MILITARY NEWS: SPECIAL FEATURES IN THE TRAINING OF BATTERIES FOR FIRING AT LOW-FLYING AERIAL TARGETS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A029400090001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 28, 1961
• Content Type: MEMO

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28 ^EC1961
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
SUBJECT . MILITARY NEWS: "Special Features in the
Training of Batteries for Firing at Low-
Flying Aerial Targets"
1. Enclosed is a verbatim translation of an article which
appeared in the Soviet Ministry of Defense publication Collection
of Articles of the Journal Military News (Voyennyy Vestnik .
This publication is classified SECRET by the Soviets, and the
issue in which this article appeared was distributed to officers
from regimental commander upward.
2. In the interests of protecting our source, this material
should be handled on a need-to-know basis within your office.
Requests for extra copies of this report or for utilization of
any part of this document in any other form should be addressed
to the originating office.
FOR THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PLANS:
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Original: The Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
cc: Military Assistant to the President
Special Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
Director for Intelligence
The Joint Staff
Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence
Headquarters, U. S. Air Force
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence
Department of the Army
Director of Naval Intelligence
Department of the Navy
Director, National Security Agency
The Director of Intelligence and Research
Department of State
Director, Division of Intelligence
Atomic Energy Commission
Chairman, Guided Missiles and Astronautics
Intelligence Committee
Deputy Director for Intelligence
Assistant Director for National Estimates
Assistant Director for Current Intelligence
Assistant Director for Research and Reports
Assistant Director for Scientific Intelligence
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SUBJECT MILITARY NEWS: "Special Features in"-tire Training of
Batteries for Firing at Low-Flying Aerial Targets",
by Colonel T. Mikitenko
DATE OF INFO: January 1961
APPRAISAL OF
CONTENT : Documentary
SOURCE : A reliable source (B)
Following is a verbatim translation of an article entitled
"Special Features in the Training of Batteries for Firing at
Low-Flying Aerial Targets", by Colonel T. Mikitenka. This article
appeared in Issue No. 34, 1961 of the Soviet military publication
Collection of Articles of the Journal Military News (Voyennyy
estnik. This publication is classified SECRET by the Soviets
and is published by the USSR Ministry of De:rense.
According to the Preface, Issue No. 34 was sent for typesetting
on 14 December 1960 and released to the printer on 25 January 1961.
The Preface states that articles express the opinions of their
authors and are published as a form of discussion. Distribution
of Issue No. 34 was to officers from regimental commander upward.
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Special Features in the Training of Batteries
for F. iring at Low-Flying Aerial. Targets
by Colonel T. Mikitenko
In modern conditions, when the main target of the
organic (voyskovoye) weapons of antiaircraft defense
(PVO-protivovozdushnaya oborona) is the fighter-bomber,
which operates effectively at low altitudes, the firing
of antiaircraft artillery at low-flying air targets
acquires great importance.
Experience gained from firing exercises and cal-
culations show that, with sufficient training of the
personnel of batteries, firing of antiaircraft artillery
at low-flying targets is effective. The most difficult
task in carrying out tnese firing exercises is to ensure
the necessary range of detection of low-flying targets
and the timely opening of fire. However, at our firing
ranges, when carrying out firing exercises, this question
actually has been mastered. To detect the target at a
firing range does not present any particular difficulty
because the direction of its flight is known in advance.
In this way there are elements of over-simplification in
the training of antiaircraft artillery subunits.
By analyzing the results of firing exercises carried
out in a large unit, it was established that the reasons
for the bad results of individual firing exercises at
low-flying targets was the late detection of the targets
or the loss of targets during their tracking with the
fire control radar (SON), owing to interference from
terrain features and neighboring radar sites, as well
as a sharp increase in firing errors and considerable
lagging range deviations of the 100 mm caliber guns.
The firing exercises carried out with high indices
in 1960 by all subunits and units of our large unit on
No. 5 KS VZA -58 /Firing course No.5, Organic Antiaircraft
Artillery-1958-No. 5 Kurs strelby voyskovaya zenitnaya ar-
tilleriya-5 7show that with purposeful training and by
taking into account the peculiarities of the firing
SEG/ET
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The minimum ranges for target detection, ensuring
the normal entry into operation of the PUAZO-6 antiair-
craft director~is 35-30 km. With proper training of the
operators and the selection of good sites for the radars,
these ranges of target detection can be attained by the
radars SON-9, SON-9A, and SON-15 even in mountainous
terrain.
With an angular height of less than 0-50 the
detection range of a low-flying target greatly decreases,
owing to the distortion of the SON directivity by the
signal reflected from the ground. In connection with
this the operators must know thoroughly the presentation
of the local features on the SON scopes and be able to
differentiate between the signal and the target on the
basis of this knowledge.
In order to eliminate the cases when targets are
lost owing to the interference of signals reflected from
local features, as the signal from the target approaches
the impulse from a local feature, the SON operator goes
over to manual range-tracking of the target.
To eliminate the effect of interference from
neighboring stations on the accuracy of tracking with
SON, it is expedient to separate the frequencies of
the magnetrons by as wide a band as possible. It is
also advisable to place SON in a trench. This will
ensure the screening of the station from the interference
of signals reflected from local features.
In practice, the method of organizing a group search
with SON for low-flying targets has justified itself,
when several SON stations carry out a search on fixed
angular heights in line with 0-20 to 0-50, and the
operators of the stations track the target manually.
This tracking of the target by the operators excludes
the possibilities of the automatic equipment "cutting
off". If the target is detected at angular heights
in line with 0-50 to 0-70, the influence of the terrain
on the directivity pattern is insignificant, which makes
it possible to track the target automatically.
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The uncertain tracking of the target with SON,
particularly with angular heights of the target of less
than 0-50, the intense rocking of the antenna, and the
considerable errors in determining angle coordinates,
require the selection of the best procedure for the
work of PUAZO-6 - the procedure "from the radar-only
range".
The most effective method of firing at low-flying
targets is with the PUAZO-6,when determining the range
with SON, and obtaining the angle coordinates with the
D-49 rangefinder. The firing course (KS VZA-58), however,
for some unknown reasons, provides for firing at low
flying targets with the PUAZO only with data supplied
by SON. Accordingly, certain commanders of batteries
and directors of firing exercises deliberately violate
the firing course when assigning the method for de=
termining moving target coordinates, disregarding the
fact, that toe this, the evaluation of the battery
will be reduced by one mark, because frequently the
employment of the best procedure for PUAZO-6 work
justifies itself in better firing results.
The increase in firing errors, particularly of
lagging errors in range, occur as a result of the high
speed with which the range changes; this leads to a
considerable increase in the dynamic lag of the PUAZO
tracking systems and errors in the working out of
predicted target coordinates, especially of the fuze.
According to the firing tables, one can see that
when firing at low altitudes the change in the setting
of a fuze by one graduation produces a displacement of
the burst along the trajectory nearly twice as great
as when firing at high-altitude targets at corresponding
ranges. The greater the range and the smaller the
angular heights at the time of opening fire, the greater
are the firing errors, and vice versa.
Usually the lagging errors in the range of the
bursts are large at the initial firing sector. The
nature of the displacement of the burst along the
trajectory makes it necessary to compensate for the
systematic firing errors by introducing preliminary
rpFT
IND'y
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corrections to the initial velocity of the shell. The
experience of firing exercises carried out against low-
flying targets shows that the magnitude of these corrections,
depending on the peculiarities of the battery complex,
fluctuates within the limits +1.5 to + 3 percent.
When carrying out firing exercises at low-flying
targets it is advisable to open fire on a fighter air-
craft with the fuze set at 110-100 graduations on a
bomber at 90-70 graduations.
The preparation for firing with PUAZO at low-flying
targets is carried out on general grounds. Besides, the
battery complex is adjusted and regulated with particular
thoroughness for low angular heights of the target; the
average time for loading of the guns by the batteries is
determined for quadrant elevation 0,1-00 and 2-50. The
accuracy of the automatic fuze-setter and its adjustment
is done at the medium and small settings at every 20th
graduation. To increase the stability of the gun during
firing at low-flying targets, additional fastening of the
gun is used, and during the firing and in the intervals
between firing, the leveling and orientation of the gun
are checked out.
In spite of the seeming simplicity of the direct
laying in problem No. 8 of the firing course (KS VZA-58),
it has been established, on the basis of a large number
of exercises carried out, that literal observance of
the Firing Regulations and the Firing Course for the 100 mm
antiaircraft guns in the firing exercises, as a rule, is
not carried out. The reason for this is the circumstance
that the leads given in the Firing Regulations (table 7)
are calculated for an average target velocity of 120
meters per second, but in practice the maximum speed of
a target towed by an IL-28 aircraft does not exceed 100
meters per second.
And although this has been known for some time by
all antiaircraft gunners, certain commanders who do not
wish to trouble themselves with the bother of going into
this matter continue to demand that this practice exercise
should be carried out according to the calculated settings
I~.SF. RF.T
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of the exercises.
Of course, high demands in the strict observance of
the Firing Course must be inherent in all ranks of
commanders, and be a law. In this case, however, the
conditions of the Firing Course are violated not by the
firing subunits but by the firing ranges, which do not
ensure the required speed of the target in accordance
with the Firing Course. This practice, in the firing
of problem No. 8, is detrimental to the combat training
of the antiaircraft artillery subunits.
For a definitive working out of the most expedient
method of training gun ,crews and carrying out firing
problem No. 8 under firing range conditions, we have
carried out a series of experimental firing exercises.
In accordance with the firing exercises of problem
No. 8 the firing exercise is carried out up to the course
parameter on the second curtain of fire by one gun.
In the Firing Regulations the signal range for the
second curtain of fire is not determined. "In this
case fire is opened immediately after each gun has
looated the target" (Page 88 of the Firing Regulations).
It is natural that in firing range conditions, when
firing is carried out with one gun using three shells,
the uncertainty of the signal moment for the second
curtain of fire and firing when the gun is ready give
rise to large deviations of bursts from the target.
Therefore, in all the variations of conducting
the planned and experimental firings, the signal range
was determined by us with the rangefinder D-49, and
was calculated for the first burst of the second
curtain of fire ('fuze 17) adaptable to the proposed
parameters of the movement of the target (towed target).
The total number of experimental firing exercises
carried out on problem No. 8 was 14.
Six firing exercises were carried out by the
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arrangements strictly laid down by the Firing Regulations
on a calculated signal range adaptable to thee parameters
of the movement of the target. Out of these firing
exercises, four were not completed and two were completed
under conditions when the speed of the towing IL-28 air-
plane was increased to 120 meters per second, i.e.
brought nearer to the speed taken as the basis for
calculating the settings in table No. 7 PSZA(Antiaircraft
Artillery Firing Regulations - Pravila strelby zenitnoy
artillerii).
A considerable number of officers attempt to carry
out the firing exercise of problem No. 8 on the calculated
settings for the fuze, and the lateral leads and vertical
deflection for the first, second,and third rounds. The
size of the lateral lead, of the vertical sighting angle,
and of the fuze are calculated by making use of the
method set out in the Manual for the Study of Antiair-
craft Artillery Firing Regulations. Firing exercises
on these settings give good results, but there is herein,
however, a flagrant breach of the Firing Regulations,
consisting of the absence of a fixed curtain of fire
along the line of flight of the target because the fuze
settings are changeable. This complicates the work of
the gun crew, requires the preparation in advance of a
large number of shells with pre-set fuzes which could
be mixed up by the loaders during the difficult conditions
of an actual battle situation.
When carrying out the experimental firing exercises
the basic requirement of the Firing Regulations was
observed in placing a curtain of fire along the line of
flight of the target. The other settings, with the
exception of the fuze, were the calculated ones, to
conform with the firing conditions. The calculations
for all the firing exercises were carried out to
conform with the actual conditions of flight of the
target and were taken basically for a speed of 100
meters per second and a height of 600 meters.
Two experimental firing exercises on problem No. 8
were carried out on fixed fuze settings of 17 and on
calculated 'vertical sighting angles for, each round
(0-34, 0-50, 0-86) and with a calculated signal range
MIOSENET
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(2600). Both oX these f firing exercises were given the
mark "excellent".
In spite of the successful fulfilment of the firing
exercise with this method, it should be noted that the
fleeting nature of this firing and the considerable
speeds in the change, of the target angular travel greatly
complicate t W4,-, workof gurkcrew member number three in
setting leads before each round.
The work of gun crew member number three can be
simplified by setting, before firing, the vertical lead
,for'; just the second round. With this in view, graduation
marks (riska) are made on the elevation indicator in
accordance with the size of the leads. Before each shot,
gun crew member No. 4 matches the pointer of the gun
indicator successively with these graduation marks.
The lateral leads are set in the usual way.
The Firing Regulations are calculated for massed
firing exercises and not for single gun firing with
three shells, as is carried out under firing range
conditions. Therefore, if the parameters of the movement
of the target differ from the calculated ones, it is
essential to observe the basic principal requirement of
the fire along the line of flight of the target, i.e.,
to carry out the firing of the second curtain using
fixed fuzes 17 and having the other calculated settings
as follows:-
- a signal range for the first burst of the second
curtain of fire;
- a fixed (averaged) vertical sighting angle;
- a lateral lead in accordance with the course
parameter of the flight of the target.
The settings are calculated in conformity with the
presumed conditions of flight of the target. .
It should be pointed out that considerable errors
in firing are made because the lateral lead is not taken
into account with course parameters of the target up to 200
meters (in accordance with PS ZA for these conditions,
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the lateral lead is not set). Calculations and experience
show that it is advisable to introduce a lateral lead
up to 0-10 even with an insignificant but noticeable
deviation of the target from the course parameter equalling
zero, and with a course parameter of 100 to 200 meters
it is necessary to introduce a lateral lead equal to 0-20.
Such are some of the specific features in the training
and carrying out of firing exercises by our antiaircraft
artillery batteries against low-flying aerial targets.
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