HF COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES AT OR NEAR SOVIET ICBM COMPLEXES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04759A000700010001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 24
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 5, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 1, 1965
• Content Type: REPORT

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HF COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES AT
OR NEAR SOVIET ICBM._ COMPLEXES
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HF COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES AT
OR NEAR SOVIET ICBM COMPLEXES
April 1965
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NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
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In response to numerous and overlapping requirements, a compre-
hensive photographic analysis has been undertaken in an effort to iden-
tify communications facilities considered to be available for use by the
Strategic Rocket Forces of the USSR. Because of the scope of the entire
project, the time-consuming search and measurement factors involved,
and the consequent multiplicity of effort, it was not feasible to make the
results of the study available in a single publication.
The present report, therefore, concerned as it is with only ICBM-
related communications, is but 1 of a series of approximately 4 publi-
cations, each of which covers a convenient subunit of the larger overall
project. Already published is NPIC/R-795/64, New HF Communications
Facilities at Soviet MRBM/IRBM Launch Areas, August 1964; presently
being prepared for publication is another report extending MRBM/IRBM
coverage. A final report is anticipated to cover possibly related commu-
nications available in the Moscow area.
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An analysis has been made of the most re-
cent and best photography of all known
ICBM complexes in the USSR in an effort to iden-
tify high-frequency (HF) communications and
microwave facilities of the Soviet Strategic
Rocket Forces. Where no communications could
be identified within the general limits of the com-
plex itself, a further search of a 50-nautical-
mile (nm) surrounding area was undertaken.
Of the 24 deployed Soviet ICBM complexes
known to exist as of Figure 1),
the results of this st1 Wrb aled:
1. Communications Facilities atICBM
Complexes. A total of 6 complexes * --
Drovyanaya, Olovyannaya, Svobodnyy, Tyu-
men, Verkhnyaya Salda, andYoshkar-Ola--
contained identifiable IIF communications
(Figures 2 - 7 and Table 1). Because of their
location, these facilities are felt to be defi-
nitely associated with their respective com-
plex.
2. Possible Communications Facilities
at ICBM Complexes. Two otherlCBMcom-
plexes, Kozelsk and Yedrovo, contained pos-
sible communications facilities (Figure 8).
3. Communications Facilities Within 50
nm of ICBM Complexes. At Tyumen and 2
other ICBM complexes, ** Novosibirsk and
Shadrinsk, HF communications facilities
were situated near the complex area but not
in such proximity as to appear definitely as-
sociated. (Figures 9 - 11 and Table 2).
4. Other,Probably Unassociated,Com-
munications Within 50 nm of ICBM Com-
plexes. A possible communications facility
*An additional facility, located at the Yurya ICBM Com-
plex and identified on IIphotography, is de-
scribed in an addenda to this report.
**An additional facility, located near the Itatka ICBM Com-
plex and detected on Ophotography, is de-
scribed in an addenda to this report.
was noted approximately 10 nm from the
complex support facility of the Kostroma
ICBM Complex, and a number of additional
facilities around the city of Novosibirsk
(Figure 12 and Table 3). These facilities
are included in this study, however, only be-
cause they fall within the search area--they
do not appear to have any pertinent relation
to the ICBM complexes.
No HF or microwave communications could
be identified at or within 50 nm of the remaining
complexes.
For each of the identified facilities where it
was both possible and relevant to do so, antenna
types, numbers, orientations, and possible cor-
respondents have been determined.
Size measurements are only approxi-
mate and cannot be given in many cases because
pole positions could not be observed. It should
also be noted that only possible correspondents
are listed--these having been derived solely by
extending great circles from each identified an-
tenna, with consideration given, however, to
probable range limits of the particular antenna
type and the possible azimuth error. These
great-circle projections are illustrated in Fig-
ures 13 and 14.
COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES AT ICBM COMPLEXES
Of the 6 facilities covered in this section, 5
contain predominantly fishbone-type receiving
antennas while the sixth has only horizontal
dipole antennas. A typical HF communications
facility at an ICBM complex consists of from 2
to 5 fishbone receiving antennas and 1 or 2 hor-
izontal dipole antennas. Each of the communica-
tions facilities is situated within the ICBMcom-
plex area, generally a short distance from the
complex support facility from which it probably
receives its support since there are no signifi-
cant support facilities within the communications
facility itself.
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The fishbone antennas, in many instances,
appear to be paired- -that is, 2 antennas are ori-
ented in 1 direction, 2 more in another direction,
etc. Comparison of the length of the fishbones
shows it to be relatively greater as the distance
from the Moscow-Leningrad area is increased,
which is consistent with antenna engineeringde-
sign requirements.
Voshkar-Ola, the single facility containing
only horizontal dipole antennas, is much nearer
to Moscow than the other facilities, which may
account for the presence of only this relatively
short-range type antenna.
No rhombic antennas are found at any of
these facilities, indicating either that, if present,
this type of antenna is older and cannot be seen
hecause of vegetation growth or that, if not pres-
ent, there exists no capability for long-range HF
transmitting directly from the ICBM complex.
For each of the facilities in this section,
there is a brief description together with apho-
tograph and a line drawing. Pertinent data on
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the individual antennas, including orientation,
has been collected in 'Fable 1. The great-circle
projections of the antennas are illustrated in Fig-
ure 13.
DAOVYANAYA ICBM COMPLEX COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY
An HF communications facility (Figure 2) is
situated approximately 1.5 nm east-southeast of
the complex support facility of the Drovyanaya
ICBM Complex, and generally to the north of the
individual launch areas. The facility, which is
relatively new, contains 2 HF fishbone receiving
antennas (items 1 and 2), each having 5 rows of
pole positions, and a control building and guard-
house. As discussed earlier in this report, the 2
antennas are paired, i.e., their size and orienta-
tion is similar. Most of the pole and guy-anchor
positions of the antennas can be seen on the pho-
tography, but no pole shadows are visible. (The
only facility where actual pole shadows can be
observed is the one at Verkhnyaya Salda, for
which good-quality large-scale photography is
available.)
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OLOVYANNAYA ICBM COMPLEX COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY
An HF communications facility (Figure 3)
is situated approximately 2.5 nm north of the
complex support facility of the Olovyannaya
ICBM Complex, and generally to the south of the
individual launch areas. The fence-secured fa-
cility contains 4 HF fishbone receiving antennas
(items 1 to 4), a horizontal dipole antenna (item
5), and a possible antenna of an unidentified type
NUMBERS KEYED TO TABLE I
ANTENNAS 1-4 UNDER CONSTRUCTION
(item 6). A small control/support area includes
a single control building and several construc-
tion/support buildings.
The fishbone antennas have 5 rows of pole
positions each and are still under construction;
2 of the 4 are paired (items 1 and 2). The pos-
sible antenna is not distinct enough on the avail-
able photography for azimuthal or other meas-
urements.
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An HF communications facility (Figure 4)
is situated approximately 2.5 nm north-north-
east of the complex support facility of the
Svobodnyy ICBM Complex and is generally cen-
tered among the individual launch areas. The
fence-enclosed facility has an antenna field con-
taining 5 HF fishbone receiving antennas (items 1
to 5), a horizontal dipole antenna (item 6), and
a possible antenna of unidentified type (item 7).
A control area contains a single control build-
ing and 2 other small buildings; on the photog-
raphy of 0 4 probable vehicles were
observed in this area. In addition, there is a
guard shack at the entrance and a probable con-
struction building at the end of antenna No 1.
Size measurements for the fishbones were
very difficult to determine as the antennas are
still under construction and the guy anchors and
pole positions are very indistinct. However, 4 of
these antennas appear to be approximately the
same size as those at the Olovyannaya and Dro-
vyanaya facilities, and their orientations indi-
cate that they constitute 2 pairs. The fifth fish-
bone appears shorter than the others and is prob-
ably intended for receiving from a correspond-
ingly lesser distance. The orientation of the hor-
izontal dipole is the same as that of the small
fishbone. The possible antenna is very indis-
tinct on the available photography and no azi-
mu_hal or other measurements could be obtained.
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An HF communications facility (Figure 5) is
situated 2 nm west of Bogandinskaya and adjacent
to the unidentified facility just north of the com-
plex support facility of the Tyumen ICBM Com-
plex. The facility contains 2 paired HF fishbone
receiving antennas (items 1 and 2), a horizontal
dipole antenna (item 3), and apossible antenna of
an unidentified type (item 4). A probable future
control area contains no buildings as yet but has
been partially cleared and some footings may be
present.
The fishbones, which have an apparent 2-2-2
configuration, are relatively short, indicating a
receiving-distance capability less than that of the
fishbones at Svobodnyy, Drovyanaya, and Olov-
yannaya. No meaningful azimuthal or other
measurements could be obtained forthe possible
antenna on available photography.
FIGURE 5. TYUMEN ItrnvrcmvmrtEX COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY.
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VERKHNYAYA SALDA ICBM COMPLEX
COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY
An HF communications facility (Figure 6) is
situated 8 nm north-northeast of Verkhnyaya
Salda at the auxiliary support facility of the ICBM
complex. The facility consists of apairof fish-
bone receiving antennas (items 1 and 2), 5-3-3-5
configuration, and a control/support area. As
mentioned previously, the shadows of the antenna
poles can be seen at this facility because of the
large scale and good quality of the photography.
The control/support area contains 6 large build-
ings, 1 of which is a probable control building,
and 2 smaller buildings/structures. A possible
transmission line extends from 1 of the fishbones
to the probable control building, adjacent to which
are 2 or 3 possible communications masts of no
identifiable configuration (item 3).
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Oft AREA `.~ POSSIBLE
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YOSHKAR-OLA ICBM COMPLEX COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY
An HF communications facility (Figure 7) is
situated approximately 2 nm northeast of the
complex support facility of the Yoshkar-Ola
ICBM Complex, and generally to the west of the
individual launch areas. This facility differs
markedly from the previous 5 communications
facilities in that it contains no identifiable fish-
bone antennas; instead, there are 3 probable
horizontal dipole antennas (items 1 to 3) and 1
possible horizontal dipole antenna (item 4).
The control area is indistinct but appears to
contain a single building and 2 small unidenti-
fied objects. Neither antenna poles nor guy-
anchor positions are clearly discernible on
the available photography, the presence of the
antennas being inferred by the patterns cut in
the vegetation.
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Distance
Item
Associated
from Complex
Number
Length
idth
ICBM
Support
Coordinates (keyed to
(ft,
(ft,
Possible Correspondents
Complex
Facility
appropriate
approx)
apprax)
(see Figure 13)
(nm, approx)
figure)
Fishbone 650 150
Salekhard. Arkhangelsk areas
0lovyannaya 2.5 North 50-52-305 1 Fishbone 625 190
Karaganda, Tyuratam, Baku .,.as
115-49-OOE 2 Fishbone 625 190
Karaganda, Tyuratam, Baku areas
Fishbone 170
Leningrad area
Fishbone -- --
Salekhard, Arkhangelsk areas
5 Dipole 200 NA
Kirensk area
Svobodnyy 2.5 NNE 51-48-20N 1 Fishbone
Moscow area
128-10-OOE 2 Fishbone
Moscow area
3
Drovyanaya ICBM Complex,
Fishbone - --
.Alma-Ata areas/Komsomolsk area
Drovyanaya ICBM Complex,
Fishbone -- --
Alma-Ata arcas.'Komsomolek area
Bratsk, Krasnoyarsk (Gladkaya ICBM Comple
Dipole 220 NA
Novosibirsk areas;S Sakhalin Is
S Sakhalin Is
Tv umen 2 North 56-54-OON 1 Fishbone 315 195
Moscow area
65-49-40E 2 Fishbone 315 195
Moscow area
3 Dipole 130 NA
Yoshkar-Ola ICBM Complex area/Novosihirsk
S erkhnyaya 15 NE (at 58-12-40N 1 Fishbone 315 170
ICBM Complex area
Moscow area
Saida auxiliary 60-42-OOE 2 Fishbone 815 170
Moscow area
support
facility)
Kuybyshev, Guryev areas
48-04-OOE 2 Dipole (prob)
Undetermined
3 Dipole (prob)
Yedrovo ICBM Complex area
4 Dipole (poss)
Moscow area
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POSSIBLE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES AT
ICBM COMPLEXES
In addition to the 6 facilities already de-
scribed, there are possible communications fa-
cilities at 2 other ICBM complexes, Kozelsk and
Yedrovo (Figure 8).
Kozelsk ICBM Complex Possible Micro-
wave Tower.
Map: DIA. US Air Target Chart, Series 200,
Sheet 0167-14HL, 2d ed, Nov 63, scale 1:200,000
(S)
The only possible communications-related
facility that could be identified at the Kozelsk
ICBM Complex is a possible microwave tower of
the self-supporting lattice type situated in a
clearing at 53-57-OON 35-48-30E, immediately
west-northwest of the complex support facility.
Although no microwave dishes, reflectors, or
horn-and-lens equipment can be seen, the scale
of the photography precludes the complete dis-
counting of their presence.
Yedrovo ICBM Complex Possible Communi-
cations Facility.
Map: DIA. US Air Target Chart, Series 200,
Sheet 0154-11HL, 3d ed, Nov 63, scale 1:200,000
(S)
This possible facility is at 57-49-30N 33-43-
40E, 2.5 nm southeast of the complex support fa-
cility of the Yedrovo ICBM Complex. It consists
of a probable antenna field (no antennas are iden-
tifiable), a centrally located probable control
building, and a small support area containing 5
buildings and 3 unidentified objects.
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COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES WITHIN 50 NM OF
ICBM COMPLEXES
At 3 ICBM complexes,* Novosibirsk, Shad-
rinsk, and Tyumen (which also has an HF commu-
nications facility, previously described, within
the general area of the complex), communica-
tions facilities have been identified within a
relatively short distance of the complex but still
far enough away so that it is not possible to def-
initely associate them with the complex. These
3 facilities are not particularly similar to the 6
ICBM complex facilities that have already been
covered. For example, 2 of these 3 facilities
contain primarily rhombic antennas, a type not
found at the other 6. Also, although the third
facility does contain HF fishbone antennas,
these are all individually oriented (i.e., not
paired) and, a further difference, there are no
identifiable horizontal dipoles present. Never-
theless, these 3 facilities have sufficient pos-
sible relevance so that a brief description, line
drawing, and photograph of each is included in
*An additional facility, located near the Itatka ICBM Com-
plex and detected on II photography, is de-
scribed in an addenda to this report.
this report. In addition, Table 2 lists the ori-
entations, possible correspondents, and obtain-
able measurements for each antenna, and Fig-
ure 14 shows the great-circle projections.
Communications Facility East of the
Novosibirsk ICBM Complex
An HF communications receiving facility
(Figure 9) is situated 18 nm northeast of Novo-
sibirsk and 9.5 nm east of the complex support
facility of the Novosibirsk ICBM Complex.
This fence-secured facility consists of 5 fish-
hone receiving antennas (items 1 to 5) and a
control/support area. As noted above, the fish-
bones at this facility are not paired, a common
practice at many of the other facilities, but are
individually oriented instead. These antennas
are indistinct on the available photography, so
that the measurement of their lengths and widths
is very approximate. The control/support area
contains 5 large buildings (including a control
building) and 8 small buildings. An additional
small group of buildings is immediately adja-
cent to and outside of the southeastern fence
line.
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FIGURE 9. COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY EAST OF NOVOSIBIRSK ICBM COMPLEX.
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Communications Facility West of the
Shadrinsk ICBM Complex
An HF communications facility (Figure 10)
is situated 6.5 nm east-southeast of Dalmatovo
and 19.5 nm west-northwest of the complex sup-
port facility of the Shadrinsk ICBM Complex.
Antennas at the facility include 2 double rhombics
arranged as a day-night pair (items 1 and 2) and
a row of probable HF horizontal dipoles (item 3),
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the exact number of which cannot be determined
on the available photography. Two possible an-
tennas of an unidentified type (items 4 and 5)
are situated near the rhombics, but no meaning-
ful measurements are possible for these. In ad-
dition to the antennas, the facility contains a cen-
trally located control building and a small sup-
port area with at least 2 buildings and clearings
for possible additional construction.
FIGURE 10. COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY WEST OF SHADRINSK ICBM COMPLEX.
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Communications Facility North of the
Tyumen ICBM Complex
An HF communications facility (Figure 11)
is 8 nm southeast of Tyumen and 13 nm north-
northwest of the complex support facility of the
Tyumen ICBM Complex. The fence-enclosed fa-
cility contains 2 double day and 2 double night
HF rhombic antennas (items 1 to 4), all of which
appear to be oriented to the same azimuth. In
addition, 3 horizontal dipole antennas (items 5
and 6) can be identified by their pole and guy-
anchor positions. The facility also contains a
small tower of unidentified function (item 7) and
a single control building.
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0 800 1000
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Distance Item
Nearest from Compl I I Number
IC B%l - unca,xt Co