Anti-aircraft missile system "Cube": history of creation, description, characteristics

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

In each state, special anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) are provided to protect against air invasion. On July 18, 1958, in accordance with the Decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the design development of the Kub air defense system began at the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering. The anti-aircraft missile system was designed to protect ground forces and tank divisions from air attacks by destroying enemy targets at medium and low altitudes.

What is the Soviet air defense system?

"Cube" - an anti-aircraft missile system, the composition of which consisted of military equipment:

• 3M9 anti-aircraft guided missile.
• Self-propelled unit performing reconnaissance and guidance (1С91).
• Self-propelled launcher 2P25.

Who was involved in the creation of air defense systems in the USSR?

All military equipment,included in the anti-aircraft missile system "Cube", were designed separately. Each site was assigned its own chief designer, leader responsible for the result. The 1S91 self-propelled gun was created under the leadership of A. A. Rastov. The semi-active radar head 2P25, which performs homing of the missile, was developed by the chief designer Yu. N. Vekhov until 1960. His successor in this work in 1960 was I. G. Hakobyan. The head of OKB-15 V. V. Tikhomirov became responsible for the entire Kub anti-aircraft missile system and its designer.

Design and tasks of the launcher

The self-propelled launcher was placed on the GM-578 chassis, on special carriages that contained guides for missiles. 2P25 contained electric power drives, navigation equipment. In addition, the self-propelled unit was equipped with a calculating device, an autonomous gas turbine electric unit and means for topographic location, telecode communication and pre-launch control of the unit. Two connectors were used to dock the rocket with the launcher. They were in the rocket. The procedure for its pre-launch guidance was carried out using carriage drives, which worked out the data received from 1C91. The radio telecode communication line provided 2P25 with the necessary information. The combat crew of the installation was three people. Weight 2P25 reached 19.5 tons.

Rocket device

The Kub anti-aircraft missile system was equipped with a 3M9 missile, made according to the “rotarywing . It differed from its analogue 3M8 in the presence of additional rudders. As a result of their use, the designers managed to reduce the dimensions of the rotary wing. In addition, steering machines did not need high power. The hydraulic drive has been replaced with a lighter pneumatic drive.

The target was captured from the start and followed by the Doppler frequency by a self-guided semi-active radar head 1SB4, located in front of the missile containing a combined propulsion system. The weight of the high-explosive fragmentation warhead was 57 kg. The autodiode two-channel radio fuse gave the command to detonate it. The size of the rocket was 5.8 meters, diameter - 33 cm. The assembled rocket was transported in special containers, which were created by folding stabilizer consoles.

How does a rocket afterburner work?

The charge of the gas generator, after its combustion, entered through the air intakes into the afterburning chamber, in which the final combustion of the fuel was carried out. The charge of solid fuel itself was a 172-kilogram checker with a diameter of 29 cm and a length of 1.7 meters. For its manufacture, ballistic fuel was used. The air intakes were designed for supersonic operating conditions. During the launch of the rocket, all air intake openings were tightly closed with fiberglass plugs. The launch of the rocket was carried out at the launch site, before the main engine was turned on.

Start lasted up to 5 seconds. Internalpart of the rocket nozzle, which was held by a fiberglass grating, after 5-6 seconds was shot back, and the phase of work on the marching section began.

Composition and tasks of 1C91

Self-propelled reconnaissance and guidance unit consists of:

• A radar station used to detect and track an air target.
• Illumination 1S31. With the help of this tool, target recognition, navigation, topographic location, radio and telecode communication with the entire Kub system are carried out. The anti-aircraft missile system (photo below) was equipped with two rotating radar antennas: 1S11 and 1S31.

They carried out a circular survey at a speed of 15 revolutions per minute. The antennas had spaced carrier frequencies. The receiving-transmitting channels were equipped with radiators, the location point of which was a single focal plane. It was possible to detect, identify and track an air target at a distance of 300 to 70,000 and an altitude of 30 to 7000 meters.

The 1S91 self-propelled unit was located on the GM-568 chassis. The weight of the tool was 20.3 tons. The combat crew for management consisted of four people.

SAM test

In 1959, the Kub anti-aircraft missile system passed its first test. As a result of the work carried out, the following shortcomings were identified:

• The air intakes were of poor design.
• The afterburner was with a low-quality heat-shielding coating. This disadvantage was due to the fact that for the manufacture of camerastitanium was used. After testing, this metal was replaced with steel.

In 1961, the chief designers involved in the development of "Cuba" were replaced. Nevertheless, this did not affect the acceleration of work to improve the anti-aircraft missile system. From 1961 to 1963, 83 rockets were launched. Of these, only three were successful. In 1964, the first rocket containing a warhead was fired. An Il-28 flying at medium altitude was shot down. Further launches were successful. As a result, in 1967, the Central Committee of the CPSU decided to accept the Kub anti-aircraft missile system into service with the ground forces. The project for creating a model for export has begun.

Export modification 2K12 "Cube"

An anti-aircraft missile system, the characteristics of which differed from its basic counterpart, was assembled in 1971. The differences affected systems that perform recognition of air targets.

The Kub anti-aircraft missile system (Kvadrat - the name of the installations intended for export deliveries) was provided with a modified level of protection against interference, which made it possible to distinguish targets by state affiliations. The export model was suitable for operation in tropical latitudes.

Kub-M1 anti-aircraft missile system

After the modernization work carried out in 1973, an improved version appeared in service with the USSR army - the Kub-M1 air defense system. The completed design improvements have expanded the boundaries of the damaging zone, improved protectionhoming head from various interference, the starting period did not exceed 5 seconds. The radar station's antennas were protected from anti-radar missiles.

Where was the SAM used?

From 1967 to 1982, the Kub anti-aircraft missile launcher was widely exported to various countries where active hostilities were taking place. Not without the help of this air defense system in the Arab-Israeli war, the Israeli air force was defeated. In 1999, in order to prevent the bombing of NATO forces, Yugoslavia actively used this complex. The disadvantage of the air defense system was the imperfection of its television channels, which were not adapted to night work. At this time of day, mainly strikes were carried out by NATO.

In this case, the work of "Cuba" was ineffective. Reflecting night air strikes, Yugoslav troops lost three air defense systems.

Today SAM "Cube" uses Slovakia. The SAM contains a self-propelled launcher and three missiles. In the entire series of the complex, this modification is considered the most advanced and is known as the "Cube-M2".