SOVIET MRBM/IRBM WARHEAD-MATING AND HANDLING PROCEDURES, USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05162A000400010124-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 25, 2012
• Sequence Number: 124
• Publication Date: July 1, 1976
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/25: CIA-RDP78TO5162A000400010124-0
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
PHOTOGRAPHIC
I NTERPRETATION
REPORT
SOVIET MRBM/IRBM WARHEAD-MATING
AND HANDLING PROCEDURES, USSR
JULY 1976
Copy 99
PI R-01 1/76
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Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT- Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN- Caution-Proprietary Information Involved
USIBONLY- USIB Departments Only
ORCON- Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL. . .- This Information has been Authorized for
Release to ...
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Top Secret RUFF
SOVIET MRBM/IRBM WARHEAD-MATING AND HANDLING
PROCEDURES, USSR
ABSTRACT
1. Soviet SS-4 SANDAL (MRBM) and SS-5 SKEAN (IRBM) warhead-mating, handling
procedures, and equipment are discussed in this report. A description of warhead-mating techni-
ques that have not been previously identified is given for MRBM/IRBM missile systems.
2. All photography of MRBM/IRBM launch sites was reviewed in the preparation of
this report. It includes a location map, an artist's conception of a warhead-mating training device,
and ten annotated photographs.
INTRODUCTION
handling procedures, however.
3. The SS-4 and SS-5 missile systems have been deployed since 1958 and 1961, respectively,
at both soft and hard launch sites in complexes situated principally within a 250-mile-wide strip
along the western USSR border (Figure 1).1 Since deployment began, much information has been
compiled on the operational procedures of the SS-4 and SS-5 missile systems. Only a limited
amount of photographically derived information has been accumulated on SS-4 and SS-5 warhead-
4. The warheads are first seen at MRBM/IRBM complexes
They are probably delivered to the complexes by rail, loaded into type I warhead vans,
and transported to the launch sites. At the launch site, they are unloaded and placed on storage
dollie or delivery to the launch pad, the warhead is placed in
a framework on the back of a flatbed truck. Once at the launch pad, the truck is backed up to the
missile so that the warhead can be positioned for mating to the missile.
PHOTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
Soft Sites
5. A warhead-mating exercise was observed in progress at Lebedin IRBM Launch Site 3 C
. An SS-5 missile on a transporter was
aligned with the SS-5 erector (not illustrated) in the normal position for a missile exercise. A flatbed
truck, carrying an SS-5 warhead, was directly in front of the missile. The warhead appeared to be
resting on pads beneath a framework consisting of two inverted U-shaped supports which are
mounted on the truck. The framework may be moved vertically, horizontally, backward, and
forward for accurate positioning of the warhead on the missile. It could not be determined from the
photography whether the framework was operated manually or mechanically.
site was observed at Taurage MRBM Launch Site 2
7. Warhead-mating training devices have been identified at five other IRBM sites. The device
consists of a short cylinder open at both ends, , sup-
ported by two vertical braces. The short cylinder is used to simulate the end of an SS-5 missile. The
top of the short cylinder is 4.0 meters (13.0 feet) above the ground. At ground level two horizontal
braces extend backward from the vertical braces to a possible
counterweight (Figure 4). This training device appears to be almost identical to one used at SS-7
(ICBM) soft sites.
8. At MRBM launch sites, a less sophisticated type of warhead-mating training technique has
been identified. In this technique, a short missile segment is positioned on the end of an SS-4 mis-
sile transporter. The flatbed truck is then backed up to and aligned with the missile segment. The
warhead is then mated to the missile. An example of a warhead-mating exercise at a soft MRBM
two rails can be seen on the bed of the flatbed truck, the
framework is extended all the way to the rear of the truck, and the SS-4 warhead is being fastened to
the missile.
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Hard Sites
9. At MRBM/IRBM hard sites, the warhead is mated to the missile only after it has been
placed in the silo. For this operation, a warhead-mating framework is used (Figure 6). There is some
evidence that there may be two methods for mating warheads to missiles at hard launch sites. The
standard method of mating the warhead to the missile at hard sites probably involves using a truck-
mounted crane and the warhead-mating framework. After the missile has been placed in the silo
and the warhead fitted inside the framework, the framework is lowered by a truck-mounted crane
and the warhead is fastened onto the missile. What may have been an example of the preliminary
stages of this operation was seen at Sary-Ozek IRBM Launch Site 2 on
All of the equipment needed for both a silo-loading
and warhead-mating operation was on the silo apron. One silo was open and an SS-5 silo loader with
its superstructure down in the silo was immediately in front of and aligned with the open silo door.
(Continued p. 7)
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A type I warhead van was beside the open silo; an SS-5 missile on a transporter was parked a short
distance away; and a truck-mounted crane was being used to load an SS-5 missile onto a silo loader.
On the other side of the apron, another truck-mounted crane was positioned in front of a warhead-
mating framework with a type I warhead van parked nearby. Another warhead-mating framework
was also nearby.
10. Evidence of a possible alternate method for mating a warhead to a missile inside a silo was
seen at Pervomaysk IRBM Launch Site 1
an SS-5 silo loader was parked on the apron in
front of a closed silo, and a warhead-mating framework was within the SS-5 silo loader superstruc-
ture. This observation suggests the possibility that a silo loader is used to lower the warhead onto
the missile. For example, once the missile has been placed in the silo, a warhead-mating framework
with the warhead fitted inside could be lifted onto and attached to the silo loader superstructure
with a truck-mounted crane. Then, the silo loader, already in place and properly aligned with the
missile, could lower the warhead onto the missile. Once the warhead has been fastened to the mis-
sile, the silo loader could then remove the framework. This procedure would require about the same
amount of time and eliminate any alignment problem.
11. This alternate method of warhead mating may also be used with other missile systems,
such as the SS-4, SS-7, SS-8, and SS-9, which use similar types of silo loaders. A warhead-mating
framework was observed within an SS-8 silo loader at Omsk ICBM Launch Site 1
and at Kozelsk ICBM Launch Site 5
Training or Practice Silo
12. A training or practice silo for simulated mating of a warhead with a missile has been iden-
tified at only one hard MRBM/IRBM launch site, Kurgancha MRBM Launch Site 3
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REFERENCES
DOCUMENTS
1. DoD/USAF. AFM 200-26, TM 30-3
(SECRET/No Foreign Dissem)
23, Guided Missiles U, (USSR and PRC), Imagery Interpretation Key, 1 Jun 74
REQUIREMENT
Project 143452NC
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