PROTECTION OF 200-MILE ZONE, A PRIORITY TASK OF COASTAL STATES

Anatoly Baranenko, Rear-Admiral
Vladimir Belyayev, Head of a Department of the Altair State Research and Production Association
Sergei Klimov, Director General of Altair
Anatoly Kuzmenko, Chief Expert of the Navy Directorate of the Rosvoorouzhenie State Unitary Enterprise
Sergei Sokolov, First Deputy Director General of Altair
Nikolai Shcherbakov, Adviser to the Director General of Altair
 

The past few decades have ushered in a dramatic increase in the active development of the World Ocean by mankind. More and more importance is attached to the continental shelf, while the coastal infrastructure is constantly being developed. This is the reason why coastal states are now attaching a greater significance to the protection of their littoral territories and sea zones against potential threats from particular groups of people or enemy states.

— preventing or cushioning strikes waged from the sea against political, economic and military centers (facilities) deep inside a state’s territory;

— the guarding and defending of state borders against unauthorized intrusion by sea-going vessels (i.e. submarines, ships), as well as against saboteurs and terrorists; major coastal facilities and naval bases; economic and other zones against unlawful access or actions.

The achievement of these defensive measures, under conditions of probable time restraints (for example, during an air attack when decisions must be made within seconds), is impossible without the successful interaction between all forces and means within the framework of one operational system.

The Altair State Research and Production Association, which has for more than 60 years managed sea defense projects, maintains a leading position among Russian enterprises with their extensive experience in the development, servicing and modernization of radioelectronic systems for Russian and foreign large ships, as well as other coastal facilities. In cooperation with other enterprises, Altair is ready to develop an integrated sea and air defense system for vulnerable coastal areas.

Coastal and Littoral Zone Situation Monitoring Subsystem Radar. Sonar and electromagnetic monitoring and control means.

The composition, structure and operation algorithms of such a system depend on the scope of tasks required, on specific features of the defended location or facility, the degree of development of the system, and, finally, on the state’s defensive and economic potentials. Obviously, such a system must, at the very least, detect targets, gather and process information from different sources, display data concerning air, surface and underwater targets and, should a decision be made to stop unlawful actions, prevent invasive behavior, detain, oust or strike at intruders.

The above-mentioned tasks can be coordinated through the integration of all available forces and resources into one advanced guard and defense system. This system (Fig. 1) can be divided into the following major elements:

— a subsystem for monitoring air, surface and underwater locations in the controlled zone (Fig. 2).

— a subsystem of data gathering, processing and transmitting; communications, as well as component control subsystem (Fig. 3).

— a subsystem for shipborne and airborne maneuvering forces.

— a subsystem of target acquisition and destruction by coastal missile and artillery systems.

— a subsystem of engineering support for troops’ routine and combat activities.

Each subsystem (Fig. 4) is a combination of individual complexes, integrated into one combat information command and executive complex, based on distributed computer and information networks.

Data Acquisition, Processing and Transmission, Communications and Control Sybsystem

A regional operational center is the main element of the entire guard and defense system. It encompasses the gathering, processing and integration of situation data, issues action commands and transmits them to other system units. If necessary, the regional operational center interacts with designated government and Armed Forces control centers. The center’s automated communications and data transmission facilities ensure the reliable transmission of telephone, telemetry and digital information between system elements in ‘almost real-time’ mode. Depending on a given situation, these communication facilities may include cable, radio-relay and fiber-optic lines with transceiving equipment, as well as R-784-04 information multiplexing and protection equipment.

The coastal situation in the controlled zone is monitored by:

— surface and air target acquisition and tracking radar, operating within the line-of-sight range (Mys-E, Pozitiv-ME, Fregat-MAE, Vaigach-U-Nayada-M, MR-10, etc.);

— over-the-horizon target acquisition radar (Podsolnukh-E);

— optronic surveillance systems, including night vision systems (Rakurs);

— sonar and electromagnetic surface and underwater target acquisition systems (Sever, Vektor, Komor, etc.);

— electronic reconnaissance systems.

These monitoring systems make it possible to classify targets at a high probability rate, and designate targets for maneuvering forces and coast-based defense systems.

Sea-based maneuvering forces include combat vessels capable of preventing intrusion and ousting or engaging intruders (frigates of Projects 11541 and 11356, corvettes of Projects 1500 and 2100, patrol and coast-guard boats of Projects 14231, 12200, 14310, 14232, 14006). The accomplishment of the system’s tasks is more efficient if it includes coastal target acquisition and destruction systems, including strike missile systems (Redut-E, Bal-E, Moskit-E, etc.), artillery systems (Bereg), air defense missile systems (Rif, Shtil, Klinok) and electronic counteracting means.

Structure of the guard and defense system

Altair, together with other organizations, is working on an advanced subsystem of engineering support for the system’s routine and combat operation. This subsystem includes power sources, power supply lines, facilities for basing, repairing, storing and preparing military equipment and armaments, as well as heavily equipped combat positions, command posts and the overall life-support system. The engineering subsystem ensures the total system’s functioning in conditions of enemy fire, sabotage or various other infiltrating activities. The proposed coastal guard and defense system is notable for its upgrade capacity through the modernization of its individual components, or the implementation of modern — and certainly future — elements into it. The system may also include foreign-made components, already available or tentatively planned to be put into service, as well as engineering support facilities already in service, which meet the system’s requirements.

According to military experts, a unified and systematic approach towards the guarding and defending of coastal territories and water areas increases the overall efficiency of defense by not less than 30 percent; this is compared to the traditional methods of building a defense system of independent elements. This system makes it possible to adapt tasks determined by the requirements of each individual situation; that is, the tasks set by customers, the technological adaptation to the configurations, as well as compositions and purposes of each environment: from a unified system for the defense of isolated objects, to a national system of guard and defense against sea threats.