Qabala Radar
Encyclopedia
The Qabala Radar or Qabala Radar (Radiolocation) Station (in many Western sources Qabala
is spelled Gabala) is a Daryal-type (known in the West
as Pechora
after the location Daryal was first tested and installed) bistatic
phased-array
early warning radar
, built by the Soviet Union
in the Qabala district of the Azerbaijan SSR
in 1985 located at (40°52′14.6"N 47°48′09.6"E ). It is now operated by the Russian Space Forces. The radar station has a range of up to 6000 kilometres (3,728 mi), and was designed to detect missile launches as far as from the Indian Ocean
. The radar's surveillance covers Iran
, Turkey
, India
, Iraq
and the entire Middle East
. It allows not only detection of the launch of a missile but also to track the whole of its trajectory so as to enable a ballistic missile defense
system to intercept an offensive strike. The Radar Station hosts about 1000 Russian servicemen.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
, the Russian Federation
and Azerbaijan
negotiated the terms of the lease and in 2002 the two countries signed an agreement according to which Russia leased the station from Azerbaijan until 2012 for $7 million per year.
The Daryal-type radar is a bistatic
phased-array early warning radar
. It consists of two separate large phased-array antennas separated by around 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 1.5 kilometres (4,921 ft). The transmitter array is 30x40 m (98x131 ft) and the receiver is 80x80 m (262x252 ft) in size. The system is a VHF system operating at a wavelength
of 1.5 to 2 meters (150 to 200 MHz). Its initial transmit capacity was 50 MW
with a target capacity of 350 MW.
Originally, at least seven Daryal facilities were planned, however, only the first two facilities completed, Pechora and Qabala, remained as of 2002. Two Daryal-U type were to be built at sites in Balkhash
and Mishelevka, Irkutsk
, neither were completed. The Clinton administration offered financial assistance in completing the Mishelevka facility in exchange for amending the ABM treaty to allow US deployment of a national missile defense
system. Two Daryal-UM systems were to be constructed at in Skrunda, Latvia
and Mukachevo, Ukraine
. The Mukachevo in the Ukraine was never completed after the fall of the Soviet Union and the Skrunda facility was turned over to Latvia to be demolished. The Yeniseysk (Krasnoyarsk) Daryal-U site caused concern in the west over compliance with the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
during its construction in the 1980s. Following years of negotiations, in September 1989 the Soviets admitted it was a violation of the treaty, construction ceased and the facility was eventually dismantled.
in Germany
on June 7–8, 2007, Russian president Vladimir Putin
made an offer to deploy elements of an American anti-ballistic missile system
in Azerbaijan
, instead of Poland
(see US missile defense complex in Poland
) and the Czech Republic
, using the Qabala Radar Station jointly with Russia
. This offer came after the debate about the U.S. plan to deploy anti-ballistic missile
system components in Eastern Europe
to defend against possible ballistic missile attacks from Iran
and North Korea
. The plan met with sharp criticism by Russia
which threatened to target Europe
with its own ballistic missiles despite US claims that the system was not designed to defend against a large scale Russian attack. The Qabala radar is used as a sensor for the A-135
ABM system which Russia has operated in Europe, near Moscow, since the 1970s.
In the beginning of July 2007 the US announced that the Qabala installation was not an acceptable substitute for the Poland
and Czech Republic
sites.
phased array radars, but as of 2005 available data did not support those concerns.
The newspaper "The Mirror " reports that in 1984, when the power supply 300 MW of one hectare of land was completely burnt out [6]. In other instances of sources of ignition for trees on the radiation meter range is not described, such fires do not occur when operating a similar radars in Pechora and comparable to the power of the Don-2N radar station in the suburbs.
Qabala
Qabala is a rayon of Azerbaijan. Its administrative center is the historic town of Qəbələ, which in ancient times was known as the capital of Caucasian Albania....
is spelled Gabala) is a Daryal-type (known in the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
as Pechora
Pechora
Pechora is a town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated on the Pechora River, near the northern Ural Mountains. Population: It is served by Pechora Airport and is affiliated with the nearby Pechora Kamenka military air base....
after the location Daryal was first tested and installed) bistatic
Bistatic radar
Bistatic radar is the name given to a radar system which comprises a transmitter and receiver which are separated by a distance that is comparable to the expected target distance. Conversely, a radar in which the transmitter and receiver are collocated is called a monostatic radar...
phased-array
Phased array
In wave theory, a phased array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the antennas are varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions.An antenna array...
early warning radar
Early warning radar
An early warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the defences the maximum time in which to operate...
, built by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in the Qabala district of the Azerbaijan SSR
Azerbaijan SSR
The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Azerbaijan SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the former Soviet Union....
in 1985 located at (40°52′14.6"N 47°48′09.6"E ). It is now operated by the Russian Space Forces. The radar station has a range of up to 6000 kilometres (3,728 mi), and was designed to detect missile launches as far as from the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. The radar's surveillance covers Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and the entire Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. It allows not only detection of the launch of a missile but also to track the whole of its trajectory so as to enable a ballistic missile defense
Missile defense
Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception and destruction of attacking missiles. Originally conceived as a defence against nuclear-armed Intercontinental ballistic missiles , its application has broadened to include shorter-ranged...
system to intercept an offensive strike. The Radar Station hosts about 1000 Russian servicemen.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, the Russian Federation
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
negotiated the terms of the lease and in 2002 the two countries signed an agreement according to which Russia leased the station from Azerbaijan until 2012 for $7 million per year.
Daryal (Pechora) Radar system overview
Bistatic radar
Bistatic radar is the name given to a radar system which comprises a transmitter and receiver which are separated by a distance that is comparable to the expected target distance. Conversely, a radar in which the transmitter and receiver are collocated is called a monostatic radar...
phased-array early warning radar
Early warning radar
An early warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the defences the maximum time in which to operate...
. It consists of two separate large phased-array antennas separated by around 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 1.5 kilometres (4,921 ft). The transmitter array is 30x40 m (98x131 ft) and the receiver is 80x80 m (262x252 ft) in size. The system is a VHF system operating at a wavelength
Wavelength
In physics, the wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats.It is usually determined by considering the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase, such as crests, troughs, or zero crossings, and is a...
of 1.5 to 2 meters (150 to 200 MHz). Its initial transmit capacity was 50 MW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
with a target capacity of 350 MW.
Originally, at least seven Daryal facilities were planned, however, only the first two facilities completed, Pechora and Qabala, remained as of 2002. Two Daryal-U type were to be built at sites in Balkhash
Lake Balkhash
Lake Balkhash is one of the largest lakes in Asia and 12th largest continental lake in the world. It is located in southeastern Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, and belongs to an endorheic basin shared by Kazakhstan and China, with a small part in Kyrgyzstan. The basin drains into the lake via seven...
and Mishelevka, Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
, neither were completed. The Clinton administration offered financial assistance in completing the Mishelevka facility in exchange for amending the ABM treaty to allow US deployment of a national missile defense
National Missile Defense
National missile defense is a generic term for a type of missile defense intended to shield an entire country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missile or other ballistic missiles. Interception might be by anti-ballistic missiles or directed-energy weapons such as lasers...
system. Two Daryal-UM systems were to be constructed at in Skrunda, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Mukachevo, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Mukachevo in the Ukraine was never completed after the fall of the Soviet Union and the Skrunda facility was turned over to Latvia to be demolished. The Yeniseysk (Krasnoyarsk) Daryal-U site caused concern in the west over compliance with the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty was a treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on the limitation of the anti-ballistic missile systems used in defending areas against missile-delivered nuclear weapons....
during its construction in the 1980s. Following years of negotiations, in September 1989 the Soviets admitted it was a violation of the treaty, construction ceased and the facility was eventually dismantled.
33rd G8 summit
During the 33rd G8 summit33rd G8 summit
The 33rd G8 summit took place at Kempinski Grand Hotel in Heiligendamm in the old Duchy of Mecklenburg in the Northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the Baltic Coast. The group of eight leaders met together from 6 June to 8 June 2007...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on June 7–8, 2007, Russian president Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
made an offer to deploy elements of an American anti-ballistic missile system
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense is the United States system for intercepting incoming warheads in space. Currently, it is a major component of the U.S. national missile defense strategy aimed against ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles...
in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, instead of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(see US missile defense complex in Poland
US missile defense complex in Poland
The US missile defense complex in Poland, also called the European Interceptor Site was part of the Ballistic Missile Defense European Capability of the US, to be placed in Redzikowo, Słupsk, Poland, forming a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system in conjunction with a US narrow-beam midcourse...
) and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, using the Qabala Radar Station jointly with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. This offer came after the debate about the U.S. plan to deploy anti-ballistic missile
Anti-ballistic missile
An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
system components in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
to defend against possible ballistic missile attacks from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. The plan met with sharp criticism by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
which threatened to target Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with its own ballistic missiles despite US claims that the system was not designed to defend against a large scale Russian attack. The Qabala radar is used as a sensor for the A-135
A-135 anti-ballistic missile system
The A-135 or ABM-3 anti-ballistic missile system is a Russian military complex deployed around Moscow to counter enemy missiles targeting the city or its surrounding areas. It became operational during 1995...
ABM system which Russia has operated in Europe, near Moscow, since the 1970s.
In the beginning of July 2007 the US announced that the Qabala installation was not an acceptable substitute for the Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
sites.
Environmental concerns
There were reports about environmental damage from the activity of Qabala Radar Station which sparked some public debate in Azerbaijan. Similar health concerns were raised about American PAVE PAWSPAVE PAWS
PAVE PAWS is a United States Air Force Space Command radar system operated by three 21st Space Wing squadrons for missile warning and space surveillance. Operational PAVE PAWS radars are located at:...
phased array radars, but as of 2005 available data did not support those concerns.
Station surroundings
In the Azeri newspaper The Mirror, it was stated that the station is about 210 hectares and 30 hectares - the garbage dump in it. Another 400 hectares of forest were cut down while laying transmission lines to service the station. Underground water level has fallen sharply after it was drilled 16 boreholes to supply water to the cooling system of electronic equipment of the station. Every hour of cooling station requires about 300-400 cubic meters of water, after which the water without any treatment is discharged into a river. Because of falling groundwater surrounding forests are dying. Many species of fish in the river disappeared. The local population continues to use water from the river [6].The newspaper "The Mirror " reports that in 1984, when the power supply 300 MW of one hectare of land was completely burnt out [6]. In other instances of sources of ignition for trees on the radiation meter range is not described, such fires do not occur when operating a similar radars in Pechora and comparable to the power of the Don-2N radar station in the suburbs.
External links
- Pechora LPAR - Daryal a description of the type of radar in use.
- Qabala / Gabala - (Lyaki / Mingacevir / Mingechaur) a description of the Qabala facility via GlobalSecurity.org