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Composition of the Iskander complex. "Iskander-M" will receive new, terrible for the enemy, missiles

“Iskander” (complex index - 9K720, according to the classification of the US Department of Defense and NATO - SS-26 Stone, English Stone) - a family of operational-tactical missile systems (OTRK): Iskander, Iskander-E, Iskander-K, Iskander-M. The complex was developed at the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (KBM). Iskander was first publicly presented in August 1999 at the MAKS aerospace salon.

Story

The development of the Iskander OTRK was started in accordance with the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated December 21, 1988 No. 1452-294 “on the start of development work on the creation of the Iskander OTRK”, as a result, among other things, of the personal efforts of the chief KBM designer S.P. Invincible, who proved to the Military-Industrial Commission of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the USSR the need to create a missile system instead of the Oka OTRK that is not subject to the provisions of the INF Treaty with the United States.

On October 11, 2011, the first stage of testing of the updated Iskander-M missile system with new combat equipment was completed. The 9M723 missile of the Iskander-M complex is equipped with a new correlation guidance system.

Main characteristics

Purpose of the complex

Designed to engage combat units in conventional equipment against small-sized and area targets deep in the operational formation of enemy troops. It is assumed that it can be a means of delivering tactical nuclear weapons.

Most likely targets:

fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery)

missile defense and air defense systems

airplanes and helicopters at airfields

command posts and communication centers

critical civil infrastructure facilities

Composition of the complex

TZM 9T250-1 of the Iskander-M complex at the dress rehearsal of the 2010 Victory Parade in Moscow.

The complex includes six types of vehicles (51 units per missile brigade):

Self-propelled launcher (SPU) (9P78-1) 12 pcs. - designed for storing, transporting, preparing and launching two missiles at a target. The Iskander can be made on the basis of a special wheeled chassis produced by the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant (MZKT-7930). Gross weight 42 tons, payload 19 tons, highway/dirt road speed 70/40 km/h, fuel range 1000 km. Calculation 3 people.

Transport-loading machine (TZM) (9T250 (9T250E)) 12 pcs. - designed to transport two additional missiles. Made on the MZKT-7930 chassis, equipped with a loading crane. Total combat weight 40 tons. Crew 2 people.

Command and staff vehicle (KShM) (9S552) 11 pcs. - designed to control the entire Iskander complex. Made on a KAMAZ 43101 wheeled chassis. Radio station R-168-100KAE “Aqueduct”. Calculation 4 people. Characteristics of the crankshaft:

maximum radio range when stationary/on the move: 350/50 km

task calculation time for missiles: up to 10 s

command transmission time: up to 15 s

number of communication channels: up to 16

deployment (collapse) time: up to 30 minutes

continuous operation time: 48 hours

Regulations and maintenance machine (MRTO) - designed to check on-board equipment of rockets and instruments, to carry out routine repairs. Made on a KamAZ wheeled chassis. Weight is 13.5 tons, deployment time does not exceed 20 minutes, the time of the automated cycle of routine checks of the on-board equipment of the rocket is 18 minutes, crew 2 people.

Information Preparation Point (PPI) (9S920, KAMAZ 43101) - designed to determine the coordinates of the target and prepare flight missions for missiles with their subsequent transfer to the SPU. The PPI is interfaced with reconnaissance assets and can receive tasks and assigned targets from all necessary sources, including from a satellite, aircraft or UAV. Calculation 2 people.

Life support machine (LSM) 14 pcs. - designed for accommodation, rest and eating of combat crews. It is made on a KAMAZ 43118 wheeled chassis. The vehicle includes: a rest compartment and a utility compartment. The rest compartment has 6 carriage-type berths with folding upper beds, 2 lockers, built-in lockers, and an opening window. The utility compartment has 2 lockers with seats, a folding lifting table, a water supply system with a 300-liter tank, a tank for heating water, a pump for pumping water, a drainage system, a sink, and a dryer for clothes and shoes.

A set of arsenal equipment and training facilities.

Combat characteristics

Circular probable deviation: 10-30 m (depending on the guidance system used); 5-7 m (Iskander-M using a missile with a correlation seeker)

Rocket launch weight: 3,800 kg

Warhead weight: 480 kg

Length 7.2 m

Diameter 920 mm

Rocket speed after the initial part of the trajectory: 2,100 m/s

The maximum overload during flight is 20-30G (the rocket maneuvers in flight both in altitude and in flight direction). The maximum trajectory altitude is 50 km.

Minimum target engagement range: 50 km

Maximum target range:

500 km Iskander-K (500 km with the R-500 cruise missile, according to some sources up to 700 km)

280 km Iskander-E (export)

Guidance: INS, GLONASS, Optical seeker

Time before first rocket launch: 4-16 minutes

Interval between launches: 1 minute (for 9P78 launcher with two missiles)

Operating temperature range: −50 °C to 50 °C

Service life: 10 years, including 3 years in field conditions

Types of head parts

In normal equipment:

cassette with 54 fragmentation combat elements of non-contact detonation (triggered at a height of about 10 m above the ground)

cassette with cumulative fragmentation combat elements

cassette with self-aiming combat elements

cassette volumetric detonating action

high-explosive fragmentation (HFBCH)

high explosive incendiary

penetrating (PrBC)

special (nuclear)

Rockets

The Iskander complex includes two types of missiles: ballistic 9M723 and cruise missiles bearing the index 9M728.

The 9M723 missile has one stage with a solid propellant engine. The trajectory of movement is quasi-ballistic (not ballistic, maneuvering), the rocket is controlled throughout the entire flight using aerodynamic and gas-dynamic rudders. Manufactured using technologies to reduce radar signature (so-called “Stealth Technologies”): small dispersion surface, special coatings, small size of protruding parts. Most of the flight takes place at an altitude of about 50 km. The missile conducts intensive maneuvering with overloads of the order of 20-30 units during the initial and final phases of the flight. The guidance system is mixed: inertial in the initial and middle phases of the flight and optical (using a seeker developed by TsNIIAG) in the final phase of the flight, which achieves a high accuracy of 5-7 m. It is possible to use GPS/GLONASS in addition to the inertial guidance system. There are several modifications of the missile that differ in warhead and telemetry.

On September 20, 2014, during the Vostok-2014 command post exercises, the Iskander-M missile system was fired for the first time with a 9M728 cruise missile. The launches were carried out by the 107th separate missile brigade (Birobidzhan). Developer and manufacturer - OKB Novator. Chief designer – P.I. Kamnev. The missile was tested from May 30, 2007. Firing range: maximum – up to 500 km.

From 2013, it is planned to supply the Russian Armed Forces with missiles equipped with an electronic warfare system, which will provide cover for the missile during the final flight phase. This system includes means of passive and active jamming of enemy air and missile defense surveillance and firing radars through noise and the release of false targets.

Options

Iskander-M - an option for the Russian armed forces, 2 missiles on launchers, the firing range in various sources varies from that stated for the Iskander-E - 280 km - to 500 km (it is not indicated with what type of warhead (warhead mass) is achieved corresponding range). The flight altitude is 6-50 km, most of which usually takes place at maximum altitude. Controlled throughout the flight. The trajectory is not ballistic and difficult to predict. The missile is made using low radar signature technology and also has a radio-absorbing coating and is a relatively small target in natural physical size. Predicting the target when attempting an early interception is further complicated by intensive maneuvering during takeoff and descent to the target. When descending to the target, the missile maneuvers with an overload of 20-30 units, descending at a speed of 700-800 m/s (these figures exceed or are on the verge of the capabilities of the best mid-range missile defense/air defense systems), at an angle of about 90 degrees (in some cases only the angle of attack is sufficient for complete defenselessness of the attacked missile defense system, and even more so air defense, especially short-range ones), thus the Iskander-M has a number of advantages over its analogues, and high capabilities not just for hitting a target, but even for means of defense in the form of modern missile defense systems.

The missile carries a complex set of passive and active jammers; when approaching the target, false targets and jammers are additionally shot at. Model M is additionally equipped with an electronic warfare system to disrupt the operation of enemy radars. All this also provides the missile with high combat effectiveness in comparison with simpler similar missiles.

Maneuvering at high altitudes is ensured by speed and aerodynamic rudders. Such maneuvering is not intensive, but it places extremely high demands on the reaction time for the interceptor (in a hundredth of a second, missiles get closer to tens of meters, the reaction time of one of the fastest-responding missile defense systems is more than 5 seconds, as well as open-source air defense systems). If the interceptor is kinetic, this also requires successful trajectory prediction with high accuracy. To successfully intercept a ballistic target with a high probability, previously developed before the Iskander non-ballistic complexes, it was sufficiently early to detect a target of appropriate size and speed, and, having predicted the trajectory, ensure the interception. However, Iskander changes his trajectory. The Oka complex, the predecessor of the Iskander, could change the target while maintaining a stable trajectory before and after the maneuver, thereby moving away from the interceptor, or at least reducing the effective protection zone, requiring time to recalculate the meeting point.

Iskander-E - export version, firing range 280 km, warhead weight 480 kg. It is a simplified version of the Iskander-M. Maneuvering the rocket at high altitude is ensured by aerodynamic rudders and a flight speed of 2100 meters per second throughout the high-altitude flight. Satisfies the conditions of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Iskander-K - variant using cruise missiles, firing range 500 km, warhead weight 480 kg. The missile's flight altitude is about 7 meters when reaching the target, and no higher than 6 km; the missile is automatically adjusted throughout the flight and automatically follows the terrain. R-500 cruise missiles with a range of 2000 km are also produced for the Iskander-K OTRK.

Combat use

There is no reliable information about the combat use of the Iskander complexes, but there have been reports, refuted by the Russian military, that the complex was used during the Georgian-South Ossetian armed conflict of 2008.

According to the head of the Analytical Department of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Shota Utiashvili, Russia used Iskander missile systems at sites in Poti, Gori and the Baku-Supsa pipeline.

Mikhail Barabanov, an expert from the Moscow Defense Brief, points out that the Iskander complex was used at the base of a separate tank battalion in Gori. As a result of a direct hit by a warhead on the Georgian battalion's weapons depot, it was blown up. However, the author notes that this information is based on unverified sources. A Dutch commission investigating the circumstances of the death of RTL Nieuws television cameraman Stan Storimans in Gori on August 12, 2008, determined that the journalist died from being hit by one 5-mm steel ball. According to the BBC, the Dutch commission expressed an expert opinion that the carrier of the cluster munition was Iskander, but the report did not indicate on what grounds such a conclusion was made. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the data provided by the Dutch side is not enough to determine the type of carrier. Earlier, Human Rights Watch put forward another version, according to which the death of the Dutch journalist was caused by RBK-250 aviation cluster bombs.

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, denied all reports about the use of Iskander missiles in Georgia, saying that the Iskander complex was not used during hostilities in South Ossetia.

Policy

The Iskander operational-tactical missile system is a weapon that can influence the military-political situation in some regions of the world if the states located in them do not have an extended territory. Therefore, the issues of deployment of Iskander complexes, as well as their export deliveries, are the subject of political consultations between countries.

On November 5, 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, speaking to the Federal Assembly, said that the response to the American missile defense system in Poland would be the deployment of Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad region. But after the United States refused to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe, Medvedev said that in response Russia would not deploy this complex in the Kaliningrad region. Due to the escalation of tensions between Russia and the United States, at the end of 2011 the issue of deploying the Iskander OTRK in the Kaliningrad region remained open. On November 23, 2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev again stated that the Russian Federation is ready to deploy the Iskander complex if NATO countries continue to deploy a missile defense system in Europe.

On January 25, 2012, it became known that the first division of Iskander operational-tactical missile systems in the Kaliningrad region would be deployed and put on combat duty by Russia in the second half of 2012. However, on the same day, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied this information, stating that no decision was made by the General Staff on approving the staff of the military unit of the Baltic Fleet, equipped with Iskander missile systems. On December 15, 2013, German media, citing sources in security structures, reported that Russia had deployed Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad region. This is evidenced by satellite images, which show at least ten Iskander-M complexes deployed in Kaliningrad, as well as along the border with the Baltic countries. The rollout could occur throughout 2013.

The complexes were transferred to the Kaliningrad region during military exercises and a surprise check of the combat readiness of the Western Military District and the Northern Fleet in December 2014 and March 2015.

In 2005, it became known about plans to supply Iskander complexes to Syria. This caused a sharp negative reaction from Israel and the United States. During a visit to Israel, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ban on such supplies to prevent an imbalance of power in the region. In August 2008, during a visit to Moscow, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed his readiness to deploy complexes in Syria.

On February 15, 2010, the President of the unrecognized Transnistria, Igor Smirnov, spoke in favor of deploying Iskander missiles in the republic in response to plans to deploy US missile defense systems in Romania and Bulgaria.

In service

Russia (as of February 2016): 6 brigades (72 SPU)

107th Missile Brigade of the Eastern Military District (Birobidzhan) - completely rearmed on June 28, 2013 (12 launchers);

1st Missile Brigade of the Southern Military District (Krasnodar) - the transfer of equipment took place on November 14, 2013 (12 launchers);

112th separate guards missile brigade of the Western Military District (Shuya) - the transfer of equipment took place on July 8, 2014 (12 launchers);

92nd separate missile brigade (Orenburg) Central Military District - transfer of equipment took place on November 19, 2014 (12 launchers);

103rd separate missile brigade (Ulan-Ude) of the Eastern Military District - the transfer of equipment took place on July 17, 2015 (12 launchers);

By 2018, it is planned to re-equip all missile brigades with the Iskander OTRK.

Video

Kolomenskoye Design Bureau. All my life “classified as Secret.” Fire arrows. Impact force.

The SS-26 Iskander is an operational-tactical missile system designed to eliminate area and small-sized targets that may be located deep in the operational location of enemy troops. The Iskander operational-tactical missile system was destined to be created in an environment in which the 1987 Short- and Medium-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was in force. In addition, there was a refusal to use nuclear weapons in war between opposing sides.

This is exactly why the Iskanders were created, taking into account the new requirements placed on them:

The use of a warhead only in the presence of standard equipment;
Refusal of nuclear strikes;
Guiding missiles along all their flight trajectories;
High firing accuracy;
The likelihood of changing combat units, taking into account the types of targets being eliminated;
High level of automation of all processes.

Number of Iskanders

Iskander, a tactical missile system, has been in service since 2010. At that time, six complexes were supplied to the military under the state defense order. The state arms program provided for the purchase of 120 Iskanders by 2020. Since 2015, the Russian army has formed brigades armed with the Iskander-M missile system.

Some information from the history of the Iskanders

Iskanders were developed simultaneously with the help of several design bureaus and institutes. However, the Kolomna Mashinostroeniya Design Bureau was destined to become the parent enterprise. It is known for many legendary weapons, such as Tochka-U, Igloy and Arena air defense systems, as well as many Soviet and Russian mortars.

The development of Iskander began with S.P. Invincible, the legendary general designer. He took the very successful RK Oka as a basis for that period. It is known that Oka was the first in history that was able to pass through missile defense with a coefficient of almost one, which ensured a high probability of hitting the target. However, according to the 1987 treaty between the USSR and the USA, they were destroyed. Valery Kashin, the current general designer and head of the Mashinostroeniya design bureau, was entrusted with new developments.

KBM was given a task: the new complex should destroy any targets, stationary or moving. And this is with the main requirement - the highest degree of missile defense penetration with target destruction, but without nuclear charges.

Passing the missile defense was based on:

Maximum reduction of the missile dispersion surface. Their contours have become extremely streamlined and smooth;
The external surfaces were treated with a radio-absorbing special coating;
The ability to quickly and actively maneuver, as a result of which the Iskander trajectory is unpredictable and missile interception is impossible.

No other operational-tactical and tactical missiles built on the planet have similar properties. During the development process, the designers performed absolutely unique work. This led to a revision of many of the concepts contained in the preliminary sketches of the project.

After the February 1993 Decree of the Russian President related to development work on the Iskander M complex, a tactical and technical specification was prepared. It indicated new approaches to the construction of complexes, as well as the optimization of all solutions.

For this reason, Iskander M had to become a completely new complex, and not a modernized old one. The complex has become the focus of numerous advanced domestic and world scientific achievements. Climatic, flight and bench tests had to drag on for many years. Mostly everything was carried out in Kapustin Yar, but some were also in other regions of the state.

Mid-autumn 2011 was marked by the completion of the first stage of tests conducted with the Iskander-M missile system, which resulted in the receipt of new combat equipment. The 9M723 missiles had excellent characteristics, as well as a new correlation guidance system.

Likely targets

Iskanders can strike at:

Missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery;
Missile defense and air defense systems;
Airplanes and helicopters at airfields;
Command posts and communication centers;
Particularly important objects in civil infrastructure.

Characteristic features of the Iskanders

The characteristic features of the Iskanders are:

Availability of high-precision effective destruction of a wide variety of targets;
Stealth in combat duty, in preparation for launch and in delivering strikes;
Automation of calculations and input of flight missions for missiles at launchers;
High potential for performing combat missions in an environment of active counteraction by the enemy;
High level of operational reliability of missiles, trouble-free launch and flight;
High level of tactical maneuverability;
High level of strategic mobility;
High level of automation of processes in the combat control of missile units;
Fast processing and timely delivery of intelligence data to the necessary levels of management;
Long service life and convenient operation.

Combat characteristics

The combat characteristics of the Iskanders are:

Circular deviation probability: 1-30 m;
The launch weight of the rockets is 3,800 kg;
Length - 7.2 m;
Diameter - 920 mm;
Weight of warheads - 480 kg;
The rocket speed after the initial part of the trajectory is 2100 m/s;
The minimum target engagement range is 50 km;
Maximum target engagement range:
- 500 km - Iskander-K;
- 280 km - Iskander-E.
Time to launch with the first rocket is 4-16 minutes;
Interval between starts: 1 min;
Service life: ten years, including three years in the field.

Elements that make up the Iskander

The main elements that make up the Iskander are:

Rockets;
Self-propelled launchers;
Transport-charging vehicles;
Routine maintenance vehicles;
Command and staff vehicles;
Data preparation points;
Arsenal equipment sets;
Educational and training aids.

Self-propelled launchers - designed for storage, transportation, preparatory work and launches at targets of two missiles (in the export version of one missile). Self-propelled launchers can be made on the basis of special wheeled chassis, which are produced at the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. The tractors have a total weight of 42 tons, a payload of 19 tons, a travel speed of 70 km/h on highways, 40 km/h on dirt roads, and a fuel range of up to 1000 km. The combat crew includes three military personnel.

Transport-loading vehicles are designed to transport an additional pair of missiles. Transport-loading vehicles are based on the MZKT-7930 chassis and are equipped with loading cranes. They have a total combat weight of 40 tons and a crew of two military personnel.

Command and staff vehicles - designed to control all processes in the Iskander complexes. They are based on the KamAZ-43101 wheeled chassis. The combat crew includes four military personnel.

Characteristic features that the CVS have:

The maximum radio communication range on the spot is 350 km, on the march 50 km;
Estimated task time for missiles is up to 10 s;
Command transmission time up to 15 s;
The number of radio communication channels is 16;
Unfolding (collapsing) time is up to half an hour;
Continuous operation time up to two days.

Routine and maintenance vehicles are designed to monitor instruments, missiles, on-board equipment and to carry out routine repair work. They are located on the KamAZ wheelbase. They have a mass of up to 14 tons, a deployment time of no more than 20 minutes, a time of automated cycles of routine checks of on-board missile equipment - 18 minutes, and a combat crew of two military personnel.

Data preparation points are designed to determine the coordinates of targets and prepare data for missiles in order to transmit them to the SPU. Data preparation points are integrated with intelligence assets and can receive tasks from any sources, including satellites, aircraft or drones. There are two military personnel in the combat crew.

Life support vehicles are designed for combat crews to rest and eat. They are located on the wheelbase of KamAZ-43118. The machines have: compartments for rest and compartments for household supplies.

Iskander missiles are solid-fuel, single-stage, with warheads that cannot be separated in flight, guided and maneuverable missiles along the entire length of difficult-to-predict flight trajectories. Missiles maneuver especially quickly during the starting and final stages of flight, in which they approach targets with high overloads.

This is due to the need to fly anti-missile missiles to intercept Iskander missiles with overloads two to three times greater, which today is considered almost impossible.

Most of the flight trajectories of the Iskander missiles were carried out using stealth technologies with small reflective surfaces. The “invisibility” effects are ensured by the combined design features of the missiles and the treatment of their surfaces using special coatings.

The launch of missiles to targets is carried out using an inertial control system. They are subsequently captured by autonomous correlation-extreme optical homing heads. The missile homing system operates on the principle that optical instruments form images in the target area, which the on-board computer compares with the data entered into it.

Optical homing heads are distinguished by an increased level of sensitivity and resistance to existing electronic warfare equipment. Thanks to this, you can launch missiles on a moonless night without additional natural illumination and eliminate moving targets within a radius of two meters. Today, such tasks, except for the Iskanders, cannot be solved by any other similar missile systems on the planet.

It is interesting that the optical homing systems used in missiles do not need to correct the signals that are created by space radio navigation systems. The complex use of inertial control systems with satellite navigation and optical seekers made it possible to create missiles that hit specified targets in almost any possible situation. The homing heads installed on Iskander missiles can also be installed on other missiles. These can be different ballistic and cruise missiles.

Types of Iskander combat units

The main types of Iskander combat units are:

Cassette weapons with fragmentation warheads for non-contact explosions. They can operate at a height of approximately ten meters above the ground;
Cassette weapons with cumulative fragmentation warheads;
Cassette weapons with self-aiming combat elements;
Cassette, having a volumetric detonating effect;
High-explosive fragmentation;
High explosive incendiary;
Penetrating.

Fifty-four combat elements are located in cluster warheads.

All Iskanders are integrated with a wide variety of reconnaissance and control systems. They are capable of receiving information about targets designated for destruction from satellites, reconnaissance aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles at data preparation points. They are used to calculate flight missions for missiles and carry out preparatory work on reference information for missiles.

Through radio channels, this information is broadcast and received by command and staff vehicles, commanders of divisions and batteries, and then by launchers. The missile launch command is carried out from command and staff vehicles. In addition, senior artillery commanders can also command using control posts.

The missiles placed (two) on each self-propelled launcher and transport-loading vehicle significantly increase the firepower in missile divisions. In addition, there are one-minute intervals between missile launches against a wide variety of targets, while ensuring high fire productivity. Considering its high efficiency, as well as the totality of its combat potential, the Iskander operational-tactical missile system is destined to become the equivalent of nuclear weapons and a reliable non-nuclear “shield of the Motherland.”

The complex index is 9K720, according to the US and NATO classification - SS-26 Stone, English. Stone

Family of operational-tactical missile systems (OTRK): Iskander, Iskander-E, Iskander-K, Iskander-M. The complex was created at the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (KBM). Iskander was first shown publicly in August 1999 at the MAKS aerospace show.

Story

The development of the Iskander OTRK was started in accordance with the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated December 21, 1988 No. 1452-294 “on the start of development work on the creation of the Iskander OTRK”, as a result, among other things, of the personal efforts of the chief KBM designer S.P. Invincible, who proved to the Military-Industrial Commission of the Presidium of the USSR Council of Ministers the need to create a missile system in place of the Oka OTRK that does not fall under the provisions of the INF Treaty with the United States.

Ammunition

The Iskander complex includes two types of missiles: ballistic 9M723 and cruise missiles bearing the index 9M728.

The 9M723 missile has one stage with a solid propellant engine.

The trajectory of movement is quasi-ballistic (not ballistic, maneuvering), the rocket is controlled throughout the entire flight using aerodynamic and gas-dynamic rudders. Made using technologies to reduce radar signature (so-called “Stealth technologies”): small dispersion surface, special coatings, small size of protruding parts. Most of the flight takes place at an altitude of about 50 km. The missile conducts intensive maneuvering with overloads of the order of 20-30 units during the initial and final phases of the flight. The guidance system is mixed: inertial in the initial and middle phases of the flight and optical (using a seeker developed by TsNIIAG) in the final phase of the flight, which achieves high accuracy of 5-7 m. It is possible to use GPS/GLONASS in addition to the inertial guidance system. There are several modifications of the rocket that differ in warhead and telemetry.

On September 20, 2014, during the Vostok-2014 command and staff exercises, the Iskander-M missile system was fired for the first time with a 9M728 cruise missile. The launches were carried out by the 107th separate missile brigade (Birobidzhan). Developer and manufacturer - OKB Novator. Chief designer - P.I. Kamnev. The missile was tested on May 30, 2007. Firing range: maximum - up to 500 km.

Starting from 2013, it is planned to supply the Russian Armed Forces with missiles equipped with an electronic warfare system that will provide missile cover during the final flight phase. This system includes means of passive and active jamming of enemy air and missile defense surveillance and firing radars using noise and the release of false targets.

Options

Option for the Russian armed forces, 2 missiles on launchers, the firing range in various sources varies from that stated for the Iskander-E - 280 km - to 500 km (it is not indicated with what type of warhead (warhead mass) the corresponding range is achieved). The flight altitude is 6-50 km, most of which usually takes place at maximum altitude. Controlled throughout the flight. The flight path is not ballistic and difficult to predict. The missile is made using low radar signature technology and also has a radar-absorbing coating and is a relatively small target in natural physical size. Predicting the target when attempting an early interception is further complicated by intensive maneuvering during takeoff and descent to the target. When descending to the target, the missile maneuvers with an overload of 20-30 units, descending at a speed of 700-800 m/s (these figures exceed or are on the verge of the capabilities of the best mid-range missile defense/air defense systems), at an angle of about 90 degrees (in some cases only the angle of attack is sufficient for complete defenselessness of the attacked missile defense system, and even more so air defense, especially short-range ones), thus the Iskander-M has a number of advantages over its analogues, and high capabilities not just for hitting a target, but even for means of defense in the form of modern missile defense systems.

Maneuvering at high altitudes is ensured by speed and aerodynamic rudders. Such maneuvering is not intensive, but it places extremely high demands on the reaction time for the interceptor (in a hundredth of a second, missiles get closer to tens of meters, the reaction time of one of the fastest-responding missile defense systems is more than 5 seconds, as well as open-source air defense systems). If the interceptor is kinetic, this also requires successful trajectory prediction with high accuracy. To successfully intercept a ballistic target with a high probability, previously created before the Iskander non-ballistic complexes, it was sufficiently early to detect a target of appropriate size and speed, and, having predicted the trajectory, ensure the interception. However, Iskander changes his trajectory. The Oka complex, the predecessor of the Iskander, could change the target while maintaining a stable trajectory before and after the maneuver, thereby moving away from the interceptor, or at least reducing the effective protection zone, requiring time to recalculate the meeting point.

Export version, firing range 280 km, warhead weight 480 kg. It is a simplified version of the Iskander-M. Maneuvering the rocket at high altitude is ensured by aerodynamic rudders and a flight speed of 2100 meters per second throughout the high-altitude flight. Satisfies the conditions of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Option using cruise missiles, firing range 500 km, warhead weight 480 kg. The missile's flight altitude is about 7 meters when reaching the target, and no higher than 6 km; the missile is automatically adjusted throughout the flight and automatically follows the terrain. R-500 cruise missiles with a range of 2000 km are also being assembled for the Iskander-K OTRK.

Combat use

There is no reliable information about the combat use of Iskander complexes, but there have been reports, refuted by the Russian military, that the complex was used during the Georgian-South Ossetian armed conflict of 2008.

In blogs, Utiashvili’s statement was widely discussed and was received ambiguously, since some of the photographs of several sustainer stages presented as evidence refer not to the Iskander, but to the 9M79 missiles of the Tochka-U complexes, while the other part of the photographs actually shows fragments with the applied code 9M723, corresponding to the designation of the Iskander missiles.

A little about politics

The Iskander operational-tactical missile system is a weapon that can affect the military-political situation in some regions of the world if the states located in them do not have an extended territory. Therefore, the issues of the location of Iskander complexes, as well as their export deliveries, are the subject of political consultations between countries.

On January 25, 2012, it became known that the first division of Iskander operational-tactical missile systems in the Kaliningrad region would be deployed and put on combat duty by Russia in the second half of 2012. However, on the same day, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied this information, stating that no decision was made by the General Staff on the approval of the staff of the military unit of the Baltic Fleet, armed with Iskander missile systems. On December 15, 2013, German media, citing sources in security structures, reported that Russia had deployed Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad region. This is evidenced by satellite images, which show at least ten Iskander-M complexes deployed in Kaliningrad, as well as along the border with the Baltic countries. The rollout could occur throughout 2013.

In service

Russia (as of February 2016): 6 brigades (72 SPU)

26th missile brigade of the Western Military District (Luga) - the re-equipment of the brigade began in 2010 with the supply of 6 complexes (PU), in 2011 the formation of the first brigade (12 PU) was completed;
-107th missile brigade of the Eastern Military District (Birobidzhan) - completely rearmed on June 28, 2013 (12 launchers);
-1st Missile Brigade of the Southern Military District (Krasnodar) - transfer of equipment took place on November 14, 2013 (12 launchers);
-112th separate guards missile brigade of the Western Military District (Shuya) - transfer of equipment took place on July 8, 2014 (12 launchers);

92nd separate missile brigade (Orenburg) Central Military District - transfer of equipment took place on November 19, 2014 (12 launchers);
-103rd separate missile brigade (Ulan-Ude) of the Eastern Military District - transfer of equipment took place on July 17, 2015 (12 launchers);
By 2018, it is planned to re-equip all missile brigades with the Iskander OTRK

Main characteristics

Purpose of the complex

Most likely targets:

Fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery)
- missile defense and air defense systems
-planes and helicopters at airfields
- command posts and communication centers
-critical civil infrastructure facilities

Composition of the complex

The complex includes six types of vehicles (51 units per missile brigade):

-Self-propelled launcher (SPU) (9P78-1)

12 pcs. - designed for storing, transporting, preparing and launching two missiles at a target. Iskander can be made on the basis of a special wheeled chassis produced by the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant (MZKT-7930). Gross weight 42 tons, payload 19 tons, highway/dirt road speed 70/40 km/h, fuel range 1000 km. Calculation 3 people.

-Transport-loading machine (TZM) (9T250 (9T250E))

12 pcs. - designed to transport two additional missiles. Made on the MZKT-7930 chassis, equipped with a loading crane. Total combat weight 40 tons. Crew 2 people.

-Command and staff vehicle (KShM) (9S552)

11 pcs. - designed to control the entire Iskander complex. Assembled on a KAMAZ 43101 wheeled chassis. Radio station R-168-100KAE “Aqueduct”. Calculation 4 people. Characteristics of the crankshaft:
-maximum radio communication range when stationary/on the move: 350/50 km
- task calculation time for missiles: up to 10 s
-command transmission time: up to 15 s
-number of communication channels: up to 16
- deployment (collapse) time: up to 30 minutes
-continuous operation time: 48 hours

-Regulation and maintenance machine (MRTO)

Designed to check on-board equipment of rockets and instruments, to carry out routine repairs. Made on a KamAZ wheeled chassis. Weight is 13.5 tons, deployment time does not exceed 20 minutes, the time of the automated cycle of routine checks of the on-board equipment of the rocket is 18 minutes, crew 2 people.

-Information preparation point (IPI) (9С920, KAMAZ 43101)

Designed to determine the coordinates of the target and prepare flight missions for missiles with their subsequent transfer to the SPU. The PPI is interfaced with reconnaissance assets and can receive tasks and assigned targets from all necessary sources, including from a satellite, aircraft or UAV. Calculation 2 people.

-Life support machine (LSM)

14 pcs. - designed for accommodation, rest and eating of combat crews. It is made on a KAMAZ 43118 wheeled chassis. The vehicle includes: a rest compartment and a utility compartment. The rest compartment has 6 carriage-type berths with folding upper beds, 2 lockers, built-in lockers, and an opening window. The utility compartment has 2 lockers with seats, a folding lifting table, a water supply system with a 300-liter tank, a tank for heating water, a pump for pumping water, a drainage system, a sink, and a dryer for clothes and shoes.

-A set of arsenal equipment and training facilities

Combat characteristics

Circular probable deviation: 10-30 m (depending on the guidance system used); 5-7 m (Iskander-M using a missile with a correlation seeker)
-Rocket launch weight: 3,800 kg
-Warhead mass: 480 kg
-Length: 7.2 m
-Diameter: 920 mm
-Rocket speed after the initial part of the trajectory: 2,100 m/s Maximum overloads during flight - 20-30G (the rocket maneuvers in flight both in altitude and in flight direction). The maximum trajectory altitude is 50 km.

Minimum target engagement range: 50 km
-Maximum target range:
-500 km Iskander-K (2000 km with R-500 cruise missile)
-280 km Iskander-E (export)
-Guidance: INS, GLONASS, Optical seeker
-Time before first rocket launch: 4-16 minutes
-Interval between launches: 1 minute (for 9P78 launcher with two missiles)
- Operating temperature range: from? 50 degrees C to 50 degrees C
-Operation life: 10 years, including 3 years in field conditions

Types of head parts

In normal equipment:
- cassette with 54 fragmentation combat elements of non-contact detonation (triggered at a height of about 10 m above the ground)
- cassette with cumulative fragmentation combat elements
- cassette with self-aiming combat elements
- cassette volumetric detonating action
- high-explosive fragmentation (HFBCh)
- high-explosive incendiary
-penetrating (PrBC)
-special (nuclear)

About a year ago, the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense spoke about the first cases of combat use of the 9K720 Iskander operational-tactical missile systems as part of the operation in Syria. A few days ago, new reports appeared about similar operation of missile systems. It was noted that during real combat launches, the missile systems showed high performance and coped with the assigned tasks. Thus, the Iskander OTRK was able to confirm its capabilities in a real low-intensity conflict.

However, the new type of operational-tactical missile systems were created not only for local armed conflicts, but also for full-scale wars. In addition, as the events of recent years show, Iskanders are proving to be an effective military-political tool, capable of influencing the situation with their mere presence. In this regard, understandable questions arise: what exactly makes the Iskander family of tactical missile systems so effective in various fields and why are such complexes the most important element of the Russian armed forces?

Self-propelled launcher OTKR "Iskander" at the exercises "Center-2015"

Rocket carriers

It is obvious that the combat qualities of any OTRK are primarily determined by the tactical and technical characteristics of its individual components. Indeed, a significant contribution to the capabilities of the Iskander complex is made by the characteristics of various vehicles from its composition. All the main assets of this complex are made on self-propelled chassis and have high mobility, which allows them to reach the specified positions in a timely manner and prepare to launch missiles.

The OTRK 9K720 includes six vehicles for various purposes, not counting training equipment, etc. arsenal equipment. A standard missile brigade operates a total of more than 50 vehicles of various types. The basis of the complex is the 9P78-1 self-propelled launcher. Its operation is provided by the 9T250 transport-loading vehicle, the 9S552 command and control vehicle, as well as an information preparation point, a life support vehicle and a regulations and maintenance vehicle.

The main vehicles of the complex are built on the four-axle chassis MZKT-7930 “Astrologer”; other means are mounted on KamAZ vehicles. Using such a chassis, the components of the Iskander OTRK are capable of moving along highways at speeds of at least 70 km/h. It also allows movement on a dirt road at a speed of 40 km/h or over rough terrain overcoming various obstacles. Water barriers are crossed by fords or bridges. The launcher's power reserve is 1000 km.

Means of the Iskander complex. In the foreground is a 9S552 command and staff vehicle.

The 9P78-1 combat vehicle and other elements of the complex are capable of reaching a given position for deployment and launch in a minimum amount of time. According to available data, the missile can be launched 4-5 minutes after arriving at the position. A significant part of the operations to prepare for a rocket launch is carried out automatically, but human participation is not completely excluded. An important feature of the 9K720 OTRK is the presence of two missiles on one launcher. Two more products are located on the transport-loading vehicle and can be loaded onto the launcher. According to standards, reloading one rocket takes 16 minutes.

Ballistic missile

The first surface-to-surface ballistic missile of the 9M723 type was created for the Iskander OTRK. This is a single-stage solid-propellant rocket with an integral warhead and a guidance system based on inertial and satellite navigation. It is also known about the development of several alternative homing heads that identify the target using radar or optical systems. The 9M723 missile externally and in its design resembles ammunition from other domestic OTRKs, but has a number of serious technical and operational differences.

First of all, it is necessary to take into account that the 9M723 product is the so-called. quasi-ballistic missile. During flight, it is capable of not only moving along a given ballistic trajectory, but also maneuvering. Onboard control systems allow you to perform some maneuvers in all parts of the trajectory, from the moment of launch to the fall on the target. Intensive maneuvering on the way to the target is one of the main ways to protect a missile from enemy air or missile defense.

"Iskander" on the way to the firing position

Maneuvers with significant overloads in the active section make the missile’s trajectory unpredictable, which makes it difficult to intercept it with modern air defense and missile defense systems. On the ballistic part of the trajectory, interception is complicated by two factors. First of all, at this stage the missile rises to a height of about 50 km and goes beyond the area of responsibility of air defense systems. In addition, the unpredictability of the trajectory associated with maneuvering, in turn, excludes the effective operation of modern missile defense systems.

Some sources mention that the 9M723 missile carries anti-missile defense capabilities similar to those found on intercontinental ballistic missiles. The product is capable of dropping false targets that interfere with enemy radars. The presence of its own on-board electronic warfare systems is also mentioned.

On the downward portion of the trajectory, a quasi-ballistic missile is capable of falling on a target almost vertically at a speed of more than 2 km/s, while simultaneously performing maneuvers with overloads of over 20 units. High speed, maneuvering and correct combat course sharply reduce the likelihood of successful detection, tracking and interception of a missile by modern air defense and missile defense systems created to combat “conventional” ballistic targets.

The process of reloading missiles from a transport-loading vehicle to a self-propelled launcher

9M723 products can be equipped with different warheads designed to destroy various enemy targets. Point targets, including protected or buried ones, should be attacked with high-explosive and concrete-piercing monoblock warheads. To attack area targets, there are several variants of a cluster warhead, differing from each other in the types of combat elements. The cassette can accommodate high-explosive, cumulative, volume-detonating and self-aiming anti-tank submunitions. There is also a special warhead in the form of a monoblock with a power of 50 kt.

The 9M723 quasi-ballistic missile is capable of delivering a warhead to a range of up to 280 km. Its improved version 9M723-1, included in the Iskander-M OTRK, according to various sources, has a range of 400 or 480 km. Thus, the 9M720 ballistic missile systems comply with the requirements of the still valid Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The probable circular deflection of missiles, according to various sources, does not exceed 10-20 m.

Cruise missile

In the course of further development of the basic Iskander OTRK, the Iskander-K system was created. Its main difference is the rocket used. A ground-based cruise missile was developed specifically for this modification of the complex. As before, the self-propelled launcher carries two missiles and is capable of firing them almost immediately after arriving at a specified position.

Complex operator at work

The basis of the Iskander-K complex is the 9K728 cruise missile, also known as the R-500. As follows from the available data, this product was created without taking into account developments in other Iskander ammunition, and it is based on the experience of completely different projects. According to various versions, the 9K728 missile could be built on the basis of the S-10 Granat missile, products of the Caliber family, or even on the basis of the Kh-101 air-launched missile. Which of these versions is more true is not known for certain. Apparently, there is some commonality with modern cruise missiles of the Caliber complex, but the real degree of unification is not disclosed.

The R-500 product is a subsonic cruise missile with a turbojet propulsion engine. The missile is equipped with an inertial guidance system with the possibility of correction using satellite navigation signals. The autopilot is capable of guiding the missile towards the target along an optimal trajectory, ensuring maximum stealth and reducing the likelihood of successful operation of enemy air defenses. However, there is not too much data on this matter.

According to available information, the 9K728 missile is capable of low-altitude flight following the terrain. It is also possible to use a ballistic trajectory, which, during the operation of the starting engine, provides access to a greater altitude. Then the flight and approach to the target is carried out according to the optimal profile. In particular, it is possible to approach the target at low altitude, sharply reducing the permissible reaction time of air defense and missile defense.

"Iskander-K" in combat position

Whether the R-500 missile has any means of breaking through enemy defenses other than the correct flight profile is unknown. It can be noted that the characteristic architecture of this product does not allow it to carry a large supply of decoys. It is also not entirely clear whether there could be a jamming station on board the rocket.

The Iskander cruise missile has a flight range of up to 500 km - this parameter is limited by the requirements of the INF Treaty. However, foreign experts and politicians are not inclined to trust official Russian data. They express doubts on which the real accusations are based. According to various estimates, the actual flight range of the 9K728 / R-500 product is significantly higher than the declared one. The wildest assumptions bring this parameter to 2000-2500 km. The consequence of this is accusations of violation of the INF Treaty, since this agreement prohibits the development and production of ground-based missiles with a range of more than 500 and less than 5,500 km.

However, the 9K728 missile of the Iskander-K operational-tactical complex is not the most popular reason for criticism. In this context, US politicians are showing much greater interest in the Russian 9K729 missile, which allegedly also does not comply with the terms of the INF Treaty.

Launch of the 9M723 quasi-ballistic missile

Advantages and Threats

As part of the project with the Iskander code, domestic designers created a unique operational-tactical missile system, or rather, a whole family of such systems. The entire line of complexes is based on the same ground-based assets, including a self-propelled launcher and a set of auxiliary vehicles. The unified combat vehicle is capable of using several types of ballistic and cruise missiles, differing in their purpose and capabilities.

Last year, the leadership of the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, which developed the OTRK 9K720, revealed interesting information about the Iskander-M project. It turned out that to date, as many as seven missiles of different types and purposes have been developed for this system. Perhaps we were talking about already known products and their modifications, but even in this case, the announced data looks extremely interesting. They directly indicate the potential and combat qualities of the OTRK, as well as its ability to influence the military-political situation.

The Russian army is armed with a universal missile system capable of attacking and destroying various enemy targets at operational depth using missiles and warheads of a number of types. In fact, we are talking about a universal system with the maximum possible and acceptable characteristics. For example, the firing range of cruise and ballistic missiles is limited primarily by international agreements.

Launch of the R-500/9K728 cruise missile

Along with the maximum possible firing range, the Iskander complex is distinguished by its extreme difficulty in intercepting incoming missiles. When developing ballistic and cruise missiles, both known and new ideas were used, which had a positive effect on their ability to break through enemy air defenses and missile defenses. Breakthrough means and methods were created taking into account the features of modern missile and air defense systems, and therefore Iskander is one step ahead.

A mobile system with a firing range of up to 500 km and the ability to break through modern defenses naturally turns out to be a convenient military and political tool. With its help, in a real conflict, you can hit various enemy targets, leaving him almost no chance to repel the blow. In peacetime or in a period of threat, the Iskander family of tactical missile systems can be a convenient means of projecting power or even a threat designed to transparently hint at the views and opinions of the state.

Iskander complexes have been deployed in recent years in a number of ground forces units based in different regions. The total number of complexes in the troops has long exceeded one hundred and, most likely, will increase. The highly effective military and political weapon has been mastered by the troops and is capable of solving the tasks assigned to it.

Launching the 9K728 product from a camouflaged position

Problems of the future

Currently, the possible rupture of the INF Treaty is being actively discussed. The American side cites violations by Russia as the reason for this. In search of accusations, foreign experts recall old estimates about the flight range of the 9K728 cruise missile, which is supposedly capable of flying further than the permissible 500 km.

In the event of a breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Russia will have to take appropriate measures. One of the consequences of the termination of this agreement may be the emergence of new types of American missiles in different European countries. In this case, the answer to them could be the Iskander tactical missile systems located in the western regions of Russia. Their task will be to strike at the launch positions of a potential enemy - both retaliatory and, possibly, preemptive.

There are fears abroad that the 9K728 cruise missile may be based on one of the existing sea- or air-launched products, and for this reason have a range beyond the limitations. There is an interesting logical problem with this. If the accusations against the 9K728 missile are not groundless, and it really violates the Treaty, then as a result of the rupture of the latter, Russia “appears” with a new one, capable of delivering strikes at long ranges. And all this will happen before NATO can take retaliatory measures. However, for this it is necessary that the Iskander-K complex really does not comply with current restrictions.

One way or another, already now the operational-tactical missile systems of the 9K720 Iskander family represent a serious military and political argument that gives our country certain advantages in the international arena. It is obvious that the further development of this line of complexes will make it possible to maintain the desired capabilities, and with a certain development of events, to increase them. At the same time, the complex is unlikely to lose its potential even if the situation changes and existing international agreements are abandoned. Iskander will continue to be dangerous for a potential enemy, and therefore extremely useful for our country.

Based on materials from sites:
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/
https://defendingrussia.ru/
https://globalsecurity.org/
http://fas.org/
http://ria.ru/
http://tass.ru/
http://mil.ru/
http://militaryrussia.ru/blog/topic-816.html
http://military.tomsk.ru/blog/topic-304.html

“Iskander” (9K720) family of operational-tactical missile systems (OTRK) of the ground forces: Iskander, Iskander-E, Iskander-K, Iskander-M. Designed for covert preparation and delivery of effective missile strikes against particularly important small-sized and area targets deep in the operational formation of enemy troops.

Iskander missile system - video of missile launch

The Iskander OTRK (9K720) was created as a result of the joint work of a group of research institutes, design bureaus and factories under the leadership of the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (KBM Kolomna), known as the company that created the Tochka and Oka missile systems. The launcher was developed by the Titan Design Bureau (Volgograd), the homing system was developed by the Central Research Institute of Automation and Hydraulics (Moscow).

Under the conditions of the 1987 INF Treaty and the cessation of the use of nuclear weapons in theaters of operations, a number of fundamentally new requirements are imposed on modern tactical systems:

the use of only non-nuclear weapons;
ensuring precision shooting accuracy;
control along the entire flight path;
a wide range of effective combat equipment;
the presence in the complex of a combat control automation system and an information support system, including the preparation of reference information for correction and final guidance systems;
possibility of integration with global satellite navigation systems (GSSN - "GLONASS", "NAVSTAR");
the ability to hit heavily protected targets;
increased fire performance;
the ability to effectively overcome the effects of air defense and missile defense systems;
the ability to hit moving targets.

To meet the above requirements, an export version of the OTRK 9K720 was created, which received the designation "Iskander-E." "Iskander-E" absorbed the best scientific, technical and design achievements in the field of operational-tactical missile systems and, in terms of the totality of implemented technical solutions, high combat effectiveness is a weapon of a completely new generation, superior in its tactical and technical characteristics to the existing RK 9K72 "Elbrus", "Tochka-U", "Lance", "ATASMS", "Pluton", etc.

Main features of the RK 9K720 Iskander:

highly accurate and effective destruction of various types of targets;
the possibility of covert training, combat duty and effective missile strikes;
automatic calculation and input of missile flight missions using launcher means;
high probability of completing a combat mission in the face of active enemy opposition;
high probability of trouble-free functioning of the rocket during preparation for launch, as well as in flight;
high tactical maneuverability due to the high maneuverability of combat vehicles mounted on all-wheel drive chassis,
strategic mobility due to the transportability of vehicles by all modes of transport, including transport aviation;
automation of combat control of missile units,
prompt processing and communication of intelligence information to the appropriate management levels;
long service life and ease of use.

In terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, Iskander-E fully complies with the provisions of the Missile Technology Non-Proliferation Control Regime. This is a “weapon of deterrence” in local conflicts, and for countries with limited living space - a strategic weapon. The structure of the complex, its control systems, automated combat control and information support make it possible to quickly respond to new requirements without significant modification of its combat assets and, as a result, guarantee it a long life cycle.

For arming the Russian army, a version of the Iskander-M missile system with an increased flight range (more than 450 km) has been developed, as well as the Iskander-K, equipped with the R-500 high-precision cruise missile (range up to 2600 km) of the Caliber system developed by the Yekaterinburg JSC "OKB "Novator". The complex was successfully tested in 2007 at the Kapustin Yar training ground.
In 2007, the training division in Kapustin Yar, which took part in the war with Georgia in August 2008, was equipped with Iskander-M complexes (four combat vehicles).

In the west, the complex received the designation SS-26.

The Iskander complex includes:

9M723 rocket;
self-propelled launcher 9P78 (SPU);
transport-loading machine 9T250 (TZM);
command and staff vehicle 9S552 (KShM);
mobile information preparation station 9S920 (PPI);
regulation and maintenance machine (MRTO);
life support machine;
sets of arsenal and training equipment.

9M723 missile of the Iskander complex

Solid propellant, single-stage with a warhead that cannot be separated in flight. The rocket is controlled throughout its flight path using aerodynamic and gas-dynamic rudders. The flight path of the 9M723 is not ballistic, but controlled. The rocket constantly changes its trajectory plane. It maneuvers especially actively during its acceleration and approach to the target - with an overload of 20 to 30g. In order to intercept a 9M723 missile, the antimissile must move along a trajectory with an overload two to three times higher, and this is practically impossible. Most of the flight path of a missile made using Stealth technology and having a small reflective surface passes at an altitude of 50 km, which also significantly reduces the likelihood of it being hit by the enemy. The “invisibility” effect is achieved through a combination of design features and the treatment of the rocket with special coatings.

The missile is launched directly at the target using an inertial control system, and then captured by an autonomous correlation-extreme optical homing head (see photo). The principle of operation of the OTR 9M723 homing system is that optical equipment forms an image of the terrain in the target area, which is compared by the on-board computer with the standard entered during the preparation of the missile for launch. The optical head has increased resistance to existing electronic warfare systems and allows successful missile launches even on moonless nights, when there is no additional natural target illumination, hitting the target with an error of plus or minus two meters.

No other tactical system in the world can solve such a problem, except for the Iskander. In addition, optical systems do not require signals from space radio navigation systems, which in crisis situations can be turned off or disabled by radio interference. Integrating inertial control with satellite navigation equipment and an optical seeker makes it possible to create a missile that can hit a given target in almost any imaginable conditions. The homing head can also be used on ballistic and cruise missiles of various classes and types.

The missile can be equipped with various warheads (10 types in total), including:

a cluster warhead with fragmentation warheads for non-contact detonation;
cluster warhead with cumulative fragmentation warheads;
cluster warhead with self-aiming combat elements;
cluster warhead with volumetric detonating action;
high-explosive fragmentation warhead (HFW);
high-explosive incendiary warhead;
penetrating warhead (PBC).

The cluster warhead ensures deployment at an altitude of 0.9-1.4 km with further separation and stabilization of the combat elements. The combat elements are equipped with radio sensors; the combat elements are detonated at a height of 6-10 m above the target.

Thanks to the implementation of terminal control and guidance methods, control along the entire flight path, a wide range of powerful combat units and the integration of onboard control systems with various correction and homing systems, as well as the high probability of completing a combat mission in conditions of active enemy counteraction, typical targets are hit by the launch of only 1- 2 Iskander-E missiles, which is equivalent in effectiveness to the use of nuclear weapons.

Self-propelled launcher 9P78-1 (SPU) RK 9K720 "Iskander-M"

The fully autonomous SPU is placed on an 8x8 all-terrain wheeled chassis (MZKT-7930) and is designed for storing and transporting missiles, preparing for launch and launching within the firing sector ±90° relative to the direction of entry of the SPU. The SPU provides: automatic determination of its coordinates, data exchange with all control levels, combat duty and preparation for launch with the missile in a horizontal position, single and salvo missile launches, storage and testing of missiles. The most important feature of the launcher was the placement on it not of one (as in Tochka and Oka), but of two missiles.

The time the launcher spends at the launch position is minimal and is up to 20 minutes, while the interval between the launches of the 1st and 2nd missiles is no more than one minute. Missile launches do not require launch positions that are specially prepared in terms of engineering and geodesy, which can lead to their discovery by the enemy. Launches can be carried out from the so-called “ready from the march”, i.e. the launcher drives onto any site (except for swampy areas and shifting sands) and its crew prepares and launches the rocket in an automated cycle, without leaving the cabin. After which the launcher moves to the reloading point and, after loading the missiles, is ready to launch a second missile strike from any launch position.

Transport-loading vehicle 9T250-1 (TZM) RK 9K720 "Iskander-M"

The TZM is also located on the MZKT-7930 chassis and is equipped with a jib crane. Full combat weight - 40,000 kg, TZM crew - 2 people.

Command and staff vehicle 9S552 (KShM) of the Iskander missile system

The automated control system is built on the basis of a command and staff vehicle, unified for all levels of management, built on a KAMAZ family chassis. Setting to a certain management level (brigade, division, starting battery) is carried out programmatically during operation. To ensure information exchange, the launcher houses combat control and communications equipment. Information exchange can be carried out both through open and closed communication channels.

Iskander is integrated with various reconnaissance and control systems. Information about the target is transmitted from a satellite, reconnaissance aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicle (type "Flight-D") to the information preparation point (PPI). It calculates the flight mission for the missile and prepares reference information for missiles with OGSN. This information is then transmitted via radio channels to the command post vehicles (CSVs) of the division and battery commanders, and from there to the launchers. Commands to launch missiles can be generated either in the command post or from the control centers of senior artillery commanders.

It is placed on the chassis of the Kamaz family and is intended for routine checks of on-board equipment of missiles placed on TZM (as well as in containers), checks of instruments included in group sets of spare parts for complex elements and routine repair of missiles by the MTO crew. Vehicle weight - 13500 kg, deployment time - 20 minutes, time of the automated cycle of routine check of the rocket's on-board equipment - 18 minutes, crew - 2 people.

Life support vehicle for the Iskander missile system

Designed to accommodate combat crews (up to 8 people) for rest and food.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the Iskander complex (9K720)

Circular probable deviation.........5-7 m (Iskander-M using a missile with a correlation seeker), up to 2 meters.
Launch mass of the rocket...................3 800 kg
Weight of the warhead......480 kg
Length......7.2 m
Diameter......920 mm
Rocket speed after the initial part of the trajectory...........2 100 m/s
Maximum trajectory altitude......50 km.
Minimum target engagement range.........50 km
Maximum target engagement range......500 km Iskander-K (2000 km with the R-500 cruise missile); 280 km Iskander-E (export)
Time before launch of the first rocket...................4-16 minutes
Interval between launches............1 minute (for 9P78 launcher with two missiles)

Photo of the Iskander missile system

Transfer of a brigade set of Iskander-M missile systems to the 112th Missile Brigade.
July 8, 2014 - at the Kaspustin Yar training ground

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