MILITARY NEWS: SOME FEATURES OF PROVIDING COMMUNICATIONS IN THE FAR NORTH:, BY LIEUTENANT-GENERAL OF SIGNAL TROOPS D. LOLOKO AND LIEUTENANT-COLONEL I. PLISKIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A029500200001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 12, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 6, 1962
• Content Type: MEMO

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Some Features of Providing Communications
in the Far North
by
Lieutenant-General of Signal Troops, D. Loloko
and,
Lieutenant-Colonel I. Pliskin
Severe climatic conditions, rocky, mountainous
terrain,difficult of access,with a large number of hillocks,
lakes, and marshes, the unpopulated nature of the territory
and a poorly developed road network in the Far North,create
exceptionally great difficulties for troop combat operations
and for providing them with communications.
Often,here, because of natural conditions and features
of the terrain, the distances between control points of
troop formations and large units reach 500 km. Although
formerly, when the speed of the troop advance was rela-
tively slow, the construction of permanent overhead com-
munication wires was attended by very great diff iculties,to-
day,with the modern speed of troop advance, and in addition,
when operating under conditions when atomic weapons are
being employed, this often becomes impossible and even un"
necessary.
In an offensive in the Far North it is more than ever
advisable to lay long-distance communication field cable
(PKDS - polevoy kabel' dal'ney svyazi) from a cross-
country vehicle. It is impossible to reject wire communi-
cations completely under the conditions of the Far North.
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Short-wave and especially ultra short-wave radio communi-
cations and radio relay communications do not always work
here with the same reliability.
In the Arctic, frequent ionospheric disturbances (mag-
netic storms, northern lights) have a strong influence on
radio communications, and, in most cases lead to t1*eir:serqus
disruption or even to a complete stoppage. In particular,
this applies to radio communications set up with space
waves (with waves being emitted into the zenith). As far
as duration is concerned, these disruptions may last from
several hours to several days.
Radio communication carried out by surface emission.
waves (above the surface of the earth) is less subject to
the negative influence of ionospheric disturbances. How-
ever, frozen and rocky, mountainous ground, which has, as
is well known, low electrical conductivity, and large forest
tracts significantly reduce the range of operation of radio
sets.
Many years' experience in providing communications for
various exercises shows that the range of radio communi-
cations achieved with the standard short-wave radio set in
the conditions of the Far North, even without a disturbed
ionosphere, is reduced by 30 p erce.n.t in comparison with
the range given in the performance data.
Is there a possibility of providing the command and
staffs with guaranteed uninterrupted radio and radio relay
communications? It is impossible to give an absolutely
exact answer to this question, but it is possible to assert
that even under the difficult conditions of the Far North
it is always possible to find a solution.
To ensure reliable radio communication, it is necessary
to organize communications with one and the same formation
(large unit) with radio sets that have short-wave and
ultra short-wave bands. We also widely apply well-known
methods of relaying radio transmissions. So, on various
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exercises, mobile and stationary relaying radio points
and transducing (perepriemnyy) radio sets are widely
used by us for communications with units which have moved
far forward dring an offensive-.and especially by those
carrying out a wide enveloping movement (under the con-
ditions of the Far North this maneuver is used very often),
and also when pursuing the enemy. We set up mobile relay
points at the city relaying network (gorodskaya trans-
lyatsionnyy set--GTS)or in the armored carrier BTR-50 PU,
installing one R-104 and two R-105 radio sets in each of
them.
Under the conditions of the Far North, radio relay com-
munications are to some extent free from many shortcomings
inherent in radio and wire communications. By means of
radio relay lines it is possible, in comparatively short
periods of time, to provide stable multichannel telephone
and telegraph communications over long distances.
However, the rugged, rocky, mountainous terrain of the
Arctic is most unsuitable for the construction of radio
relay lines. If this is done, then the intervals between
intermediate stations are, as a rule, considerably less
than under normal circumstances (by 40 to 45 percent)"
Under these conditions the outlay of radio relay stations
and maintenance personnel is sometimes very great, and be-
sides that, it becomes more difficult to maneuver with
radio relay sets. Under normal conditions an independent
radio relay battalion (otdelnyy radioreleynyy batalon--ORRB),
with an establishment of nine R-400 sets and twelve R-402
sets, can provide communication on a route extending 800 to
1000 km, but in northern areas it would cover not more than
400 to 500 km.
Good results in providing radio relay communications can
be obtained if the sets are deployed on commanding heights
and do not keep to the directions of roads. Steep slopes,
a large number of boulders, forest, and marshy ground, how-
ever, make the disposition of sets on them impossible by any
means of transport. The most effective means of transport
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which ensures the delivery of sets onto heights are heli-
copters.
We conducted an experimental exercise on purpose at
which was posed the problem of organizing radio relay com-
munications with the installation of stations on commanding
heights by means of helicopters on a route extending 220 km.
It was intended to deploy five R-401 sets in all - two ter-
minal ones and three intermediate stations (the last ones
had to be deployed on heights where normal ground transport
could not deliver them). The heights were located 50 to
75 km from each other.
The delivery, by an MI-4 helicopter, of a radio relay
apparatus for one station,which had been taken from special
vehicles and packed in boxes (785 to 800 kg total weight),
and of the crew,took one and a half hours. Six hours were
used to deliver three sets. The time spent in loading,
transporting, deploying of radio relay stations, and establish-
ing communications along the whole line was about 9.5 hours.
If we had 4 helicopters at our disposal then a radio relay
line extending 220 km could be put into operation in 4 hours.
The communications were excellent.
Helicopters can be used successfully, and 4 or 5 heli-
copter sorties will be required to deliver a dismantled R-402
set.
As experience shows, communications by means of heavy
radio relay stations in Arctic conditions are reliable. In
all, we needed three radio relay stations to provide com-
munications on a route extending 115 kms (only one station
was established). If one considers that radio relay stations
should be established on commanding heights (and this is
most advisable), then there must be two or three flights
of helicopters at the disposal of the commanding officer
of signal troops of a formation operating in northern regions,
for constructing radio relay lines.
The commanding officer for communications of a large
unit and a formation has to show special concern about
communications during movement. The trouble is that the
distances between control points under conditions in the
Arctic are, as a rule, two to three times greater than
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under temperate zone conditions, and there are no radio
sets which could provide direct communications for 200 km
or more. That is why we make broad use of the relaying
of short-wave radio communications and of coupled working
of ultra short-wave sets with radio relay stations.
At..the command staff exercise in 1959 and the joint
tactical and special exercise of distri.t signal units held
in March 1960, radio communications during movement were
provided in the following manner. The' R-118 radio set was
used at front forward command posts for communicating with
army and corps forward command posts. Because it provided
reliable telephone and telegraph communication during move-
ment for only 25 km, its transmissions were radio relayed
by means of the R-102 radio set, deployed 20 to 25 km
from the forward command post. At the same time, reception
of radio transmissions from the users (from armies and
corps) was effected by a direct link (200 to 500 km). But
in this instance the users had to transmit with short pauses.
At the front forward command post, it is better to
have two R-102 radio sets which, because they can be moved.'
about, provide uninterrupted radio relay.
Another method of providing communications during
movement is the coupled working of radio and radio relay
stations. The essence of this method is that the R-105 radio
set (with a power amplifying unit) is in the vehicle of the
commanding officer and has an outlet into the radio relay
route. The resulting effect is not bad, It should be
noted, however, that our switching at the radio relay stations,
being done by hand, took much time. The problem of auto-
matic switching into the radio relay link by ultra short-wave
sets must be solved. But for this it is necessary that one
of the channels along the whole of the radio relay route
should be free.
We would like to say a few words about providing com-
munications in the event of the delivery of a strike by
the forces and weapons of missile troops, covering troops,
and aviation.
It is known that all forces and weapons which have been
brought in for: this purpose must receive simultaneously and
quickly,a warning about the preparation to deliver a strike
and an order for its delivery. In our opinion, it is only
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Possible to carry out such a requirement when a special
single front short-wave radio network has been created.
Radio receivers of army headquarters and of all front and
army large units which are called upon to deliver the strike
must be included in it.
Such a radio network is set up only for the period of
preparation and delivery of the strike. However, taking
into account the conditions of the Far North which were dis-
cussed in the beginning of the article, it is necessary to
have several similar networks, not for the whole front but
for individual operational axes.
To avoid loss of radio communications on the short-
wave band when there are ionospheric disturbances, it is
necessary to transmit (duplicate) the order for the strike
on the medium-wave front radio network. It should be or-
ganized to include radio receivers of control points of the
army, corps, and also front missile brigades, the fleet,
and the army PVO.
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