In the Crimea, the Utes coastal missile system was revived. Sopka (coastal missile system) Installations of the missile complex Utes missiles 3m44 progress

03.10.2020

Moscow. November 18th. site - The division of the mine coastal missile system "Utes" has been restored in the Crimea, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax on Friday.

"It is assumed that the revived complex will conduct several missile launches in order to prove its viability. In the future, it is planned to deploy a silo-based Bastion missile system at its base," the source said.

Complex "Bastion"

A previously informed source said that the first silo-based Bastion coastal missile system could be deployed in Crimea by 2020.

According to him, the mine method of deploying the "Bastion" will significantly increase the combat stability of the complex.

"Stationary basing will make an irreversible strike of retaliation against any ship that invades the territorial waters of the Russian Black Sea," the source said.

He noted that the stationary "Bastion" will be able to use unmanned aircrafts and underwater sonar systems. The mine will be able to withstand excessive pressure in the front shock wave force up to 20 kgf / cm 2.

The mobile coastal missile system "Bastion" with a unified supersonic homing anti-ship missile 3M55 "Yakhont" was developed and produced by NPO Mashinostroeniya (part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation).

The Bastion complex is designed to protect the sea coast with a length of over 600 km and destroy surface ships of various classes and types operating as part of landing formations, convoys, ship and aircraft carrier strike groups, as well as single ships and ground radio-contrast targets in conditions of intense fire and electronic counteraction.

The ammunition load of one complex can include up to 36 Yakhont missiles. The missile has an over-the-horizon firing range. It implements the principle of "shot - forgot".

"Yakhont" is capable of hitting targets at a distance of 300 km and carrying a warhead weighing more than 200 kg. The missile is distinguished by complete autonomy of combat use, high supersonic speed in all flight segments, the ability to select various trajectories (low-altitude and combined), as well as complete unification for a wide range of marine, aviation and ground carriers.

Not far from Balaklava, the Utes coastal missile silo division, created back in 1957 and during Soviet times, reliably covering the peninsula from a height of about 600 meters above sea level, was revived. The correspondent of "RG" was the first of the journalists to visit a military facility hidden from the eyes of strangers.

The road meandered through forests and went higher and higher into the mountains - to a place where there was no one else besides military missilemen. Here is the checkpoint with all the necessary attributes of anti-terror. Further, behind the rows of barbed wire, begins the division of the once legendary stationary separate coastal missile regiment, which during the years of the USSR was monitored by the highest leadership of the country and where the heads of the Ministry of Defense regularly visited.

It was here, on the "Sotka", in 1957 that the traditions of coastal missilemen of the Black Sea Fleet were born. From here, the first subsonic S-2 cruise missiles drew their victorious autographs. Today, one of them is on the pedestal of the monument, which the rocket soldiers are ennobling for the celebrations on the occasion of the Day of the Missile Forces and Artillery (it is celebrated on November 19 - Note ed.) and the already close 60th anniversary of the part. It is inscribed on the monument: "This model of the S-2 rocket has been preserved as a token of gratitude to the creators of the first RO complex for coastal missile units of the Navy."

The missile system is hidden high in the mountains, where eagles soar above the rocks. From here, "Cliff" is able to reach an enemy target anywhere in the Black Sea.

After the collapse of the USSR, the legendary “hundred part” was transferred several times to one or another unit of the Ukrainian Navy. But no one took care of the object, and this military unit fell into disrepair. Looted blocks at the command post, carved cable routes with non-ferrous metal - such a legacy was received by Russian missilemen who appeared on the battery shortly after the events of the Crimean spring. Therefore, the restoration of the combat capability of the Utes was a real technical feat. This task was entrusted to the officer who once commanded the division, and now works in the recovery team, reserve lieutenant colonel Yevgeny Lipko.

It was very difficult to achieve this,” says reserve lieutenant colonel Yevgeny Lipko. - But we, like the obsessed, together with today's rocket scientists, completed the task. I really wanted to hear the rocket thunder again over the steep Crimean coast and remember my officer's youth, when we fired rockets regularly. Now we continue the repair work together with the specialists of NPO Mashinostroenie. These are professionals the highest level. One of them is Doctor of Sciences, Captain 1st Rank Konstantin Pogorelov. We hope that now, as in the past, Utes' rocket signatures will appear in the Crimean sky, protecting the peaceful life of the inhabitants of the peninsula.

Lipko showed metal hanging beds fixed in the walls of the underground corridors. It turns out that at one time they were removed from the decommissioned cruiser Slava, and thanks to them, during combat duty, the division turned into a ship on the shore, only with a higher combat readiness. The rocket men were here around the clock - they slept underground in the corridors cut down by the creators of the "weave" in the rocky ground. They carried real combat duty here when NATO ships entered the Black Sea. And each of the uninvited guests was, as they say, at gunpoint. The missiles and missilemen were in readiness for immediate action. So it was during the demarche of the newest ships of the US Navy - the cruiser Yorktown and the destroyer Caron, which were forced out by our two patrol ships, which were significantly inferior in displacement and armament to the American ones.

Together with Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Slesarev, commander of the "Utes" division, we walked along the adit to the launcher past the cruise missiles hidden in the storage. We caught the moment when powerful lifting devices slowly but surely pushed the launcher up for a trial run of the cruise missile engine. The main engine hums and releases a powerful jet of air.

first in recent history the firing of the Utyos missilemen was carried out already a few months after the entry of Sevastopol and Crimea into the Russian Federation. Ever since the days of the USSR, every rocket firing was marked by the appearance of a five-pointed star on the lid of the container, and now a tricolor Russian one has appeared on the launcher next to the red stars.

The 3M44 Progress missiles, due to their long firing range with external target designation, can cover a coastline several hundred kilometers long, says Sergey Gross, Deputy Chief of the Coastal Forces of the Black Sea Fleet, in the recent past. - The Progress missiles, though not new, as we say, in modern coastal missile systems Bal or Bastion, are very reliable. A powerful cumulative high-explosive or special warhead of the Progress missile will disable a ship of any class with one missile.

Near the starting position in the alpine forest, a small military town was lost, where everything is thought out for a comfortable life for missilemen. The barracks here are quite spacious, the beds are in one tier. There is a recreation room for personnel with a large plasma TV, a huge chess table, a utility room equipped with everything necessary. In its place is the latest issue of the wall newspaper, which is published by the senior sailor of the contract service Yulia Vasilyeva.

Despite the remoteness of our division, it is staffed by 80 percent of contract soldiers, - says Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Slesarev. - This is a high percentage. And all are real professionals.

Help "RG"

In 1955, a large number of tunnels and special rooms were cut in the rock near Cape Aya, in which various means of the silo missile system were placed. In 1957, "Object 100" conducted the first firing using S-2 guided missiles and was included in the combat core of the Black Sea Fleet. Before reconstruction and re-equipment, which began in 1964, the regiment made 25 launches, the success rate of which was 71.5 percent.

At the end of April 1972, after six test launches, "Object 100" was introduced into the permanent readiness forces. On April 19, 1973, the first test firing was successfully completed according to the combat training plan at a distance of 219 kilometers. 1986 was a record year in terms of the number of rocket launches - 14, of which 10 were in target mode, two - under the program of control and serial tests.

The last time "Object 100" launched a rocket was in September 1993, after which it was idle for several years. As part of the agreement on the division of the Black Sea Fleet in 1996, the complex was transferred to Ukraine. In 1997, the new owners were even able to make one training launch of a rocket, after which the complex was actually destroyed.

Now Utes is armed with Progress missiles. Their flight range is up to 460 kilometers.

The division of the mine coastal missile system "Utes" was restored in the Crimea.

Let's remember the history of this missile system.

To protect the southern maritime borders and Sevastopol from the sea at the height of the Cold War, in 1954, high in the mountains near Balaklava, the world's first Sopka underground coastal-based missile system with a range of up to 100 km in the Black Sea began to be created.
The construction of "Object 100" (such a code was given to a secret construction site) was carried out by the 95th Specialized Directorate of Underground Operations of the Black Sea Fleet. The object consisted of two identical underground complexes and launch pads, 6 km apart from each other. Military builders led Chief Engineer building management Black Sea Fleet Colonel A. Gelovani - future Deputy Minister of Defense, Marshal of Engineering Troops.

Captain A. Kuznetsov was the head of the construction of site No. 1, and engineer A. Klyuev was the head of site No. 2. Installation operations from the Era enterprise were led by engineer F. Karaka. Up to 1,000 people were employed at each construction site.

At construction sites, starting positions and underground structures protected from atomic weapons were erected from heat-resistant concrete, which housed command posts, missile storage facilities and workshops for preparation and refueling. The missiles in the facilities were on special technological carts with folded wings and moved to the starting positions by special mechanisms. The underground complex had full engineering support, diesel power plants, filter-ventilation installations, fuel, water and food supplies, which ensured the life of the facility when it was completely sealed after an atomic strike. Protected reinforced concrete bunkers were placed at the heads next to the launch positions to shelter the missiles removed from the launch.

The guidance and fire control system of the Sopka complex included the Mys detection radar, a central post combined with the S-1M guidance radar and the Burun tracking radar. Radar stations "Mys" and "Burun" in 1955 passed the state tests. The Mys radar station is designed to detect marine targets and issue target data to the central post and was located at an altitude of more than 550 meters at Cape Aya.

At the end of 1956, the construction of "Object 100" was practically completed, the personnel underwent special training. A separate coastal missile regiment was formed, which on February 23, 1957 was included in the forces of the combat core of the fleet. The first commander of the regiment was Lieutenant Colonel G. Sidorenko (later Major General, Chief of Coastal Troops and Marine Corps of the Black Sea Fleet). According to the test plan, the regiment carried out several missile firings. The very first of them was held on June 5, 1957 in the presence of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral V. A. Kasatonov. The launch was made from the second battery (commander Lieutenant V. Karsakov). The successful result heralded the emergence of a new kind of force in the USSR Navy - coastal missile units.

On July 25, 1957, the state commission accepted "Object 100". And at the beginning of 1959, for the first time, the regiment was awarded the challenge prize of the Civil Code of the Navy for rocket firing. On July 30, 1960, the regiment received its permanent name - the 362nd Separate Coastal Missile Regiment (OBRP). During the operation of the Skala DBK from 1957 to 1965, the regiment carried out more than 25 practical missile launches.

On July 16, 1961, a resolution of the Council of Ministers was issued on the re-equipment of the Utes coastal stationary complexes from Sopka missiles to P-35B missiles. The re-equipment of stationary "objects 100" and "101" from the Strela complexes to the newly created Utes complex was determined by this resolution. The Utes stationary coastal operational-tactical anti-ship missile system was developed on the basis of the P-35 anti-ship missile and the Redut mobile coastal complex at OKB-52 (TsKBM) under the leadership of V.M. Chelomeya. The Utes complex was adopted by the Decree of the Council of Ministers of April 28, 1973. The Utes complex re-equipped units previously equipped with the Sopka complex.

The complex included: MRTS-1 ("Success-U"), the Mys radar with the Password identification system, a control system, launchers, P-35 missiles, and a ground equipment complex. The control system "Utes" was created at NII-303, the sustainer turbojet engine of the rocket was developed at OKB-300. At Cape Aya, the second division of the 362nd OBRP was the first to be re-equipped in 1964. The main technical solutions for the Utes complex differed significantly from those previously implemented for the Strela complex, the launchers of which were advanced in a horizontal direction from rock adits. For "Utes" rotary two-container installations weighing more than 30 tons were adopted, which were placed in mines 20 m deep, and before launch they rose to a height of 6 m above the surface. Immediately before the launch, the containers with missiles were brought out at an angle of 15 °. All the main objects of the complexes were located in reinforced concrete structures buried in the rocky ground. In them, in the process of pre-launch preparation, rockets were checked and refueled. During the engine race, immediately before the launch, directly on the launcher (as in the ship's SM-70), the rocket was refueled, which increased the firing range.

On September 16, 1964, the first batch of military builders of a special detachment of the Black Sea Fleet arrived at the location of the regiment. The underground structures that the regiment had were subject to reconstruction to fit the dimensions of the new coastal missile system. The builders under the leadership of Captain A. Klimov, together with the personnel of the second division, began work. Prior to this, the former complex was completely dismantled.

Ten-meter rockets in a horizontal position with folded wings were stored on technological carts with launch units and after pre-launch preparation and refueling liquid fuel were ready to launch. The twin launch containers retracted from the ground made it possible to quickly reload new missiles.

Autonomous testing of ground equipment began in mid-1968 and continued for more than two years. On May 28, 1971, the first launch of the P-35 was carried out at a range of about 200 km. Work in the first division was completed on February 25, 1972, and on April 17 next year successfully fired at the target pr. 1784 at a distance of 217 km. On April 28, 1973, both divisions of the regiment entered service. In 1978-1983 33 launches were performed, 30 of them were successful. Rearmament of divisions of the 616th separate coastal missile regiment Northern Fleet on the island of Kildin ended in 1976 and in 1983. The launchers of the complex were placed in rocky shelters. The launchers are generally similar to the “half” of the launchers of the Project 56 missile cruisers (“Grozny”, “Admiral Golovko”) - in the installation there are not 4 containers with anti-ship missiles, but two. Cruise missiles were delivered to the launch pads through tunnels along guide rails on special platforms with electric motors.

The launchers were protected by massive steel covers, which moved to the side during launch. In a matter of minutes, the colossal structure of the launcher appeared on the surface and could strike with two missiles. The "object 100" included two divisions, separated by a distance of 6 kilometers, each of which was armed with two launchers. In 1974, the modernization of coastal missile systems for the Progress missile began. In 1976, the regiment at Cape Aya carried out six test launches. In 1982, the complex was modernized - a new 3M44 Progress missile was introduced into the complex. The production of missiles for coastal complexes was carried out from 1982 to 1987. Due to the long range of fire, the battery of the Utes complex, with external target designation, can cover the coast with a length of several hundred kilometers. A powerful cumulative high-explosive or nuclear warhead (350 kt) can disable a ship of any class with one missile.

The regiment repeatedly bore the title of excellent, was awarded the challenge Red Banners of the Military Councils of the Black Sea Fleet and the Navy for missile firing at a sea target. In 1982, the name of the regiment was entered on the marble Board of Honor at the Central Naval Museum.

After that, in the early 2000s, the division near the village of Oboronnoye was looted and all the metal was removed from it. In 2002, the division was disbanded, in 2003-2004 the equipment was cut into pieces. The other division was mothballed and, oddly enough, survived. In 2009, the Ukrainian Navy even made an attempt to restore it. Now this division has been returned to the Coastal Rocket and Artillery Troops of the Russian Navy!
In the fall of 2014, engineers and workers at the Black Sea Fleet’s rocket and artillery repair plant restored the coastal missile division of the famous Sotka missile system, which is located near the village of Reserve.

A previously informed source said that the first silo-based Bastion coastal missile system could be deployed in Crimea by 2020.

"It will use both the currently existing anti-ship Yakhonts and the promising versions of missiles currently being developed that will be capable of destroying any target located in the Black Sea," the agency's interlocutor said.
According to him, the mine method of deploying the "Bastion" will significantly increase the combat stability of the complex.

"Stationary basing will make an irreversible strike of retaliation against any ship that invades the territorial waters of the Russian Black Sea," the source said.

He noted that the stationary "Bastion" will be able to use unmanned aerial vehicles and underwater sonar systems. The mine will be able to withstand overpressure in the shock wave front with a force of up to 20 kgf/cm2.
The mobile coastal missile system "Bastion" with a unified supersonic homing anti-ship missile 3M55 "Yakhont" was developed and produced by NPO Mashinostroeniya (part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation).

The ammunition load of one complex can include up to 36 Yakhont missiles. The missile has an over-the-horizon firing range. It implements the principle of "shot - forgot".

Here is a photo of Vladimir Pasyakin

It was very difficult to achieve this,” says reserve lieutenant colonel Yevgeny Lipko. - But we, like the obsessed, together with today's rocket scientists, completed the task. I really wanted to hear the rocket thunder again over the steep Crimean coast and remember my officer's youth, when we fired rockets regularly. Now we continue the repair work together with the specialists of NPO Mashinostroenie. These are professionals of the highest level. One of them is Doctor of Sciences, Captain 1st Rank Konstantin Pogorelov. We hope that now, as in the past, Utes' rocket signatures will appear in the Crimean sky, protecting the peaceful life of the inhabitants of the peninsula.

The first firing in modern history was carried out by Utyos missilemen just a few months after Sevastopol and Crimea became part of the Russian Federation. Ever since the days of the USSR, every rocket firing was marked by the appearance of a five-pointed star on the lid of the container, and now a tricolor Russian one has appeared on the launcher next to the red stars.

Despite the remoteness of our division, it is staffed by 80 percent of contract soldiers, - says Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Slesarev. - This is a high percentage. And all are real professionals.

Half a century ago, several interesting projects in the field of missile weapons for the navy. On the basis of existing developments, the P-6 and P-35 missiles were created, intended for submarines and ships, respectively. The P-35 product later became the basis for new coastal missile systems: the Redut mobile system and the Utes stationary system. The latter appeared later than all and, after a number of problems and difficulties, is still in operation.

The creation of the Utes coastal anti-ship operational-tactical complex with P-35B cruise missiles started in 1961 in accordance with a resolution of the Council of Ministers of July 16. This document was required to create a new stationary complex and equip existing bases in the Crimea and on about. Kildin. The Utes system was supposed to be a replacement for the existing Strela complex of a similar purpose, which no longer fully meets modern requirements. It is noteworthy that the new complex was supposed to be a replacement for the old one, not only in terms of a tactical role, but also in terms of placement. On the existing complexes "Object 100" and "Object 101" it was required to dismantle the old Strela equipment and install a new type of system for the use of P-35B missiles instead.

Model of the P-35 rocket with holes for demonstrating internal units. In particular, the antenna of the radar seeker is visible. Photo Bastion-karpenko.narod.ru

It is necessary to recall the history of "Object 100" and "Object 101". As part of the creation of the Strela coastal complex with the S-2 missile (due to the high degree of unification, it is often confused with the Sopka mobile system with the same missile or called it a stationary modification), carried out since 1954, in the second half of the fifties were built several special items. In the middle of 1955, in the Crimea, in the area of Cape Aya, the construction of "Object 100" began. The 95th Specialized Department of Underground Operations of the Black Sea Fleet pierced a large number of tunnels in the rock and a set of special rooms, in which various missile systems were subsequently placed.

In total, two complexes were built in Crimea, classified as missile divisions. Each of them had two launchers with two missiles each, missile controls, etc. Also inside the mountain were command posts, missile storage facilities, their preparation stations and other premises. All underground structures were connected by posterns. On the surface, there were only a few gates for access to the complex and launcher covers.

The Black Sea Fleet received two missile divisions, each of which had two launchers. One of these complexes was located near the city of Balaklava, the other was built near the village. Reserve. The distance between the two divisions was about 6 km. In the same area, on the mountains of Cape Aya, there was a position radar station detection. An interesting feature of all means of the Strela complex was their location. All objects were located in the mountains at an altitude of 500-600 m above sea level. This hid them from observation from the sea, and to a certain extent increased the range of observation and firing.

June 5, 1957 "Object 100" conducted the first firing using guided missiles S-2. After completion of all checks, on August 30, the complex was put into operation. Its operation was entrusted to the specially formed 362nd Separate Coastal Missile Regiment (OBRP).

Rocket launch on "Object 100". Photo Flot.sevastopol.info

At the end of 1955, the second secret construction began on about. Kildin off the coast of the Murmansk region. The missile base "Object 101", as in the case of the Crimean complex, had two autonomous divisions located in different parts of the island. According to the general structure, the "Object 101" did not differ from the "Object 100", but was built using a different technology. Instead of making tunnels in the rock, it was decided to dig pits of the required size. They built all the necessary bunkers, rooms and terraces, after which the free space was filled with soil and concrete.

The Object 101 was to be operated by the new 616th OBRP, formed in 1957. In the early days of 58, a new missile system was put into operation. In the future, similar bases were not built. "Object 100" and "Object 101", built to accommodate the Strela missile systems, remained the only domestic stationary systems of this class. In the future, priority was given to mobile coastal missile systems that do not need complex and expensive stationary facilities.

In view of the moral obsolescence of the existing S-2 missiles and complexes based on them, in the early sixties, it was decided to transfer two missile bases in the Crimea and on about. Kildin for new weapons. The choice fell on the developed cruise anti-ship missile P-35B. Initially, this product was intended for the Redut mobile coastal complex, but its characteristics made it possible to operate on stationary systems.

A promising stationary complex received symbol"Cliff". Its development was entrusted to OKB-52 under the leadership of V.N. Chelomeya. This organization has developed a number of anti-ship missiles, including the P-35. Thus, the creation of a new complex was entrusted to the design bureau, already working on a rocket for it: the Redut and P-35B projects started back in 1960.

Scheme of the missile division as part of "Object 100" and "Object 101". Figure Erlata.ru

As part of the Utes complex, it was proposed to use the P-35B missile. This product was a further development of the ideas embodied in older projects of the mid-fifties. The missile was designed to attack large surface targets and had the appropriate technical design, as well as a special algorithm for the operation of guidance systems.

All the main units of the rocket were placed inside the fuselage about 10 m long, equipped with a pointed head fairing and a protruding air intake under the bottom. An important feature of the P-35B rocket and its predecessors was the use of a folding wing. In the transport position, the consoles turned down, reducing the transverse dimension of the product to 1.6 m. After leaving the launch container, the wing had to unfold independently and acquire a span of 2.6 m.

The power plant of the rocket was located in the rear fuselage. Its main element was the K7-300 turbojet propulsion engine with a thrust of 2180 kg. Also, the rocket had to carry a detachable launch block in the form of two solid-propellant engines with a thrust of 18.3 tons. After running out of fuel, they had to be dropped. Also in the tail of the rocket, small elevators and a keel were provided, located under the fuselage. The latter had a rudder.

Launch complex of the destroyed 1st division "Object 100". Photo jalita.com

For aiming at the target, the P-35B missile was supposed to use combined equipment. The exit to the target area should have been carried out using an inertial navigation system when flying at an altitude of up to 4-7 km. At a given distance from the target, an active radar homing head with a sighting mode should have been connected to work. With its help, the rocket was supposed to observe the target area and search for objects located there, transmitting data about them to the operator. The task of the latter was to select a target for independent guidance of the missile. After determining the target and capturing it, the rocket had to complete the attack on its own, without the participation of the operator.

The defeat of the selected object was to be carried out using a high-explosive or special warhead weighing up to 1000 kg. The power of a nuclear warhead at the same time reached 350 kt, which made it possible to destroy both the target and the ships next to it.

The P-35B rocket without a starting block and fuel for the main engine weighed about 2.33 tons. The launch weight reached 5300 kg, including the 800-kg starting engine. The rocket had the ability to rise to a height of up to 7 km and reach speeds of up to 1600 km / h. The exact flight parameters were determined in accordance with the chosen flight program, however, the final section in all cases had to pass at an altitude of 100 m. This did not interfere with the correct targeting, but seriously hampered the timely detection and destruction of an incoming missile.

To launch a missile from a coastal firing position, a special set of tools was developed, in which developments were used under the Strela project and the P-35 ship-based missile. The P-35B missile launcher was created on the basis of the SM-70 shipborne system and was a simplified version of it. Instead of four containers for missiles on a common base with rotary mechanisms, there were now two. The containers provided guides for the movement of the rocket and other necessary equipment. During storage, the rocket was protected by movable covers that were lifted before launch.

A pool formed at the site of the launcher. Photo jalita.com

Launchers of a new type should have been mounted on lifting devices similar to those used in the Strela. Before the launch of the rocket, the launch complex had to open a movable protected roof, ensuring the rise of the launcher. On the surface, the launcher had to open the covers and rise with an elevation of + 15 °. After that, missiles could be launched. After launch, the installation should have been returned to the underground hall for recharging.

The Utes complex included various means for storing, transporting and servicing missiles. So, to load the launcher, the P-35B rocket had to be supplied from the warehouse (rooms with racks for 32 rockets) using a special cart with an electric motor. On a trolley, it was proposed to deliver the rocket to the refueling point, and then place it in the launcher. All maintenance operations of the complex could be carried out by calculation without going to the surface.

The coastal complex "Utes" has retained some elements of its predecessor. So, it was proposed to monitor the protected area and search for targets using the Mys radar station, which was already used with the Strela complex. Some other units were also unified. The use of the Mys radar station allowed the new complex to fire P-35B missiles at a range of up to 270-300 km. In the mid-sixties, a third-party target designation complex was adopted using several types of aircraft and helicopters. The use of aircraft, solving the problem of long-range reconnaissance and relaying radio signals, made it possible to increase the range of missiles to 450-460 km.

Covers of the launcher of the surviving 2nd division "Object 100". Photo Bastion-opk.ru

When developing the Utes project, the main features of the previous one were taken into account stationary complex, however, in some cases, it was necessary to use significant improvements to finished objects. These and other difficulties eventually had a negative impact on the complexity of the work and on the timing of the modernization of existing coastal missile bases.

In the early autumn of 1964, specialists from industry and the Black Sea Fleet began the reconstruction and modernization of the "Object 100". All unnecessary facilities of the existing Strela were removed from the underground structures of the 2nd missile division (near the village of Reserve), after which some structures were rebuilt in accordance with the dimensions of the new systems and other differences of the Utes complex. A little later, similar work started at the facilities of the 1st division. The reconstruction of the existing structures in the mountainous soil turned out to be quite a difficult task, which is why the builders did not manage to enter the established schedule.

After numerous difficulties and a shift in deadlines, the specialists still managed to complete the installation of the first Utes complex. All necessary work ended by early 1971. On May 28, the first test launch of the P-35B missile for a training target took place. The missile flew 200 km and successfully hit the target. At the end of April 1972, after six test launches, the "Object 100" was introduced into the permanent readiness forces. About a year later, by a decision of the Council of Ministers, it was officially put into operation.

Due to the difficulties inherent in the service in the North, the rearmament of the "Object 101" dragged on even more. The first division of the 616th Separate Coastal Missile Regiment received all the new equipment only by 1976. The re-equipment of the 2nd division was completed after the completion of work on the 1st. Thus, he was able to start a full-fledged service using new weapons only in the early eighties. Nevertheless, despite all the difficulties, the task was successfully solved: both stationary missile bases were completely transferred to a new complex with modern missiles with improved performance.

One of the Object 101 launchers. Due to lack of maintenance and the harsh climate, the lid collapsed and fell inward. Photo Urban3p.ru

By the time the work on the modernization of the base on about. Kildin adopted a new 3M44 Progress missile, which was an updated version of the P-35B. With the maximum external similarity, this product differed from the base one by the use of a large number of new components and assemblies that had a positive effect on its characteristics. In connection with the advent of new missiles, all systems that previously used the P-35 and P-35B began to switch to Progress. Thus, by the mid-eighties, "Object 100" and "Object 101" could use both P-35B and 3M44. Interestingly, due to the lengthy work, the 2nd division of the 616th OBRP, after modernization, received Progress missiles from the very beginning.

After returning to service, two coastal missile systems of the Black Sea and Northern Fleets repeatedly participated in combat training activities with firing at target ships. In addition, from a certain time, these complexes began to provide training for anti-aircraft gunners. In a number of exercises, missiles of the P-35 family were used as targets for shipborne anti-aircraft systems. It is with this operation that a very curious review of the rocket is connected. After such exercises, Admiral I.V. Kasatonov called the P-35B missile a flying tank, since it continued to fly even after two anti-aircraft missiles were blown up.

Full-fledged training and combat work of two separate coastal missile regiments continued until the early nineties. Decay Soviet Union and the problems of a political and economic nature that followed it seriously hit the Utes complexes. So, "Object 100" last launched a rocket in September 1993, after which it stood idle for several years. As part of the agreement on the division of the Black Sea Fleet in 1996, the complex was transferred to the Ukrainian side. According to some reports, in 1997 the new owners were even able to make one training launch of a rocket, after which no serious measures were taken. Not being able to operate the Crimean base, the Ukrainian Navy took some actions that led to negative consequences.

The 1st division, located near Balaklava, was disbanded at the beginning of the 2000s. Left without maintenance and without protection, the object was looted. At present, it is a harsh and sad sight: the equipment has disappeared or been destroyed, and real ponds with stagnant water have formed under the open covers of the halls with launchers. Restoration and further operation of the facility is not possible. Probably, the former position of the 1st division of the 342nd OBRP will remain a crumbling monument to a unique complex.

Training layout of the P-35B rocket on about. Kildin. Photo Urban3p.ru

The 2nd division was more successful. The new owners, who did not have the opportunity to exploit it, carried out conservation. Later, the object was partially returned to service and opened to tourists. According to the latest data, after the return of Crimea to Russia, the specialists of the Black Sea Fleet carried out all the necessary procedures, as a result of which the Utes complex can again be used by the fleet. Now it complements the grouping of coastal missile forces and artillery.

"Object 101" continued to serve until 1995. Despite all the problems, the 616th OBRP carried out its tasks and defended the northern sea borders of the country. However, in the summer of 1995, the command decided to abandon the further operation of the last Utes complex. The Ministry of Defense disbanded the regiment, and by the end of the year, all personnel went to the "mainland", leaving all the means of the missile system on the island.

The coast of the Kola Peninsula and about. Kildin shares a relatively narrow strait, which affected the fate of the remaining missile system. Scrap metal hunters appeared on the island, who managed to inflict critical damage on the Utes in a relatively short time. In addition, the severe northern climate negatively affected the state of the complex. As a result, only the rusty remains of special equipment and crumbling structures with peeling paint remained on the island. A certain popularity among tourists visiting the island is the model of the P-35B missile, which was used for training purposes. It is hardly worth specifying that the condition of this product, as well as the complex as a whole, leaves much to be desired.

Coastal missile systems "Utes" have a difficult fate. The Object 101 complex did not survive the difficult nineties. "Object 100", in turn, suffered significant losses, but after a long downtime, he returned to service and can again solve the assigned tasks. Thanks to the specialists of the Black Sea Fleet, who returned it to work, the country again received a reliable means of protecting the southern maritime borders. Having sufficiently high performance, the Crimean Utes complex can still continue to serve, complementing newer and more advanced systems.

According to materials:
http://flot.sevastopol.info/
http://bratishka.ru/
http://kildin.ru/
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/
http://bastion-opk.ru/
Shirokorad A.B. Weapons of the national fleet. 1945-2000. - Minsk: "Harvest", 2001

Detailed photo review of the destroyed "Object 101":
http://lana-sator.livejournal.com/209537.html

COAST STATIONARY MISSILE COMPLEX "UTES"
COASTAL STATIONARY MISSILE COMPLEX "UTES"

19.11.2016

The combat readiness of two silo-based Utes coastal missile systems in Crimea was restored and confirmed by successful launches of P-35 cruise missiles, a source in the Crimean law enforcement agencies told RIA Novosti on Friday.
“It was decided to put on combat duty silo-based Utes coastal missile systems deployed in Crimea back in Soviet times. To confirm the operational readiness of the complexes, P-35 cruise missiles were launched from them as part of a surprise check, which were successful," the agency's interlocutor said.
According to him, the Black Sea Fleet now has two Utes silo missile systems, each with two launch containers.
RIA News

26.04.2017

Today, as part of a test tactical exercise with a separate coastal missile brigade of the Black Sea Fleet (BSF), the crew of the Utyos coastal stationary anti-ship complex launched a cruise missile at a sea target from the coast of the Crimean Peninsula.
A few minutes after the launch, the P-35 cruise missile successfully hit a naval ship shield drifting in the sea at a distance of about 170 km.
To ensure the safety of the combat exercise and objective control over the results of firing, more than 15 warships and support vessels, as well as Be-12 anti-submarine amphibious aircraft, An-26 military transport aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles from the Black Sea Fleet naval aviation were involved.
Ministry of Defense of Russia

28.08.2017

As part of a scheduled test tactical exercise of a group of diverse strike forces of the Black Sea Fleet (BSF), the Utyos coastal stationary missile system launched a cruise missile in the interests of the naval strike group of the fleet.
In turn, the strike group consisting of missile boats "Ivanovets", "R-239" and "R-60" discovered, escorted and attacked a high-speed air target with naval artillery.
At the final stage of the flight of the anti-ship missile, the Su-30SM multifunctional fighter of the naval aviation of the fleet intercepted an air target and destroyed it using an aviation guided missile.
To ensure safety and objective control of the results of the exercises, 15 warships and auxiliary ships of the fleet were involved, as well as naval aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Press Service of the Southern Military District

27.08.2019

The underground-based Crimean coastal missile system "Utes" will be re-equipped with a new missile in the future. TASS reported this on Monday. CEO, general designer NPO Mechanical Engineering (part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation) Alexander Leonov on the eve of the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS-2019).
Leonov recalled that repair and restoration work at the Utes coastal missile system was completed quite recently, and was needed because the complex, which was part of the Naval Forces Ukraine, has lost its technical readiness.
“Successful launches after the work carried out showed the readiness of the complex to protect the Crimean coast. Therefore, for some time he will work with Progress missiles. In the future, the complex will be re-equipped with new types of missiles,” Leonov said.
TASS