather gross errors in his words make it possible to doubt the veracity of the information expressed. Of course, the source of the newspaper may have nothing to do with the technical part of the project and know only the most general things of the administrative plan. Nevertheless, the competence of the "representative of the command of the VKO troops" makes it possible to doubt not only his words, but also the very existence of such a high-ranking source. Because of this, it would be most reasonable to take into account the information voiced by Izvestia, but not to draw far-reaching conclusions from them. Given the general secrecy of the A-235 project, as well as in a number of other cases, it is better to wait for official information from the Ministry of Defense or organizations involved in the implementation of the anti-missile program.
