LAUNCH COMPLEX C KAPUSTIN YAR/VLADIMIROVKA MISSILE TEST CENTER, USSR CHANGES SINCE (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05439A000200320072-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 22
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 10, 2002
• Sequence Number: 72
• Publication Date: May 1, 1963
• Content Type: REPORT

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MINICARD Cj
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTEgPRETATION REPORT
N P I C/R-84/63
May 1963
LAUNCH rOMPLEX -+C
KAPUSTIN . YAR/VLADIMIROVKA
z
CHANGES S-IN C E.
MISSILE TEST CENTER, . USSR
AIR FORCE
S
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
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- ~ GROUP ~
DECLASSIFICATION REVIEW by NIMA/DOD 3/15/00 /
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PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION REPORT
LAUNCH COMPLEX C
KAPUSTIN YAR/VLADIMIROVKA
MISSILE TEST CENTER, USSR
CHANGES SINCE
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N P I C/R-84."63
May 1963
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This report has been prepared under NPIC Project JN-127/62
in response to parts of CIA requirements OSI/R-83/62 and DDI/
RR/E/R-36/62 and Air Force requirement AFIC 62-14 requesting
information on Launch Complex C, Kapustin Yar/Vladimirovka Mis-
sile Test Center (KYMTC). The remaining parts of these require-
ments as well as other requirements concerned with different areas
of the KYMTC are currently under study in NPIC.
The small scale of the photography used in this report
restricts image definition. Therefore, all mensural data included
in the report are approximate.
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I photography of
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75X1 n face-to-surface missile
25X1 D= (Figures 1 and 2). The major expan-
sion observed has been the addition of Launch
Area 4C (hardened MRBM/IRBM facilities)
e
and Launch Area 5C (probable MRBM and
IRBM training facilities). Also, the mission
of Launch Area 1C has probably changed as
a result of the addition of a rail spur to the
launch pad and the construction of a new SSM
support facility.
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first noted under construction in
and possibly completed by
pad in Launch Area IC. In
sible missile or launcher/erector, 85 feet long,
was observed on the pad in a near horizontal
position. No further interpretation of this
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photography. The presence of the rail line
indicates that the original mission of the launch
area has changed considerably since
About 3,000 feet southwest of the launch
pad, a new hexagonal-shaped possible concrete
pad or apron, 190 by 140 feet, is located be-
tween two small drive-through buildings, each
70 by 20 feet. The exact nature and purpose
of this facility are unknown. It is served
only by narrow roads or tracks (Figure 3).
The original drive-through checkout building
to the rear of the launch pad was unchanged
in It measures approximately
100 by 40 feet and stands 20 feet high.
The road turning radii in the area average
65 feet. The roads in the vicinity of the launch
pad are 20 feet wide.
of two large concrete launch pads (2C-1 and
2C-2) 865 feet apart. Launch Pad 2C-1 is
280 by 190 feet and 2C-2, 240 by 180 feet.
An unidentified object was observed on
photography of I uin a horizontal
position near the center of Launch Pad 2C-2.
The combined length of this object and another
one present at the pad is about 130 feet. The
objects may be a missile/erector combination.
If so, it appears that the missile was being
readied for erection and fueling. A possible
fueling station consisting of a 90-foot-long
structure or series of vehicles lies east of
the pad. A possible fuel line extends from
this-point to the center of the pad (Figure 4).
Five vehicles were on the loop, road be-
hind the vehicle stall in~ In length,
they are as follows: two, 50 feet; one, 40
feet; one, 35 feet; and one, 30 feet. Another
possible vehicle was located northwest of the
pad.
There were two vehicles on Pad 2C-1
and three on the loop road between the pad
and the vehicle stalls. One on the west side
of the launch pad is 60 feet in length; one on
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AN
POSS ASSEMBLY
D CHECKOUT FACILITY
ADMINISTRATION
AND HOUSING
i
LAUNCH COMPLEXES A. B. E
ELECTRONICS
FACILITY
RANGE
INSTRUMENTATION
SITE
4
COMMUNICATIONS
CENTER
RANGE CONTROL
CENTER
C-l ~
CHECKOUT
AREA
PROBABLE
BARRACKS
AREA
11
CHECKOUT
--AREA
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ROAD
RAILROAD
ASSEMBLY AND
CHECKOUT
\ ?
LAUNCH COMPLEX D
AND VLADIMIROVKA
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65' RADIUS
POSS FUEL LINE
.POSS FUELING
STATION
-U 'I OBJECTS
(POSSIBLE
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the east side, 30 feet. The other three vehicles
are 30, 40, and 50 feet long, respectively, west
to east. A possible vehicle was near the south-
west corner of the launch pad.
To the rear of the pads, in addition to the
five buildings which existed in = a T-
shaped building, 70 by 70 feet overall, has-been
constructed. North of the buildings is a pos-
sible motor and/or equipment pool.
The roads within and approaching the launch
area are 20 feet wide. Turning radii of the
main intersection and the intersection between
the pads are about 50 and 65 feet, respectively.
The radii of the north and south loops are
about 90 feet.
Only minor changes have been made to
Launch Area 3C since= (Figure 5). The
main launch pad, 190 by 190 feet, has a prob-
able tower, approximately 140 feet high, in the
center. Two small new structures are located
just north of the pad.
A structure, 110 by 20 feet, is located
on the southwest dumbbell pad. An L-shaped
structure, approximately 75 by 50 feet, and
a possible vehicle are located on the northeast
dumbbell pad. These pads are 190 by 160
feet each.
The road turning radii into the main pad
area are approximately 130 feet and 80 feet.
The road serving the main pad is 20 feet wide.
Since =the road network in the checkout
area has been expanded. No electronic gear
directly associated with this facility has been
identified. Guidance Station C-5 has been dis-
mantled.
Activity at Launch Area 4C was initiated
about I although the area was not
identified as a launch facility until
when it was in a midstage of development.
The facility was probably completed in early
=after a construction period of about 20
months. The definite similarity between sites
in this launch area and operational hardened
MRBM/IRBM launch sites identified elsewhere
ifi the Soviet Union indicates that Launch Area
4C is the prototype for hardened launch facil-
ities. ?
Launch Area 4C consists of two hardened
MRBM/IRBM launch facilities (4C-1 and 4C-
2) 2,750 feet apart in a north-south alignment.
Although the two facilities are similar, there
are some variations. The study of Launch Area
II
The overall launch area is 4,200 by 1, 500 feet
and is double fenced. It is composed of an
operations center, two launch facilities, and a
security station. A road ente>`s from the west
at the midpoint and joins a north-south road
serving the launch facilities. These roads appear
hard-surfaced (Figures 6 and 7).
The road turning radius into the launch area
from the north is 400 feet and from the south,
130 feet. The turning radii within the launch
area to either launch facility are 125 feet.
The average turning radius within each launch
facility is about 100 feet. Road widths average
30 feet.
Launch Facility 4C-1
Launch Facility 4C-1, located at the north-
ern end of the area, contains two hardened
MRBM/IRBM launch positions (A and B) and
a possible portal silo (C) which occupy three
corners of a rectangular pattern (Figure 8).
Each position appears to consist of a dark
circular aperture, approximately 20 feet in
diameter, straddled by two probable rail
supports about 40 feet apart and approxi-
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 possible concrete cover,
45 feet, apparently rides on rails ad-
to the aperture. This is apparent at
B and possibly at C. There is an in-
of the rectangular pattern. Construction at
this corner was '-first evident in E
Launch Facility 4C-1 is served by a 30-foot-
wide circular loop road connecting with the
service road. Launch Positions A and B are
225 feet apart. Deployed hardened MRBM/
IRBM sites have been reported to have a similar
separation. A control bunker, now apparently
earth covered, was probably under construction
Immediately north of the launch positions
is a 60- by 60-foot building. A possible pipe-
line or cable scar extends from the launch
facility along the west wall of the building to
a 90- by 90-foot semiburied bunker, 240 feet
north of the building. A 50-foot-wide depressed
ramp also serves the bunker-
A vehicle approximately 60 feet in length
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IRBM launch positions (A and B) and a possible
portal silo (C) arranged similarly to 4C-1
(Figure 9)_ However, there is no indication
of any construction at the fourth corner of the
rectangular pattern. The launch positions are
identical to those at 4C-1. Launch Positions
A and B are 220 to 230 feet apart. The loop
road is approximately 30 feet wide. A probable
underground bunker appears to occupy an area
140 by 70 feet- Unlike 4C-1, this facility was
not observed in
A building approximately 70 by 50 feet is
located just south of the launch facility. A
bunkered structure approximately 65 by 50 feet
lies about 100 feet south of the building. A
buried pipe or cable runs from the loop road
to a small foot structure 500 feet
to the south-southwest. A possible cable ex-
tends 165 feet from the cover for Launch Posi-
tion A to an unidentified structure. A build-
ing, 45 by 20 feet and 10 feet high, is located
about 90 feet south of Launch Position B. A
possible bunker, approximately 120 by 50 feet,
lies about 450 feet south of the loop road.
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sibly a crane, was located at the possible portal
silo (C). A boomlike structure casts a shadow
across C. The length of the shadow indicates the
structure is 45 feet high. A 65-fcot-long vehicle
was located at the upper side of the loop road.
Three 50-foot-long vehicles were located along
the west side of the loop. Two 20-to 25-foot-
long vehicles were between the others.
Just north of the possible portal silo
is a 105- by 45-foot building, possibly arch-
roofed, served by a concrete apron.
Operations Center
The operations center consists of nine build-
ings located at the junction of the roads with-
in the launch area (Figure 6). Four of the
buildings probably have two stories and measure
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145 by 60, = by 35, 80 by 20, and 70 by
25 feet. The other five probably have only
one story and measure 80 by 20, 65 by 20,
35 by 20 (2), and 20 by 20 feet.
There are also two security buildings
at the main gate, one inside the double fence
and one outside. The main building, inside
the fence, measures approximately 60 by 30
feet.
Just north of the Area 4C fencelines is
a rhomboid-like ground scar. Each leg is
approximately 285 feet in length. To the south
of Area 4C fencelines is a trapezoid-shaped
ground scar. The base leg is 445 feet in
length. The parallel leg is 380 feet. The
perpendicular leg is 340 feet and the fourth
leg is 310 feet.
Probable Barracks Area
A probable barracks area for Launch Areas
4C and 5C personnel is located approximately.5
nm northwest of Launch Area 4C (Figure 6). It
covers an area 1,500 by 1,000 feet and contains at
least 17 buildings. The area consists of the
following:
140 x 40
140 x 45
95 x30
140 x 30
145 x 30
105 x 30
95 x 25
90x30
.55 x 25
90 x 20
75 x 30
40x40
50 x 15
45 x 15
A secured area, 260 by 210 feet, is lo-
cated immediately south of the probable bar-
racks area.
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There are two facilities under construction,
one IRBM site (5C-1) to the north and one
MRBM site (5C-2) to the
and 11). Both facilities
stage of construction in
south (Figures 10
were in an early
0 the IRBM facility was in about a mid-
stage of construction and the MRBM facility
was in a late stage of construction.
The pattern, size, and timing at Launch
Facility 5C-1 indicate that it is probably the
training_ counterpart of the IRBM soft sites
deployed in the Soviet Union and identified under
construction at Guanajay and Remedios inCuba.
Likewise, Launch Facility 5C-2 is probably the
training counterpart of the inline MRBM launch
sites with elongated pads deployed in the USSR.
Launch Facility 5C-1 has two launch pads,
5C-la and 5C-lb, under construction. The
pad separation is approximately 750 feet and
the facility is oriented on an azimuth of about
95 degrees= degrees. The pads, although
still under construction, will be approximately
290 by 90 feet. There is a deep excavation
immediately adjacent to the center of pad 5C-
lb.
There are three structures under con-
struction between the pads in line from the front
to rear as follows: one 80 by 75 feet, one 75
by 60 feet, and one 55 by 20 feet. These ap-
pear to conform with structures at some of
the deployed sites.
The roads are approximately 30 feet wide.
Within the launch facility the turning radius
of roads is 150 feet. Ditching for probable
buried cables runs to Launch Facility 5C-1
from a control center between the facilities.
There are two small excavations also within
the facility, one southeast of each pad. Their
purpose is unknown.
MRSM Launch Facility 5C-2
Launch Facility 5C-2 has two launch pads,
5C-2a and 5C-2b, with a pad separation of
about 650 feet and is orient pd on an azimuth
of approximately 45 degrees The
pads, in a late stage of construction, are
approximately 265 by 60 feet.
There are two bunkers or buildings in
line in the middle of the facility. One is
forward of the pads and is 65 by 45 feet; the
other, L-shaped, is located between the pads
and measures 80 by 70 feet. Adjacent to the
L-shaped building is a small structure about
20 by 20 feet. On the inside edge of each pad
is a 25- by 25-foot, structure. Two other small
structures lie within the facility.
The roads are approximately 30 feet wide.
Within the launch facility, the turning radius
of roads is 100 feet.
Ditching for probable buried cables runs
to 5C-2 from the control center. The ditching
runs to each building or bunker in the center
of 5C-2 and to each launch pad.
The control center building is approximately
105 by 45 feet. Behind the building are two
small unidentified structures.
The launch support road comes south from
the main Complex C base and turns east into
the launch area (turning radius is 360 feet).
At the junction with the launch area service
roads the turning radius is 80 feet.
West of the control center is a large secured
area, roughly 1,400 by 1,200 feet, which is prob-
ably a construction support area for 5C. It
contains a number of small structures and uni-
dentified open storage. In the center of the
secured area is a 90- by 30-foot building.
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2
The Range Control Center (C-1), one
guidance station (C-4), and the two tracking sta-
tions (C-2 and C-3) are essentially unchanged.
One mobile guidance station (C-5), located be-
hind Launch Area 3C, has been abandoned.
A range instrumentation site and an elec-
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tronics facility, approximately 8,500 feet north
of Guidance Station C-4, have been added to
Launch Complex C.
The range instrumentation site was under
construction in (Figure 12). Of the ten 25X1 D
buildings. reported at that time, three remain.
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25
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ROSS A5SEMB LY AND
CHECKOUT FACILITY
LAUNCH
COMPLEXC
-------- TRACK ACTIVITY
-?--- CABLE SCAR
ROAD
RAILROAD
FENCE
POS5 FENCE
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Five new buildings have been added. The orig-
inal entrance road has been realigned. The
interferometer has been completed. The ap-
proximate diameter of the fenced?area is 1,100
feet, and each leg of the interferometer is
about 410 feet long. ?
The electronics facility lies approximately
8,500 feet north of Guidance Station C-4 (Fig-
ure 13). The area is fenced and measures
approximately 1,860 feet on a side. At each
corner inside the secured area is a post or
mast. Cable scars run diagonally from each
post or mast to a junction point in the center
of the facility. These corner posts form a
square 1,640 feet on a side. Adjacent and
southwest of the junction point is a small build-
ing, possibly a control center, and five possible
vehicles. The diagonals between the four outer
positions are each 2,300 feet long. One diagonal
is oriented on a 0 - 180 degree axis and the
other, on a 90 - 270 degree axis.
This facility is similar, if not identical,
to the facility located just north of Launch Com-
plex C at the Tyura Tam Missile Test Center.
The density of the background in the antenna
field on photography of precludes
interpretation of the communications center
near Launch Complex C.
Reported as under construction in NPIC/
R-8/61, 1/ this support facility is complete
and operational. The facility probably became
operational about
is secured by a double fence.
by both rail and road. The turning radii of
---------------
- CONTROL BUILDINGS
25
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 the roads average 100 feet. The roads average
20 feet wide (Figure 14).
There are eight drive-through buildings
and five other buildings, four of which appear
to be for administration. Four of. the drive-
through buildings are rail served and all eight
are road served. The four rail-served build-
ings are: two, 85 by 35 feet; one, 140 by 40
feet; and one, 170 by 30 feet. The road-served-
only buildings are: two, 130 by 35 feet; one,
70 by 35 feet; and one, 85 by 35 feet. The
dimensions of the administrative-type buildings
are as follows: two, 45 by 25 feet; one, 90
by 25 feet; and one, 65 by 25 feet. One mis-
cellaneous structure is 75 by 25 feet.
The position of this support facility would
enable support of all the SSM complexes. How-
ever, the existence of rail service between this
facility and Launch Area 1C suggests a pos-
sible association with the latter activity.
Kapustin Yar Test Site 7 MRB\1
Kapustin Yar Test Site G MRBM
Kapustin Yar Test Site 5 VRB%I
Kapustin Yar Test Site 4 IRB\!
Kapustin Yar Test Site 2 %IRBM
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 1. NPIC. R-6,'61, Kapu_tin Yar,'V'ladimirovka Missile Test Center. USSR
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