DON - 2H Russian radar (6 photos) Bashny.Net

Several years ago, the planes landing at Sheremetyevo, made while approaching the Moscow small hook, skirting some forbidden zone. If in our time curious traveler closely pressed against the porthole, between Sofrino and Pushkin in clear weather may notice a gigantic structure that resembles an unfinished pyramid of Cheops. In fact, it is quite unfinished, which is unparalleled in the world radar "Don-2N." During the appearance, unique performance and incredible value military often call it the eighth wonder of the world.



six years ago, says the chief designer of the radar Victor Sloka, within the framework of cooperation on missile defense program, Russia and America, a joint experiment ODERACS.

With the US shuttle Discovery in space thrown metal balls of the target, and the world's most powerful radars tried to detect them.

Pyatnadtsatisantimetrovye sphere spotted all. Balls with a diameter of 10 centimeters saw only three radar, two Russian and American COBRA DANE radar in Alaska. Finally the ship threw two 5santimetrovyh ball. Discovered and built a miniature target trajectory just outside Moscow, "DON". "Don-2N" is the heart of a missile defense system in Moscow. Nothing like no one else in the world, America is only planning to create something similar. Plant construction took 32 thousand tons of metal, 50,000 tons of concrete, 20,000 kilometers of cables, hundreds of kilometers of pipelines and 10,000 iron valves to them (for cooling equipment requires huge amounts of water). On each side, 130 meters (at the side of the pyramid of Cheops is 227 meters), the giant concrete structure located phased array antennas. In each of the arrays - 60,000 emitters. They work for ten years, continuously scanning the area around Moscow at a distance of 3700 kilometers. For design, "Don-2N" must have worked for at least another thirty years.



Phase shifters

A developed radiators and very grating 25 years Dmitry Zimin, then - deputy chief designer, now - the founder of the "Bee Line". "Phased Array - he explains the principle of operation of radar - is a way to get the beam to rotate at a fixed antenna." Reflectors traditional radar (radar) swinging on the turntables. An important advantage of a phased array radar - the ability to generate multiple beams. For example, "DON" can simultaneously track 30 targets. "The idea itself is not new phased array and clear - said Zimin. - In order to swing at a fixed antenna beam must learn to tilt the front of the field. " In a traditional front radar emitter strictly perpendicular, and in order to steer the beam, it is necessary to rotate the antenna itself. If the antenna divided into thousands of small emitters and to teach them according to the algorithm to change the phase, then a plane wave can be put in any direction. Theoretically, these radars were calculated at the end of the Second World War, but in practice the idea rested on the extraordinary technological ease of creation in the microwave range of managed environments. Had tried a lot of materials: ferrites, semiconductors and even plasma - has not yet found the right solution. Historically, the first such swing beam antennas were not constructed on the basis of phase shifters, but on the principle of frequency scanning. A small change in frequency leads to a change in oscillator phase and, consequently, a rapid swing beam. This is the most simple technology, and the first phased array radars operate on this principle. These radar antenna differed insufficient accuracy and monstrous size, reaching a length of one hundred meters.



Look beyond the horizon

Prepared in 1972, the preliminary design of the national missile defense (NMD) has set up an early warning system, which was to include the-horizon-horizon radar, and space systems. The-horizon radars, using the property of radio waves reflected from the ionosphere of the Earth, could register with the USSR launches in the United States. Placed on satellites sensors had to register infrared radiation from the exhaust of a rocket engine. These tools provide the maximum possible time warning. The-horizon radar performed a simple function: they confirm whether the flies on us something or not, and gave the signal for the return run. The system has reached its peak in the late 70s. With the collapse of the Union were lost radars in Skrunda (Latvia), Sevastopol and Mukachevo (Ukraine), Balkhash (Kazakhstan), suspended work Mishlevke (near Irkutsk). Externally, these radars were like well-known for his television footage radar in Skrunda. Now the territory of Russia cover three early warning radar - Pechora (Russia), Baranovichi (Belarus) and Gabala (Azerbaijan).



Fourth - Moscow "DON", in addition to closing the holes formed in the early warning system, performs a much more difficult task. It must be accompanied by small-sized high-speed targets (warheads), discard the decoys to bypass interference and give the coordinates of the defeat. An extremely difficult task, that's why the most powerful supercomputer in the USSR "Elbrus" was designed just for "Don" in the building it occupies almost the floor. Inside the station is about a thousand cabinets only with electronic equipment. Since the task developers right: "DON" allows you to identify targets at distances of thousands of kilometers with optical precision. Designer General claims that his radar sees even a tennis ball flying over Europe at a rate of several thousand kilometers per hour. "That's just the problem itself is useless - sigh Zimin. - Each system has a finite bandwidth, ie it and "Don". Suffice one extra goal - and not Moscow. By and large, the problem of missile defense with massive raid - an unsolvable problem. Americans understood this, so their system is not unfolded to protect the city, and launchers. After launching tubes withstand fantastic load: in order to disable them, you need a direct hit. Here single unauthorized launches - yes. " For such purposes, and are now trying to create American global missile defense system. After the meeting, Bush and Putin company Boeing, is responsible for the development of radars for the US program, addressed to engineers "Don" with the offer of cooperation. What came out of it, we do not know. We can only say with certainty that the tennis balls over Europe until we can see only.