Baranavichy Radar Station | |
|---|---|
Belarusian:Вузел «Баранавічы» | |
| Belarus | |
 Volga radar at Hantsavichy | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Radar station |
| Controlled by | Russian Space Forces |
| Open to the public | No |
| Condition | Operational |
| Location | |
  Baranavichy Radar Station Hantsavichy located in Belarus | |
| Coordinates | 52°51′27″N26°28′55″E / 52.85750°N 26.48194°E /52.85750; 26.48194 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1982 (1982) |
| Built by | Soviet Union /Russia |
| In use | Since 2003 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 474th independent Radio-Technical Unit[1] |
Baranavichy Radar Station[2] (Russian:Узел «Барановичи») (sometimes wrongly named Gantsavichy[note 1]) is a 70M6 Volga-type[3]radar nearHantsavichy inBelarus (48 km fromBaranavichy). It is anearly warning radar, which is run by theRussian Space Forces.[4] It is designed to identify launches ofballistic missiles from western Europe and can also track some artificial satellites, partly replacing the demolished radar station atSkrunda in Latvia.
The Volga was developed byNIIDAR from theDunay-3U radar.[5] Construction started in 1982 to counter the installation ofPershing II missiles inWest Germany which were only 6 to 8 minutes away in flight time.[6][7] These intermediate missiles were eliminated by theIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which was signed in December 1987.[6]
Work still continued on the radar even though the Pershing missiles had been removed. The radar was not compliant with the 1972ABM treaty as this forbade multifunction radars. The Volga was in breach of this as it was designed to guideanti-ballistic missiles (an 'ABM radar') as well as acting as an early warning radar.[6][7] As theUnited States had managed to get theDaryal radar atYeniseysk demolished for being in breach of the treaty the Soviet Union removed ABM radar abilities from the Volga as it was being built.[6][7]
Work on the radar stopped in 1991 when the Soviet Unioncollapsed. It restarted in 1993 once it became apparent that Russia would lose the early warning station inSkrunda and with it coverage of missiles from the north west.[7] Some testing took place in 1994 and in 1995 a 25-yearagreement was signed between Russia and Belarus giving Russia a 25-year lease on the ground and all buildings with no taxes and with no charge made for communication channels.[7] The lease was extended in 2021.[8] When theDnestr-M radars in Skrunda were shut down in 1998 Russia restarted the construction of the Volga.[7] Test operations started in 1999 and pilot operations in 2002. It was finally commissioned on 1 October 2003.[9][10] The radar was upgraded in 2016.[11]
One of the manufacturers was quoted as saying that two other Volga installations were once planned - one atKomsomolsk-na-Amur and one atSevastopol.[12][13] Another source says that a Volga was originally planned inBiysk inAltai Krai to provide coverage of China.[13]
The station, classed as a 'Volga' type, is similar to aDaryal radar but operates on theUHF band rather than theVHF of the Daryal. Like the Daryal it has a separate transmitter and receiver stations which in the case of the Volga are 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) apart.[14]: 86
The radar has anActive Electronically Scanned Array, a type ofphased array. It continuously radiates such that it is receiving and transmitting at the same time. The array consists of spiral radiators which rotate in different directions in the receiver and transmitter. The transmitter array is 36 by 20 metres (118 ft × 66 ft) and the receiver array is 36 by 36 metres (118 ft × 118 ft). Both arrays are surrounded by aferrite frame which absorbs radio waves.[15][14]: 86
The Volga has a range of around 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) and anazimuth of 120°, withelevation of 4° to 70°.[16][14]: 86 [15] ItsGRAU index is 70M6 .[citation needed]
The radar is 8 km north east of Hantavichy and 48 kilometres (30 mi) from Baranavichy. It is in theHantsavichy Raion of theBrest Region of Belarus. Themilitary townlet for the radar is called Kletsk-2 (Russian:Клецк-2).
| Coordinates | Azimuth[9] | Type | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52°49′59.95″N26°28′31.83″E / 52.8333194°N 26.4755083°E /52.8333194; 26.4755083 (Volga radar transmitter) receiver 52°51′41.98″N26°28′2.88″E / 52.8616611°N 26.4674667°E /52.8616611; 26.4674667 (Volga radar receiver) transmitter | 262.5° | Volga | 1985–2002 |
When the station opened it was stated that up to 200 local Belarusians could be employed there.[12] In 2007Kommersant estimated that 600 people worked at the station.[17]
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