Solnechnogorsk - missile attack warning system (SPRN)

The first objects of the Russian missile attack warning system (SPRN) took up combat duty at a command post in Solnechnogorsk near Moscow, Murmansk and Riga radio remote sensing units. This event received high military-political appreciation in the world. In the midst of the Cold War and the nuclear missile race, the political and military leadership of the Soviet Union had the opportunity to quickly and reliably receive information about the time, start and fall areas of ballistic missile warheads, as well as the aggressor country, which made it possible make timely decisions on the reciprocal use of domestic nuclear missile forces. Considering that by that time the USSR was far ahead of the United States in creating the first missile defense systems.

In January 1965, the military-political leadership of the country decided to begin the construction of the first stage of the future command post of the warning system and the first 25 military personnel arrived at the head of the group of the object under construction, major engineer V.P., arrived on the picturesque shore of the pearl of the Moscow region - Lake Senezh. Skudin. Literally everything then had to start from scratch. Soldiers and sergeants were housed in a prefabricated shield barracks. Three kindergarten rooms were allocated to the headquarters. There was no own car park, only two cars were available - a passenger car and a truck, which at first had to be kept open all day round.

The first objects of the domestic PRN system were created by people who went through the harsh school of the Great Patriotic War. It fell to their lot to fully experience the joy of great victories, and the bitterness of grievous defeats, and the emotional pain of irreparable human losses. They knew too well what war was, what innumerable misfortunes and sufferings a nuclear missile war could bring to our people and did everything possible, and sometimes impossible, for this war to remain in world history only in the unrealized plans of the then overseas and NATO military strategists.

The object needed to be created in the shortest possible time. Academician A.L. Mintz personally oversaw the construction of the first phase of the future command post of the warning system.

Directly the construction of complex engineering structures, installation of apparatus and equipment, testing and development of a fundamentally new technology and weapons, the formation of military teams, engaged in the Office of the construction and commissioning of space rocket defense under the leadership of Lieutenant General M.M. Colomian. The fulfillment of a task of national importance required scientists, engineers, military personnel of titanic energy, technical insight, bold and responsible decisions, dedication and initiative. The military, labor and scientific teams reigned in a spirit of enthusiasm, pride in their country, the desire to complete the especially important task of the Motherland as quickly and with high quality as possible. It was a period when they built and studied at the same time.

For a year and a half, the main facilities of the command post were created. Now it was necessary to install and set up sophisticated equipment at that time and technological equipment, and most importantly to prepare duty shifts capable of completing a combat mission. On July 16, 1966, military unit 12556 was formed on the basis of the group of the facility under construction. Colonel Glovatsky Vladimir Polikarpovich was appointed its first commander, and made an invaluable contribution to the issue of military-patriotic education of military personnel of the military unit.

On April 14, 1970, the commander of the missile defense and space defense forces, Colonel General Yu.V. Votin-tsev on behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR handed parts of the Battle Banner.

On February 15, 1971, the unit took up combat duty. From this moment on, the unit continuously performs a combat mission of strategic importance. The unique automated data processing system of SPRN means, information systems of anti-ballistic missile defense systems and space control allow us to timely, accurately and reliably establish the fact of a missile attack, identify the aggressor state, determine the degree of threats to combat control systems and strategic forces of the country.

The missile attack warning system played an important role in maintaining strategic balance and preventing a nuclear war and ensures that the military-political leadership of Russia makes the decision on the effective use of the Armed Forces in an adequate manner to the extent of the real threat.

The 1970s and 1980s were years of rapid development of the SPRN, its heyday, the time when the most complex, and sometimes unexpected, scientific, technical and military tasks were solved. The reliability and reliability of the incoming information, the noise immunity and survivability of the facilities increased, the combat control system was improved, the problem of analyzing the results of the combat use of means and the implementation of its conclusions was solved, without which further effective development of the system as a whole would be simply impossible. During this period, new radio engineering units were introduced into the general system of SPRN in Usolye - Siberian, Balkhash, Sevastopol, Mukachevo, Pechora, Mingachevir. In 1978, in abbreviated form, and in 1982, in full force, the first-tier weapons, the space-based missile attack warning system, began to perform combat duty tasks. For the first time in the world, the task of fully automating the receipt, processing, and combining of data from heterogeneous means of detecting, generating, and issuing warning information to notified control centers was solved. Together with the system, the command post was also improved.

The contribution of the command post personnel to the common treasury of protecting state interests was adequately appreciated by the leadership of the state and the Ministry of Defense. In this difficult period for the personnel, the units were awarded with state awards: the Order of the Red Star - 8 people, the Order "For Service to the Motherland of the III Degree" - 27 people, the Order of the Badge of Honor - 1 person, the medal "For Military Merit" - 57 people , the medal "For Distinction in Military Service" of the 1st degree - 32 people, 2nd degree - 53 people.

The 1990s became a time of serious trials for the command and the entire personnel of the command post. It was a time when, due to difficult economic conditions, trained, technically competent, classy specialists left the troops "to the national economy." Despite all the difficulties, the most dedicated servicemen survived, retained their accumulated knowledge, skills, established traditions, and most importantly, preserved the system.

A worthy contribution to the creation and development of the command post was made by the officers who led the military unit over the years: Colonels Glovatsky Vladimir Polikarpovich, Vaganov Alexander Nikolaevich, Major General Gusachenko Viktor Stepanovich, Colonels: Gutorin Leonid Ivanovich, Lobachev Albert Nikolaevich, Shmakov Vladimir Alexandrovich, Tsulygin Ivan Ivanovich, Terekhov Petr Aleksandrovich, Smirnov Viktor Petrovich, Belokon Andrey Anatolyevich, Suchkov Sergey Viktorovich.

Throughout the period, the SPRN command post was given increased attention by the military-political leadership of the country and the Ministry of Defense. Over the past 45 years, some have visited: USSR Minister of Defense Marshal of the Soviet Union A. Grechko, USSR Minister of Defense Marshal of the Soviet Union D.T. Yazov, Commander-in-Chief of the CIS Air Force Marshal E.I. Shaposhnikov, Minister of Defense of the Russian Armed Forces Army General P. Grachev, Minister of Defense of the Armed Forces RF Marshal I. Sergeyev, Minister of Defense of the RF Armed Forces Ivanov SB, Minister of Defense of the RF Armed Forces A.E.Serdyukov. In October 2010, the command post was visited by President of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev.

Currently, the command post is organizationally part of the Main Center for a Missile Attack Warning of the country's Space Forces and is one of the main links in the missile attack warning system. Today, the team of the command post confidently and efficiently fulfills its intended tasks. Repeatedly, the command of the PRN Main Center noted the high professional level of Lieutenant Colonel Zakutyaev Alexander Valerievich, Lieutenant Colonel Mitrofanov Yuri Nikolaevich, Major Smirnov Pavel Vladimirovich, Major Stroganov Alexander Yuryevich, Major Davydov Igor Igorevich, Captain Svezhintsev Vyacheslav Anatolyevich. The team of the command post worthily continues the traditions laid down by the veterans who stood at the origins of the PRN system. The high level of training of command post specialists and the reliability of technical systems and systems confirm the confidence in ensuring reliable protection of the aerospace borders of the homeland.