Voronezh radar
Voronezh radars (Russian: РЛС Воронеж) are the current generation of Russian early-warning radar, providing long distance monitoring of airspace against ballistic missile attack and aircraft monitoring. The first radar, in Lekhtusi near St Petersburg, became operational in 2009. There is a plan to replace older radars with the Voronezh by 2020.[citation needed]
Front of Voronezh-M early-warning radar, Lekhtusi Radar Station, Juli 2012 | |
| Country of origin | Russia |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2009 |
| No. built | 8 operational as of 2017 |
| Type | Phased array early-warning radar |
| Frequency | Voronezh-M: 150–200 MHz (VHF) Voronezh-DM: 0.05 m wavelength (UHF)[1] |
| Range | Up to 6,000 km, accompanying 500 targets [2] |
| Power | Claimed 0.7 MW consumption[3][4] |
| Other Names | 77Ya6 (77Я6) |
Their common name follows the pattern of Soviet radars in being named after a river, the Voronezh. The previous generation of radar was known as the Daryal (after Darial Gorge), Volga (after Volga River) and Daugava (Daugava River) and the generation before the Dnepr (Dnieper River), and Dnestr (Dniester River).
The Voronezh radars are described as highly prefabricated meaning that they have a set up time of months rather than years and need fewer personnel than previous generations. They are also modular so that a radar can be brought into (partial) operation whilst being incomplete.[5]
Russia has used the launch of these new radars to raise its concerns about US missile defence in Europe. At the launch of the Kaliningrad radar in November 2011 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was quoted as saying "I expect that this step [the launch of the radar] will be seen by our partners as the first signal of our country's readiness to make an adequate response to the threats which the missile shield poses for our strategic nuclear forces."[citation needed]
Types edit
All types are phased array radars.[6]
- Voronezh-M (77Ya6-M) works in the meter range of wavelengths (VHF) and was designed by RTI Mints.
- Voronezh-DM (77Ya6-DM) works in the decimeter range (UHF) and was designed by NPK NIIDAR. It has a range of up to 10,000 km and is capable of simultaneously tracking 500 objects.[7][8] Its horizon range is 6000 km and vertical range is 8000 km (Due to radar horizon, this range is only applicable if target is located at altitude of several thousand kilometers[citation needed]). At a distance of 8000 km, the radar can detect targets the size of a "football ball".[2]
- Voronezh-VP (77Ya6-VP) works in the meter range (VHF) and was designed by RTI Mints. The only one built has 6 segments instead of the 3 of the Voronezh-M.[9]
A Voronezh-M is claimed to cost 2.85 billion rubles and a Voronezh-DM 4.3 billion rubles.[10] This compares to the 5 billion ruble cost of a Dnepr and 19.8 billion rubles for a Daryal,[10] at current prices. Voronezh systems are manufactured at the Saransk Television Plant.[11]
Their designers, Sergey Boev (RTI), Sergey Saprykin (NIIDAR), and Valeriy Karasev (RTI Mints), were jointly awarded the 2011 State Prize for Science and Technology for their work on the Voronezh.[12][13]
Installations edit
The first radar, a Voronezh-M, was built in Lekhtusi near St Petersburg. It entered testing in 2005 and was declared "combat ready" in 2012.[14] It is adjacent to the A.F. Mozhaysky Military-Space Academy, which is an officer training centre for the Aerospace Defence Forces.[15] It is described as filling the early warning gap caused by the closure of the radar station at Skrunda in Latvia in 1998,[16] although the Volga radar in Hantsavichy, Belarus, has also been described as doing this, and as a UHF radar Volga has a different resolution from the VHF Voronezh-M.
The second radar is at Armavir in southern Russia on the site of Baronovsky Airfield. It is a Voronezh-DM, a UHF radar and was announced as replacing the coverage lost when the Dnestr radars in Sevastopol and Mukachevo, Ukraine, were closed in 2009. There are actually two radars at this site, the first one covers the south west and could replace the Ukrainian radars.[17] The second one facing south east and could replace the Daryal radar in Gabala that closed at the end of 2012.[18]
The third radar is to the south of Pionersky in Kaliningrad, on the site of Dunayevka airfield. It is another UHF Voronezh-DM and is surrounded by countries that are now in NATO. There is only one radar here and it is fully operational in 2014.[19]
A radar was built at Mishelevka in Irkutsk on the site of the former, and never operational, Daryal radar which was demolished in 2011.[20] The radar is a Voronezh-VP and is sited close to the former Daryal transmitter building.[21] This radar covers the south and can replace one of the two Dnepr radars at that site. Another Voronezh-VP array was planned which gives 240 degrees coverage[citation needed] and this is ready by 2014.[22]
It is planned to build a Voronezh-VP radar at Pechora in 2015 to replace the Daryal there. Similarly a Voronezh-VP is planned for Olenegorsk in 2017 to replace the Dnepr/Daugava.[23] As part of the public negotiations over the future of Gabala Radar Station it had been suggested that the Daryal there could be replaced by a Voronezh-VP in 2017, although the station closed at the end of 2012 instead.[11]
Work started on the station at Barnaul in 2013, other locations announced are Omsk, Yeniseysk and Orenburg.[11][24][25]
On 20 December 2017, three new Voronezh radar stations entered service in Russia, thus increasing the total number of operational radars to 8 (Armavir Radar Station operates 2 radars). The radars are located in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Altai Krai and Orenburg Oblast.[26]
According to Russia's Ministry of Defence, in 2022 construction of new radar stations near Vorkuta and Murmansk (Olenegorsk) will be completed.[27]
Locations edit
| Location | Coordinates | Type | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lekhtusi Radar Station, Leningrad Oblast | 60°16′31.65″N 30°32′45.66″E / 60.2754583°N 30.5460167°E | Voronezh-M | Operational | Fills gap in coverage caused by loss of the Skrunda-1 radar.[16][28] Fully operational in 2012.[citation needed] |
| Armavir Radar Station, Krasnodar Krai | 44°55′30.38″N 40°59′2.02″E / 44.9251056°N 40.9838944°E | Voronezh-DM | Operational | Two radars at this site.[17][29] One covers the south west, the second stage covers the South/South-East and replaced the Gabala Radar Station in Azerbaijan.[citation needed] Fully operational in April 2015.[30] |
| Pionersky Radar Station at former Dunayevka air base, Kaliningrad Oblast | 54°51′26″N 20°10′56″E / 54.857294°N 20.18235°E | Voronezh-DM | Operational | Partially operational in November 2011[5] and fully operational in 2014.[31] |
| Mishelevka Radar Station, Irkutsk Oblast | 52°51′20.11″N 103°13′53.94″E / 52.8555861°N 103.2316500°E | Voronezh-VP | Operational | Replaced one of the Dnepr radars and Daryal-U radar that was demolished in June 2011.[20] The radar entered trials in March 2012,[32] fully operational since 2015.[23][33] |
| Near Yeniseysk, Krasnoyarsk Krai - but not the former radar site | 58°30′22″N 92°02′46″E / 58.506095°N 92.046072°E | Voronezh-DM | Operational | Fully operational in December 2017.[26][34] |
| Near Barnaul, Altai Krai | 53°08′21.1″N 83°40′52.5″E / 53.139194°N 83.681250°E | Voronezh-DM | Operational | Fully operational in December 2017.[26][25][35] |
| Near Orsk, Orenburg Oblast | 51°16′24″N 58°57′33″E / 51.273346°N 58.959030°E | Voronezh-M | Operational | Fully operational in December 2017.[26][36] |
| Near Vorkuta, Komi - but not the former radar site | 67°36′50.3″N 63°45′19.5″E / 67.613972°N 63.755417°E | Voronezh-M | Under construction | Construction started. Will replace the current Daryal radar at this site.[37] |
| Near Olenegorsk, Murmansk Oblast - but not the former radar site | 68°05′26″N 34°19′39″E / 68.090694°N 34.327539°E | Voronezh-VP | Under construction | Construction started. Will replace the Dnestr/Daugava radar at this site.[23] |
| Near Sevastopol, Crimean Peninsula | 44°34′44″N 33°23′10″E / 44.5788°N 33.3862°E | Voronezh-SM | Planned | Will replace the current Dnestr radar at this site.[38] |
References edit
- ^ "Рогозин ознакомился с работой новейшей РЛС в Калининградской области". 29 February 2012. from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Увидеть футбольный мяч с 8000 км: как устроена ПВО России". 17 May 2015. from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Радиолокационная станция высокой заводской готовности "Воронеж-ДМ" [Radar of high prefabrication Voronezh-DM] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Defence. n.d. from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ Радиолокационная станция высокой заводской готовности "Воронеж-М" [Radar of high prefabrication Voronezh-M] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Defence. n.d. from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ a b Podvig, Pavel (2011-11-29). "Voronezh-DM radar near Kaliningrad is operational". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ Редактор. "Россия увеличит возможности Системы предупреждения о ракетном нападении - Армейский вестник". from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Задача по быстрому развертыванию РЛС в России выполнима, сообщает ВКО 2012-01-03 at the Wayback Machine РИА Новости
- ^ . РТИ Системы. Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
- ^ "Начались испытания иркутской РЛС системы предупреждения о ракетном нападении" [The Irkutsk early warning radar began testing]. Сделано у нас. 2012-03-20. from the original on 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
- ^ a b [Voronezh early warning radar of high prefabrication]. Оружие России [Weapons of Russia]. n.d. Archived from the original on 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
- ^ a b c Stukalin, Alexander (May 2012). "Russian Air and Space Defense Troops: Gaping Holes". Moscow Defense Brief. 2012 (2). Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. from the original on 2012-07-04. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
- ^ "Указ "О присуждении Государственных премий Российской Федерации в области науки и технологий 2011 года"" [Decree: On the awarding of the state prizes of the Russian Federation in the field of science and technology 2011]. Kremlin.ru. 2012-06-08. from the original on 2014-07-29. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ^ "За создание РЛС нового поколения "Воронеж" высокой заводской готовности ряду специалистов вручена Государственная премия" [For the creation of a new generation of radar of high prefabrication "Voronezh" a number of experts were awarded the state prize]. Центр анализа мировой торговли оружием [Centre for the Analysis of the Global Arms Trade]. 2012-06-08. from the original on 2017-10-13. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2012-02-11). "Radar in Lekhtusi begins combat duty". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2006-01-30). "Voronezh-DM radar is in Lekhtusi". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
- ^ a b Podvig, Pavel (2009-12-23). "Radar in Lekhtusi accepted for service". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
- ^ a b Podvig, Pavel (2009-02-14). "Two radars at Armavir". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2009-02-12). "Armavir radar fills the gap". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
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- ^ a b Podvig, Pavel (2011-06-21). "Daryal-U radar in Mishelevka demolished". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2012-04-07). "Voronezh-M radar in Mishelevka identified". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-26.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (19 December 2014). "Four early-warning radars began combat duty in 2014". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ a b c Модернизация радаров СПРН в Северо-Западном округе начнется в 2015 году [Upgrading early warning radars in the Northwest District will begin in 2015] (in Russian). Lenta.ru. 2011-12-12. from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2012-04-12). "Early Warning". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-01-12. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ a b [Construction of a missile warning radar system began in Altay]. TASS. 2013-06-02. Archived from the original on 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ^ a b c d "Three advanced early warning radars enter service in Russia". TASS. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
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- ^ [Advanced radar] (in Russian). RTI Mints. n.d. Archived from the original on 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ Известия: Россия восстанавливает "противоракетный зонтик" [Izvestia: Russia restores the "missile umbrella"]. Izvestia (in Russian). n.d. from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- ^ "ЦАМТО / Новости / Владимир Путин выступил на церемонии открытия Международного военно-технического форума «Армия-2015»". from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Интерфакс-Агентство Военных Новостей". from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2012-03-22). "New Voronezh-M radar in Mishelevka entered trials". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
- ^ "На сайте Минобороны России размещен видеоотчет об итогах деятельности ведомства в 2014 г., представленный сегодня Министром обороны на расширенном заседании Коллегии Минобороны : Министерство обороны Российской Федерации". from the original on 2014-12-27. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2014-06-02). "Voronezh-DM radar in Yeniseysk". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2014-09-17). "Location of the Barnaul early-warning radar". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. from the original on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
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External links edit
- Voronezh-DM Armavir photos from Novosti Kosmonavtiki