S-300PT (С-300ПТ) unit (site)

Russia / Moskovskaja Oblast / Proletarskiy /
 abandoned / shut down, closed / former military

The S-300P (transliterated from Russian С-300П, NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is the original version of the S-300 system which became operational in 1978.
In 1987 over 80 of these sites were active, mainly in the area around Moscow.
Construction of this site began in late 1981.
This particular unit was active from the mid-1980's through the early 1990's.

The P suffix stands for PVO-Strany (country air defense system).
An S-300PT unit consists of a 36D6 (NATO reporting name TIN SHIELD) surveillance radar, a 30N6 (FLAP LID) fire control system and 5P85-1 launch vehicles.
The 5P85-1 vehicle is a semi-trailer truck. Usually a 76N6 (CLAM SHELL) low altitude detection radar is also a part of the unit.

This system broke substantial new ground, including the use of a phased array radar and multiple engagements on the same Fire-control system (FCS). Nevertheless, it had some limitations. It took over one hour to set up this semi-mobile system for firing and the hot vertical launch method employed scorched the TEL.
Its radars have the ability to simultaneously track up to 100 targets while engaging up to 12.

It was originally intended to fit the Track Via Missile (TVM) guidance system onto this model. However, the TVM system had problems tracking targets below 500 m.
Rather than accept the limitation, the Soviets decided that the tracking of low altitude targets was a must and decided to use a pure command-guidance system until the TVM head was ready. This allowed the minimum engagement altitude to be set at 25 m.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   55°9'12"N   37°10'54"E

Comments

  • Unlike the US MIM-104 Patriot that was used during the Gulf War, the S-300PT has never been utilized in a combat situation. However, the S-300PT has always been regarded as possibly the best air defense system ever constructed. With all the refinements made to the original S-300 systems, it is a serious deterrent to attacking forces, being deadly accurate to higher altitude targets with a 75-90km. range, a much improved low-altitude tracking system, and a greatly improved deployment rate, comparable to mobile SAM systems in the West.
This article was last modified 11 years ago