S-125 "Neva" - anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) short-range, manufactured in the USSR. The export version of the complex was called Pechora. In the NATO classification, it is called SA-3 Goa. The complex was adopted by the USSR in 1961. The main developer of the air defense system was the NGO Almaz named after Raspletin. Today we will get acquainted with the history of the Neva air defense system and its technical characteristics.
History
The development of air defense systems began at NPO Almaz in 1956 in response to the creation of aircraft that operate efficiently at low altitudes. The terms of reference for the development of the complex suggested the possibility of destroying targets flying at an altitude of 0.2 to 5 km, at a distance of 6 to 10 km, at a speed of no more than 1,500 km / h. In the first tests, the complex worked with a 5V24 missile. This tandem was not effective enough, therefore, an additional requirement was added to the task - to adjust it to the new 5B27 missile, unified with the Volna. This decision allowed to significantly improve the performance characteristics (performance characteristics) of the system. In 1961, the complex was adopted, under the designation S-125 "Neva".
In the future, air defense systems more than once upgraded. It included equipment for combating the noise of the main gun, television sighting of the target, the allocation of PRR, recognition, sound control, as well as the installation of the remote indicator of the SSC. Thanks to the improvement of the design, the air defense system was able to destroy targets located at a distance of up to 17 kilometers.
In 1964, a modernized version of the SAM system was adopted under the name S-125 Neva-M. The export version of the installation was called "Pechora". Since 1969, the complex began deliveries to the Warsaw Treaty countries. Literally a year later, they began to supply S-125 to other countries, in particular Afghanistan, Angola, Algeria, Hungary, Bulgaria, India, Korea, Cuba, Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, Peru, Syria and many others. In the same 1964, the 5B27 missile, developed by the Fakel ICB, was adopted.
In 1980, the second and final attempt to modernize the complex took place. As part of the modernization, the designers proposed:
- Transfer the missile guidance stations to the digital element base.
- Decouple the missile and target channels by introducing two control posts. This made it possible to increase the maximum range of missile damage to 42 kilometers, thanks to the use of the “full lead” method.
- Introduce a homing channel for shells.
Due to concerns that the development of the Neva would interfere with the production of the new S-300P air defense system, the proposals described were rejected. Currently, a version of the complex is proposed, which received the designation S-125-2, or "Pechora-2."
Composition
SAM includes such means:
- Missile guidance station (SNR) SNR125M for tracking the target and guiding missiles at it. CHP is placed on two trailers. In one, there is the control cab of the EEC, and in the other is the antenna post. SNR125M works with radar and television tracking channels, in manual or automatic modes. The station is equipped with an APP-125 automated launcher, which determines the boundaries of the SAM zone, as well as the coordinates of the missile's meeting point with the target. In addition, he solves the launch problem.
- A starting battery consisting of four 5P73 launchers, each of which has 4 missiles.
- Power supply system consisting of a diesel-electric station and a distribution cabin.
Guidance
The complex is a dual-channel missile and single-channel target. Two missiles can be aimed at the plane at once. Additionally, radar stations for detection and target designation, models P-12 and / or P-15 can work with air defense systems. The facilities of the complex are placed in semitrailers and trailers, and the communication between them is carried out via cables.
The solution of such a problem as the creation of a low-altitude anti-aircraft missile system required unusual solutions from designers. This was due to such an unusual appearance of the antenna device CHP.
To hit a target that is at a distance of 10 km and flies at a speed of 420 m / s, at an altitude of 200 m, it is necessary to launch a rocket at a time when the target will be at a distance of 17 km. And the capture and auto tracking of the target need to start at all at a distance of 24 km. In this case, the detection range of a low-altitude target should be from 32 to 35 km, taking into account the time required for In such a situation, the elevation angle of the target at the time of detection is only 0.3 °, and when capturing for auto tracking - about 0.5 °. At such small angles, the radar signal from the guidance station reflected from the ground exceeds the signal reflected from the target. To reduce this effect, two antenna systems were placed at the antenna post SNR-125. The first one is responsible for receiving and transmitting, and the second one
When operating at low altitudes, the transmit antenna is set to 1 °. In this case, the transmitter irradiates the surface of the earth only with the side lobes of the antenna diagram. This allows you to reduce the signal reflected from the ground by tens of times. In order to reduce the target tracking error associated with the occurrence of “mirror reflection” (representing the interference between direct and direct reflection from the ground of the target signals), the receiving antennas of the two planes rotate 45 ° to the horizon. Because of this, the antenna mount of the SAM system has acquired its characteristic appearance.
Another task associated with the low altitude of the target’s flight is the introduction of the SDS (moving target selector) into the LIS, which effectively distinguishes the target’s signal against local objects and passive interference. For this, an intermittent subtracting device was created, operating on solid ULZ (ultrasonic delay lines).
The parameters of the FDC significantly exceed the parameters of all previously existing radar operating with pulsed radiation. Suppression of interference arising from local objects reaches 33-36 dB. To stabilize the repetition periods of the probe pulses, the synchronizer was adjusted to the delay line. In the future, it turned out that such a solution is one of the disadvantages of the station, since it does not make it possible to change the repetition rate in order to tune out impulse noise. For detuning from active interference, a device was provided for abruptly changing the frequency of the transmitter, which is triggered when the interference level exceeds a predetermined level.
Rocket device
The 5V27 anti-aircraft guided missile (SAM), developed at the Fakel ICD, was a two-stage one and was built according to the Duck aerodynamic design. The first stage of the rocket consists of a solid fuel accelerator; four stabilizers that open after starting; and pairs of aerodynamic surfaces located on the connecting compartment and necessary to reduce the flight speed of the accelerator after undocking the first stage. Immediately after undocking the first stage, these surfaces unfold, which entails intensive braking of the accelerator with its subsequent rapid fall to the ground.
The second stage of the SAM also has a solid fuel engine. Its design consists of a set of compartments in which are located: high explosive fragmentation warhead, command receiving equipment
The flight path of the missile and its guidance to the target is controlled by radio commands supplied from the missile defense system. Undermining the warhead occurs when a rocket approaches a target at an appropriate distance at the command of a radio fuse. It is also possible undermining on command from the guidance station.
Starting accelerator works from two to four seconds, and marching - up to 20 s. The time required for the self-destruction of a rocket is 49 s. Permissible maneuvering overload missiles are 6 units. The missile operates in a wide temperature range - from - 40 ° to + 50 ° C.
When the V-601P missiles were adopted, the designers began to work on expanding the capabilities of the anti-aircraft missile system. Their tasks included such changes: firing at targets moving at a speed of up to 2500 km / h, the defeat of transonic (moving at a speed close to the speed of sound) targets at an altitude of up to 18 km, as well as increasing noise immunity and the probability of being hit.
Rocket modifications
In the process of technology development, the following rocket modifications were created:
- 5V27G. Index "G" means "tight".
- 5V27GP. Index "P" indicates a reduced near border lesion to 2.7 km.
- 5V27GPS. Index "C" means the presence of a selection unit, which reduces the likelihood of automatic operation of the radio fuse when the signal is reflected from the surrounding area.
- 5V27 GPU. Index “U” means the presence of accelerated prelaunch training. Reducing the preparation time is achieved by supplying on-board equipment with increased voltage from the power source, when the pre-start heating mode is turned on. The prelaunch equipment located in the UNK cockpit also received corresponding revision.
All modifications of missiles were produced at Kirov Plant No. 32. Especially for training personnel, the plant produced dimensional-weight, detachable, and training-operating missile models.
Rocket launch
The rocket is launched from the launcher (PU) 5P73, which is guided by elevation and azimuth. The four-beam transported launcher was designed at the Design Bureau of Special Engineering under the direction of B.S. Korobov. Without a running gear and gas reflectors, it can be transported by a YAZ-214 car.
When shooting at low-flying targets, the minimum launch angle of the rocket is 9 °. To avoid soil erosion, a multi-section circular rubber-metal coating was laid around the launcher. The PU is charged sequentially with the help of two transport-loading vehicles, built on the basis of ZiL-131 or Zil-157 vehicles with increased cross-country ability.
The station was powered by a mobile diesel-electric station mounted in the back of a car trailer. Reconnaissance and target designation stations, type P-12NM and P-15, were equipped with autonomous power sources AD-10-T230.
The nationality of the aircraft was determined using the equipment of state recognition "friend or foe".
Modernization
In the early 1970s, the Neva anti-aircraft missile system underwent modernization. Improving the equipment of the radio receiving device allowed to increase the noise immunity of the receiving device of the target channel and missile control equipment. Thanks to the introduction of Karat-2 equipment, intended for television-optical sighting and target tracking, it became possible to track and fire targets without radar radiation into the surrounding space. Operation on interfering aircraft was greatly facilitated, subject to visual visibility.
At the same time, there were weak points in the optical channel of sight. In cloudy conditions, as well as when observing towards the sun or having an artificial light source mounted on an enemy aircraft, the efficiency of the channel dropped sharply. In addition, target tracking on a television channel could not provide tracking operators with target range data. This limited the ability to select guidance methods and reduced the attack speed of high-speed targets.
In the second half of the 70s, the S-125 air defense system received equipment that increases its effectiveness when firing at targets moving at low and extremely low altitudes, as well as ground and surface targets. Also, a modified 5V27D missile was created, the increased flight speed of which allowed shelling targets. The length of the missile increased, and the mass increased to 0.98 tons. On May 3, 1978, the S-125M1 air defense system with the 5V27D missile was put into service.
Versions
During the modifications of the complex, the following modifications were created.
For air defense of the USSR:
- S-125 "Neva". The basic version with a 5V24 missile with a range of up to 16 km.
- S-125M Neva-M. The complex, which received 5V27 missiles and increased range to 22 km.
- S-125M1 "Neva-M1". It differs from the “M” version in terms of increased noise immunity and the new 5V27D missiles with the ability to fire after them.
For the Navy of the USSR:
- M-1 "Wave". Ship analogue of version C-125.
- M-1M "Wave-M". Ship analogue of the version S-125M.
- M-1P "Volna-P". Ship analogue of the S-152M1 version, with the addition of the 9Sh33 television system.
- M-1H. "Wave-N". The complex is aimed at combating low-flying anti-ship missiles.
For export:
- "Pechora." Export version of the Neva air defense system.
- "Pechora-M." Export version of the Neva-M air defense system.
- "Pechora-2M." Export version of the Neva-M1 air defense system.
The S-125 "Pechora-2M" air defense system is still being supplied to a number of countries.
Specifications
The main tactical and technical characteristics of the Neva air defense system:
- The range of heights of damage is 0.02-18 km.
- The maximum range of destruction is 11-18 km, depending on the height.
- The distance between the center of the position and the control cabin is up to 20 m.
- The distance between the control cabin and the starting device is up to 70 m.
- The length of the rocket is 5948 mm.
- The diameter of the 1st stage of the rocket is 552 mm.
- The diameter of the 2nd stage of the rocket is 379mm.
- The launch mass of the rocket is 980 kg.
- Rocket flight speed - up to 730 m / s.
- The maximum allowable target speed is 700m / s.
- The weight of the warhead of the rocket is 72 kg.
Exploitation
The S-125 short-range air defense system was used in various local-type military conflicts. In 1970, 40 divisions of the Neva with Soviet personnel went to Egypt. There they quickly showed their effectiveness. In 16 firing, Soviet air defense systems shot down 9 and damaged 3 Israeli aircraft. After that, a truce came to Suez.
In 1999, during the time of NATO aggression against Yugoslavia, the S-125 air defense system was last used on the battlefield. By the beginning of hostilities, Yugoslavia had 14 S-125 batteries. Some of them were equipped with television sighting devices and laser rangefinders, which made it possible to launch missiles without preliminary target designation. Nevertheless, in general, the efficiency of the complexes used in Yugoslavia was undermined due to the fact that they were outdated by the time and needed regular maintenance. Most missiles used in the S-125 had a residual life of zero.
The electronic countermeasures available to NATO troops have proven very effective in confronting Soviet anti-aircraft missile systems. Until the end of the conflict, only two of the eight S-125 air defense divisions operating in the vicinity of Belgrade remained combat-ready. In order to reduce losses, air defense systems worked on radiation for 23-25 seconds. This time period was calculated by the headquarters as a result of the first losses in a collision with NATO's HARM anti-radar missiles. Calculations of missile systems had to master a hidden maneuver involving a constant change of position and shooting from ambush. As a result, it was the S-125 air defense system, the performance characteristics of which we examined, that managed to bring down the American F-117 fighter.