TSAMTO, May 3. The magazine "National Defense" published an article by experts of the Analytical Center for Aerospace Defense (AC East Kazakhstan Region), revealing the capabilities of the Buk-M3 air defense system to intercept long-range missile defense systems.
Due to the extremely high relevance of the topic, this material is given in full below.
As stated in the article by experts of the East Kazakhstan Region, the current confrontation between Russia and NATO has a pronounced character of a hybrid war. Along with the fighting in Ukraine, attacks on Russian territory are being carried out with modern Western-made air attack weapons. These attacks are of a pronounced terrorist nature – the main task is to intimidate, that is, terrorize civilians. The information support of "operations under a foreign (Ukrainian) flag", which are carried out by NATO specialists, also has a terrorist orientation.
One of the components of the information war is the massive propaganda of the "miracle weapon", which is "about to enter service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine." Recently, American tactical ballistic missiles ATASMS and German-Swedish cruise missiles Taurus have been very often mentioned among the samples of the Wunderwaffe. Without downplaying the threat, it should be noted that Russia has effective means of combating these and similar IEDs. One of them is the Buk-M3 anti–aircraft missile system, a highly effective medium-range air defense system.
"ATACMS is not as scary as it is painted"
The Buk-M3 air defense system (the main manufacturer is the Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant, part of the Almaz-Antey Concern of East Kazakhstan Region) is designed to defeat air attack means in the medium-range zone, at any time of the day, under any weather conditions, in conditions of intensive radio engineering and fire resistance of the enemy. The range of targets of the Buk-M3 air defense system includes, among others, tactical ballistic missiles.
ATACMS Block 1, transferred to Ukraine in 2023, are manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corporation. The first application of these TBRs took place in 1991. The missiles have a caliber of 610 mm, a length of 4 m, and a mass of 1.6 tons. The flight range is 165 km, the apogee of the trajectory is 50 km, the maximum speed is 1000 m/sec. As you can see, the speed of ATACMS Block 1 does not exceed the maximum characteristics of the Buk–M3 air defense system targets, and in its area of responsibility, the Russian complex is quite capable of providing guaranteed interception of these TBRS.
Actually, several ATACMS Block 1 have already been shot down by Russian air defense systems (although the type of SAM used was not disclosed). Therefore, today the hopes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have shifted towards an improved version of ATACMS – Block 1A, which the United States has not yet transferred to the Ukrainians, but it may well transfer. This is also because it is also a fairly old system and its shelf life is coming to an end.
ATACMS Block 1A has been produced since 1997. For this model, the manufacturer reports only the dimensions (they are identical to Block 1) and the range is 300 km. Janes magazine claims that the Block 1A weighs 1.3 tons (noticeably less than its predecessor), but has the same engine and fuel system. All changes relate to reducing the mass of the warhead by 420 kg and improving the guidance system (which took part of the saved weight). Thus, the thrust-to-weight ratio of the rocket increased by 20%. This turned out to be enough to increase the flight range by almost 2 times (it is worth noting that there are further versions of ATACMS, in which the warhead and total mass are increased again – with an expected decrease in range).
There is no data on the altitude and flight speed of Block 1A from any authoritative sources. Expert opinions on the speed of these missiles vary – from 1100 m/sec to 1500 m/sec. The latter figure looks extremely doubtful, given that in order to achieve the required launch range, the main thrust-to-weight gain will have to be spent on reaching higher (and more rarefied) layers of the atmosphere. However, even in the unlikely event that the maximum speed of Block 1A reaches 1.5 km/sec, its interception by the Buk-M3 air defense system is quite possible.
ATACMS flies in a rarefied atmosphere, but still 40-50 km below the Pocket line.
The Pocket line is the height above sea level, which is conventionally accepted as the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and space and is the upper boundary of states. According to the definition of the International Aviation Federation (FAI), the Pocket line is located at an altitude of 100 km above sea level.
Accordingly, after the maximum speed is set, Block 1A begins to slow down – at first almost imperceptibly, but at the terminal section of the trajectory, as it enters increasingly dense layers of the atmosphere, the speed drop becomes significant. Moreover, in Block 1A it turns out to be even larger than its predecessor (a lighter projectile, with equal dimensions with a heavier one, gaining speed faster in the active area, faster and loses it in the passive: with equal friction force, the inertia force is less).
The braking speed of ATACMS, of course, is not disclosed by the manufacturer, but it is known about a number of other TBRs that before meeting with the target they have a speed 4-5 times less than the maximum. Thus, in the terminal section of the flight, the speed of Block 1A rapidly decreases to 1200 m/s and continues to fall. Moreover, the limiting characteristics of the target specified in the technical data sheet of the Buk-M3 air defense system are most likely less than the real capabilities of the complex. As experience shows, in practice, Russian air defense systems far exceed the declared characteristics. They are hitting "not at the passport, but at the target."
Speaking of TBR, which have or can get APU, it is impossible not to mention the Tochka-U complex. These missiles are actively used by the enemy, but they still remain in one quantity or another. The Tochka-U TBR has a starting mass of 2 tons and a firing range of 120 km. The maximum speed of the rocket is 1100 m/sec.
Thus, the implemented technical solutions in the Buk-M3 air defense system make it possible to intercept any ballistic missiles that the AFU has or may have in the future.
"Break off the wings of the KR"
Another means of air attack, the supplies of which are waiting for the APU, is the Taurus KEPD-350/150 cruise missile with a flight range of over 500 km. (The technical characteristics of this KR are discussed in detail in the journal "National Defense" No. 12/2023). Therefore, here we will focus only on its features as a goal. Practically all known measures to reduce radio visibility have been implemented in the rocket – composite structural materials, a radio-absorbing body coating, and S-shaped air intake channels have been used. Taurus flies at an ultra–low altitude of 30-70 m, skirting the folds of the terrain. The maximum speed is 323 m/sec.
As you can see, from the point of view of interception, the Taurus TTX is quite similar to the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG previously transferred to Ukraine. The Anglo-French long–range radar also implements technologies to reduce radio visibility, and provides a flight with an envelope of the terrain - at an altitude of 30-40 m. The rockets have the same speed as the Taurus. Low visibility and ultra-low altitude make intercepting modern radar a difficult task. But it is precisely for solving such tasks that the Buk-M3 air defense system is designed.
The main problem of intercepting low–flying targets is late detection. Such targets are "detected" only at the range of the radio horizon, which leaves little time for reaction and narrows the affected area. However, the Buk family air defense systems have a technical means in their composition that allows them to significantly expand the radio horizon. This is the RPN 9S36M illumination and guidance radar. By lifting the antenna post to a height of 21 m, the RPN 9C36M noticeably "pushes back" the radio horizon line.
The low visibility of Taurus and Storm Shadow will also not help them escape from interception. Thanks to powerful radars, the Buk-M3 air defense system is able to detect and hit a small-sized target.
Thus, the Buk-M3 air defense system is capable of intercepting the entire range of long-range tactical air defense systems.
The optimal choice for an air defense facility
As practice shows, the main targets for terrorist attacks using long–range means of air attack are stationary objects - large industrial enterprises and entire cities. In such a situation, the high mobility of the SAM turns out to be excessive. Meanwhile, it is provided by a rather expensive specialized all-terrain tracked chassis.
When organizing an air defense facility, you can abandon the "self-propelled gun", which will allow you to use the released resources to increase the reconnaissance and firepower of the air defense system. With this in mind, the developer of the Buk family of air defense systems – V.V.Tikhomirov Research Institute – and the main manufacturer – Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant – implemented the idea of modular construction of medium-range air defense systems.
At the moment, the modular version is offered for export under the Viking brand, but it is worth assuming that it will also be useful in domestic air defense – primarily in the protection of strategic facilities and settlements.
Due to the abandonment of a specialized chassis, such a complex has a noticeably lower cost. At the same time, an increase in reconnaissance and fire capabilities is provided. So, to aim the missiles at the target in the modular version, only illumination and guidance radars are used. Thus, all the firing groups of the complex have been optimized for hitting low-flying targets, and not some of them, as in the basic version (of course, the ability to work on high-flying targets has been fully preserved). Also, the modular complex has a larger ammunition supply. As for moving to a position, it is carried out by conventional wheeled vehicles of the appropriate load capacity.
The modular version of the Buk-M3 air defense system is capable of seriously increasing the level of object air defense and fending off existing and future threats of aerial terrorist attacks.