SA-1 Guild
Encyclopedia
The S-25 Berkut is a surface-to-air guided missile
, the first operational SAM
system in the world
. Its NATO reporting name
is SA-1 Guild. It was used only to defend Moscow
, while the more mobile S-75 (SA-2 Guideline)
would be used in almost all other roles. Other names include the R-113 (target acquisition radar), B-200 (target engagement radar), A-11/A-12 (antennas for B-200), and V-300 (a SAM); S-25 is for Systema 25, referring to the system as a whole.
: (We have to get the missile for air defense in a year). The system was assigned to design to SB-1 (Special Bureau No. 1).
The initial design included:
The implementation was assigned to the Third Main Agency, which was specially created, by the Soviet of Ministers of the USSR. SB-1 was converted to KB-1 (Design Bureau №1) headed by P.N. Kuksenko and S.L. Beria. Some captured German specialists were concentrated in department №38 of KB-1.
Test range trials of the first experimental system were conducted in January 1952. These tests led to the removal of the air based components of the Berkut system (G-400/G-300 and G-500).
The construction of ground infrastructure (designed by the Moscow division of Lengiprostroy, V.I. Rechkin) was done from 1953 through 1955 at 50 km and 90 km ranges from Moscow. There were about 2000 km of roads built by prisoners.
After the death of Stalin and arrest of L.P. Beria (the head of Soviet police and security, and the father of S.L. Beria) in June 1953, the KB-1 was reorganized and headed by Raspletin. The Third Main Agency was converted to Glavspetsmash and included into the Ministry of Medium Machine Building. The name Berkut was changed to Systema 25.
The first combat elements of S-25 were delivered to the military in 1954. In March 1954 most sites were being prepared for the installation of the missiles and launchers. The final tests were completed in the beginning of 1955. The first batteries entered service on 7 May 1955. The system entered combat duty in June 1956. The launchers were located at a distance of 75-85 km from Moscow, a dense ring (at a distance of 10-15 km from each other). The locations were masked by forests.
After the system have entered service some parts of Glavspetsmash (Glavspetsmontazh and Glavspetsmash) were disbanded, the KB-1 was transferred to the Ministry of Defense Industries.
In order to operate the S-25 system, the "Separate Army for Special Purposes" was established under the command of general-colonel K. Kazakov in the spring of 1955, being part of Soviet Air Defense Forces (PVO Strany).
A number of improvements was made to the initial S-25 design during the service. The latest modernized S-25M was retired and replaced with S-300P air defense complexes in 1982. Most sites of the original S-25 complex were dismantled in the 1990's and are now summer cottage developments for Moscow residents.
test range to support the development of S-25:
The first tests of S-25 in full control mode were started 2 November 1952 (using radar-simulated target). The tests against parachute targets were done in the beginning of 1953. Tu-4
drones were used for moving target tests from 26 April to 18 May 1953. There were 81 launches during trials from 18 September 1952 to 18 May 1953. Additional tests were done in September-October 1953 against Il-28
and Tu-4 drones.
The decision of the government to build a full scale S-25 complex at the Kapustin Yar was made in January 1954. The complex was sampled for the state trials 25 June 1954. The trials were conducted from 1 October 1954 to 1 April 1955 and included 69 launches at Il-28 and Tu-4 drones (including simultaneous launch of 20 missiles at 20 targets).
The complex was capable to fire at 20 targets with 1 or 2 missiles simultaneously having up to 60 missiles ready to launch. The startup time was 5 minutes (for 18 target channels).
There were 56 S-25 series-built complexes manufactured and deployed around the Moscow area, plus one series-built and one experimental deployed at the Kapustin Yar test range.
, including a track-while-scan radar (designated Yo-Yo by US intelligence). The system also incorporated fire control equipment which enabled each site to engage as many as 10 targets simultaneously, each with two missiles.
The B-200 radar prototype was tested in the middle of 1950.
The missile, which went by a variety of names depending on the version, used a single liquid-fueled rocket motor. Although its maximum speed was on the order of Mach 2.5, it had a low initial velocity which limited its engagement capability against supersonic targets. Its maximum intercept range varied depending upon the approach and type of target; against a directly incoming, high-flying B-52
its range was on the order of 30 km. The missile carried a large warhead
of 200-320 kg (450-700 pounds), and its lethal radius was estimated to be 20-35 m (65-120 feet). It was believed to be capable of interceptions from a minimum altitude of 900 m (3,000 feet) up to 18,000 m (60,000 feet), with some additional capability up to about 24,000 m (80,000 feet), particularly if equipped with a nuclear warhead.
Guided Missile
Guided Missile is a London based independent record label set up by Paul Kearney in 1994.Guided Missile has always focused on 'the underground', preferring to put out a steady flow of releases and developing the numerous GM events around London and beyond....
, the first operational SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
system in the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
. Its NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
is SA-1 Guild. It was used only to defend Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, while the more mobile S-75 (SA-2 Guideline)
S-75 Dvina
The S-75 Dvina is a Soviet-designed, high-altitude, command guided, surface-to-air missile system...
would be used in almost all other roles. Other names include the R-113 (target acquisition radar), B-200 (target engagement radar), A-11/A-12 (antennas for B-200), and V-300 (a SAM); S-25 is for Systema 25, referring to the system as a whole.
History
Development of the S-25 was authorized on 9 August 1950 by a decision of USSR and was appended by StalinJoseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
: (We have to get the missile for air defense in a year). The system was assigned to design to SB-1 (Special Bureau No. 1).
The initial design included:
- EE bandThe NATO E band is the range of radio frequencies from 2 GHz to 3 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 15 cm and 10 cm. The E band is in the upper UHF range of the radio spectrum...
\F bandF bandThe F band is the range of radio frequencies from 90 GHz to 140 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 2.1 mm and 3.3 mm...
A-100 "Kama" radar based in two concentric rings; a near ring - 25-30 km from Moscow, and a far ring, approximately 200-250 km from Moscow, for early warning and target detection.
- B-200 missile targeting radars, deployed in two rings.
- V-300 SAMs deployed around the B-200 radars.
- G-400 Interceptor aircraft. These were Tu-4Tupolev Tu-4The Tupolev Tu-4 was a piston-engined Soviet strategic bomber that served the Soviet Air Force from the late 1940s to mid 1960s...
with G-300 (izdelie 210, downsized version of V-300 with aerial launch) missiles. - Possibly, Tu-4 based AWACS aircraft D-500.
The implementation was assigned to the Third Main Agency, which was specially created, by the Soviet of Ministers of the USSR. SB-1 was converted to KB-1 (Design Bureau №1) headed by P.N. Kuksenko and S.L. Beria. Some captured German specialists were concentrated in department №38 of KB-1.
Test range trials of the first experimental system were conducted in January 1952. These tests led to the removal of the air based components of the Berkut system (G-400/G-300 and G-500).
The construction of ground infrastructure (designed by the Moscow division of Lengiprostroy, V.I. Rechkin) was done from 1953 through 1955 at 50 km and 90 km ranges from Moscow. There were about 2000 km of roads built by prisoners.
After the death of Stalin and arrest of L.P. Beria (the head of Soviet police and security, and the father of S.L. Beria) in June 1953, the KB-1 was reorganized and headed by Raspletin. The Third Main Agency was converted to Glavspetsmash and included into the Ministry of Medium Machine Building. The name Berkut was changed to Systema 25.
The first combat elements of S-25 were delivered to the military in 1954. In March 1954 most sites were being prepared for the installation of the missiles and launchers. The final tests were completed in the beginning of 1955. The first batteries entered service on 7 May 1955. The system entered combat duty in June 1956. The launchers were located at a distance of 75-85 km from Moscow, a dense ring (at a distance of 10-15 km from each other). The locations were masked by forests.
After the system have entered service some parts of Glavspetsmash (Glavspetsmontazh and Glavspetsmash) were disbanded, the KB-1 was transferred to the Ministry of Defense Industries.
In order to operate the S-25 system, the "Separate Army for Special Purposes" was established under the command of general-colonel K. Kazakov in the spring of 1955, being part of Soviet Air Defense Forces (PVO Strany).
A number of improvements was made to the initial S-25 design during the service. The latest modernized S-25M was retired and replaced with S-300P air defense complexes in 1982. Most sites of the original S-25 complex were dismantled in the 1990's and are now summer cottage developments for Moscow residents.
Surface-to-air Missile Complex S-25
The parts of the S-25 were designed in parallel. Some grounds were created at the Kapustin YarKapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar is a Russian rocket launch and development site in Astrakhan Oblast, between Volgograd and Astrakhan. Known today as Znamensk , it was established 13 May 1946 and in the beginning used technology, material, and scientific support from defeated Germany...
test range to support the development of S-25:
- №30 - technical position to prepare missiles
- №31 - living rooms of servicemen
- №32 - V-300 launcher
- №33 - B-200 radar
The first tests of S-25 in full control mode were started 2 November 1952 (using radar-simulated target). The tests against parachute targets were done in the beginning of 1953. Tu-4
Tupolev Tu-4
The Tupolev Tu-4 was a piston-engined Soviet strategic bomber that served the Soviet Air Force from the late 1940s to mid 1960s...
drones were used for moving target tests from 26 April to 18 May 1953. There were 81 launches during trials from 18 September 1952 to 18 May 1953. Additional tests were done in September-October 1953 against Il-28
Ilyushin Il-28
The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...
and Tu-4 drones.
The decision of the government to build a full scale S-25 complex at the Kapustin Yar was made in January 1954. The complex was sampled for the state trials 25 June 1954. The trials were conducted from 1 October 1954 to 1 April 1955 and included 69 launches at Il-28 and Tu-4 drones (including simultaneous launch of 20 missiles at 20 targets).
The complex was capable to fire at 20 targets with 1 or 2 missiles simultaneously having up to 60 missiles ready to launch. The startup time was 5 minutes (for 18 target channels).
There were 56 S-25 series-built complexes manufactured and deployed around the Moscow area, plus one series-built and one experimental deployed at the Kapustin Yar test range.
B-200 Missile Targeting Radar
Each site was equipped with a B-200 guidance systemGuidance system
A guidance system is a device or group of devices used to navigate a ship, aircraft, missile, rocket, satellite, or other craft. Typically, this refers to a system that navigates without direct or continuous human control...
, including a track-while-scan radar (designated Yo-Yo by US intelligence). The system also incorporated fire control equipment which enabled each site to engage as many as 10 targets simultaneously, each with two missiles.
The B-200 radar prototype was tested in the middle of 1950.
Surface-to-air Missile V-300
The first V-300 missile was fired 25 July 1951 at the Kapustin Yar test range.The missile, which went by a variety of names depending on the version, used a single liquid-fueled rocket motor. Although its maximum speed was on the order of Mach 2.5, it had a low initial velocity which limited its engagement capability against supersonic targets. Its maximum intercept range varied depending upon the approach and type of target; against a directly incoming, high-flying B-52
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
its range was on the order of 30 km. The missile carried a large warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
of 200-320 kg (450-700 pounds), and its lethal radius was estimated to be 20-35 m (65-120 feet). It was believed to be capable of interceptions from a minimum altitude of 900 m (3,000 feet) up to 18,000 m (60,000 feet), with some additional capability up to about 24,000 m (80,000 feet), particularly if equipped with a nuclear warhead.