Don-2N radar

Coordinates: 56°10′24″N 37°46′09″E / 56.1733°N 37.7691°E

Don-2N

Don-2N radar in Pushkino
Country of origin Soviet Union, Russia
Introduced 1991 [1] 1996 [2] Started building 1978, commissioned 1989, operational 1996[3]
Number built 1
Type Early warning radar, missile defence, space surveillance
Frequency UHF
Range Around 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) [1] 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) to 2,000 kilometres (1,243 mi) [2]
Diameter 18 metres (59 ft) [2]
Azimuth 360
Other Names NATO: Pill Box
Don-2N location
Don-2N
Don-2N (Moscow Oblast)

The Don-2N radar (Russian: Дон-2Н, NATO: Pill Box) is a large missile defence and early warning passive electronically scanned array radar outside Moscow, and a key part of the Russian A-135 anti-ballistic missile system designed for the defence of the capital against ballistic missiles. Located in the Pushkino district of Moscow it is a quadrangular truncated pyramid 33 metres (108 ft) tall with sides 130 metres (427 ft) long at the bottom, and 90 metres (295 ft) long at the top. Each of its four faces has an 18 metres (59 ft) diameter UHF band radar giving 360 degree coverage. The system is run by an Elbrus-2 (Russian: Эльбрус-2) supercomputer.[2]

Under the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty both the United States and the Soviet Union had to designate one area to protect from missile attack. The USA chose North Dakota and the Soviet Union chose Moscow. The Don-2N radar is designed to be the control centre of the system and can operate autonomously if connection is lost to its command and control centre.

Don prototype

The prototype Don radar, called Don-2NP (Russian: Дон-2НП, NATO: Horse Leg) is in Sary Shagan test site in Kazakhstan, location 46°0′11″N 73°38′58″E / 46.00306°N 73.64944°E.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Многофункциональная радиолокационная станция "Дон-2Н" [Multifunction radar Don-2N] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Defence. n.d. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 РЛС ПРО [ABM radar] (in Russian). RTI Mints. n.d. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  3. "Valdai Club 3: Touring the Don-2N Radar Facility". Russian Military Reform. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
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