SS-2 Sibling

Soviet R-2 missile at Korolev City of Moscow region

The R-2 Short-range ballistic missile (NATO reporting name SS-2 Sibling, Soviet code 8Zh38) was developed based on R-1 design. This was an improved version of the German V-2 rocket manufactured by the Soviet Union.

The R-1 was quickly followed by an evolutionary improvement, the R-2 (SS-2), which had a longer range and at least four major differences in design. The weight was increased by 50%, but the range was more than doubled, to 600 km (370 mi). R-2 had the following major differences from the R-1's (and hence from the V-2's) design:^[1]

The warhead separated from the rocket prior to atmospheric reentry, eliminating the hull strength problem, one of the V-2/R-1's biggest weaknesses.
The propellant tank became the main load-bearing structure for the rocket, in contrast to the R-1's load-bearing hull. This reduced the overall weight of the spaceframe.
The control module was moved from above the propellant tank to below the LOx tank. This made pre-launch preparations easier. As the control module was now placed directly over the engine, vibrations were reduced by using steel instead of aluminum for the tailcone.
Radio command guidance was introduced to improve accuracy, giving the R-2 accuracy comparable to the R-1, in spite of its doubled range.

The first test flight of the R-2 took place in September 1949, and it was accepted for service in November 1951, actually entering service in large numbers around 1953. A grand total of 1,545 R-1 and R-2 missiles were produced.

The R-2 missile was the last Soviet missile based on German designs. While some German influences would clearly remain, Soviet missiles after the R-2 would be based on original designs by the OKB-1 group.

The R-2A geophysical rocket was developed for vertical sounding flights. It carried dogs, monkeys, hamsters, and various high-altitude physics experiments in its nose cone. Two pods performed atmospheric analysis and were ejected from the missile's side to avoid contamination by engine exhaust.

Operators

Soviet Union

Soviet Army

References

↑ (Russian) First Steps of the Domestic Rocket Construction

External links

NATO designation for Russian and former Soviet Union missiles

Air-to-air missiles complete list

AA-1 Alkali AA-2 Atoll AA-3 Anab AA-4 Awl AA-5 Ash AA-6 Acrid AA-7 Apex AA-8 Aphid AA-9 Amos AA-10 Alamo AA-11 Archer AA-12 Adder AA-13 Arrow

Air-to-surface missiles complete list

AS-1 Kennel AS-2 Kipper AS-3 Kangaroo AS-4 Kitchen AS-5 Kelt AS-6 Kingfish AS-7 Kerry AS-8 AS-9 Kyle AS-10 Karen AS-11 Kilter AS-12 Kegler AS-13 Kingbolt AS-14 Kedge AS-15 Kent AS-16 Kickback AS-17 Krypton AS-18 Kazoo AS-19 Koala AS-20 Kayak

Anti-tank missiles complete list

AT-1 Snapper AT-2 Swatter AT-3 Sagger AT-4 Spigot AT-5 Spandrel AT-6 Spiral AT-7 Saxhorn AT-8 Songster AT-9 Spiral-2 AT-10 Stabber AT-11 Sniper AT-12 Swinger AT-13 Saxhorn-2 АТ-14 Spriggan АТ-15 Springer AT-16 Scallion

Ground based	SA-1 Guild SA-2 Guideline SA-3 Goa SA-4 Ganef SA-5 Gammon SA-6 Gainful SA-7 Grail SA-8 Gecko SA-9 Gaskin SA-10 Grumble SA-11 Gadfly SA-12 Gladiator/Giant SA-13 Gopher SA-14 Gremlin SA-15 Gauntlet SA-16 Gimlet SA-17 Grizzly SA-18 Grouse SA-19 Grison SA-20 Gargoyle SA-21 Growler SA-22 Greyhound SA-23 Gladiator/Giant SA-24 Grinch Morfey S-350E

Naval based	SA-N-1 Goa SA-N-2 Guideline SA-N-3 Goblet SA-N-4 Gecko SA-N-5 Grail SA-N-6 Grumble SA-N-7 Gadfly SA-N-8 Gremlin SA-N-9 Gauntlet SA-N-10 Grouse SA-N-11 Grison SA-N-12 Grizzly SA-N-14 Grouse SA-N-20 Gargoyle

ABMs	ABM-1 Galosh ABM-3/53T6 Gazelle S-500

Ground based	SS-1 Scud SS-2 Sibling SS-3 Shyster SS-4 Sandal SS-5 Skean SS-6 Sapwood SS-7 Saddler SS-8 Sasin SS-9 Scarp SS-10 Scrag SS-11 Sego SS-12 Scaleboard SS-13 Savage SS-14 Scamp/Scapegoat SS-15 Scrooge SS-16 Sinner SS-17 Spanker SS-18 Satan SS-19 Stiletto SS-20 Saber SS-21 Scarab SS-22 Scaleboard SS-23 Spider SS-24 Scalpel SS-25 Sickle SS-26 Stone SS-27 Sickle B SS-28 Saber 2 SS-29

Naval based	SS-N-1 Scrubber SS-N-2 Styx SS-N-3 Shaddock SS-N-4 Sark SS-N-5 Sark/Serb SS-N-6 Serb SS-N-7 Starbright SS-N-8 Sawfly SS-N-9 Siren SS-N-12 Sandbox SS-NX-13 SS-N-14 Silex SS-N-15 Starfish SS-N-16 Stallion SS-N-17 Snipe SS-N-18 Stingray SS-N-19 Shipwreck SS-N-20 Sturgeon SS-N-21 Sampson SS-N-22 Sunburn SS-N-23 Skiff SS-N-23 Sineva SS-N-23 Liner SS-N-24 Scorpion SS-N-25 Switchblade SS-N-26 Strobile SS-N-27 Sizzler SS-N-28 SS-N-29 SS-N-30 SS-NX-32

Russian and former Soviet military designation sequences for radar, missile and rocket systems

Radars

Land based radar systems	P-3 P-8 P-10 P-12 P-14 P-15 P-18 P-19 P-20 P-30 P-35 P-40 P-70 P-80 P-100

Ship-borne radar systems

Airborne radar systems	N001 N002 N006 N008 N005/RP-25 N007/RP-31 N010 N011 N012 N014 N019 N025 N035 N036

Missiles

ICBM	GR-1 R-2 R-7 R-9 R-12 R-13 R-16 RS-16 RS-24 RS-26 RSS-40 R-26 R-36 R-36M R-46 RT-2 RT-2PM RT-2PM2 RT-20 RT-21 RT-23 Sarmat UR-100 UR-100MR UR-100N UR-200

Tactical Surface to Surface	9K720 R-1 R-2 R-5 R-11 R-11A R-12 R-14 RT-15 R-17 RT-23 RT-25 TR-1 OTR-21 OTR-23 P-1000

Sub-surface to Surface	P-5 P-20M/P-70 R-15 R-17 R-21 R-27 R-29 R-39 R-81 RSM-56

Surface to Surface (Naval)	P-1 P-15 P-120 P-270 P-500K P-500B P-700 P-750 P-800

Air to surface	KSR-5 RKV-500A / RK-55 KS-1 K-10S Kh-11 Kh-15 Kh-20 Kh-22 Kh-23 Kh-25 Kh-25MP Kh-26 Kh-28 Kh-29 Kh-31 Kh-35 Kh-58 Kh-55 Kh-59 Kh-59M Kh-90 P-750 9M114V 3M25A

Air to air	R-3 R-4 R-8 R-23 R-27 R-33 R-37 R-40 R-60 R-73 R-77 R-172

Anti-Tank	R-103

Unguided Rockets

Air launched Rockets	RP-1 RP-5 RP-6 RP-9 RP-15 RP-21 RS-82

Surface launched rockets

Engines

RD-8
RD-9
R-11
R-13
R-15
R-25
R-29
RK-55
RD-33
RD-45
RD-58
RD-107
RD-117
RD-120
RD-124
RD-146
RD-170
RD-180
RD-191
RD-500