56°10′24″N37°46′09″E / 56.1733°N 37.7691°E /56.1733; 37.7691
 Don-2N radar in January 2018 | |
| Country of origin | Soviet Union,Russia |
|---|---|
| Designer | Mints Radiotechnical Institute |
| Introduced | 1991[1] 1996[2] Started building 1978, commissioned 1989, operational 1996[3] |
| No. built | 1 |
| Type | Early warning radar,missile defence, space surveillance |
| Frequency | SHF 7.5 sm |
| Range | 1,500–2,000 km (930–1,240 mi) size of target5 cm×5 cm (2 in×2 in)[4] |
| Diameter | 18 m (59 ft)[2] |
| Azimuth | 360º |
| Other names | NATO: Pill Box |
TheDon-2N radar (Russian:Дон-2Н,NATO: Pill Box) is a large missile defense and early warningactive electronically scanned array radar outsideMoscow, and a key part of the RussianA-135 anti-ballistic missile system designed for the defense of the capital againstballistic missiles. Located nearSofrino inPushkinsky District ofMoscow Oblast, it is a quadrangularfrustum 33 m (108 ft) tall with sides 130 m (427 ft) long at the bottom, and 90 m (295 ft) long at the top. Each of its four faces has an 18 m (59 ft) diameterSuper high frequency band radar giving 360 degree coverage. To the right of each circular search and track array, separated by a vertical structure for shielding, is a square antenna array (edge length 10 m) for guiding the interceptor missile by data link.[5] The system is run by anElbrus-2 (Russian:Эльбрус-2) supercomputer.[2]
It has a range of 3,700 km for targets the size of a typical ICBM warhead.[6]
Under the 1972Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty both the United States and theSoviet Union had to designate one area to protect from missile attack. The USA chose North Dakota and the Soviet Union chose Moscow. The Don-2N radar is designed to be the control centre of the system and can operate autonomously if connection is lost to itscommand and control centre.
The 1998SIOP targeted this radar facility with 69 consecutive nuclear weapons.[7]
The prototype Don radar, called Don-2NP (Russian:Дон-2НП, NATO: Horse Leg) is inSary Shagan test site inKazakhstan, location46°0′11″N73°38′58″E / 46.00306°N 73.64944°E /46.00306; 73.64944 (Don-2NP radar).
