The development of the Don-2N was a significant engineering feat, requiring advanced materials, precise manufacturing, and sophisticated software to meet the demands of modern missile defense.
Known as the “Pill Box” by NATO, Russia’s Don-2N radar is a key element of its strategic defense infrastructure, intended to protect Moscow from ballistic missile threats. Located near Sofrino in the Pushkinsky District of Moscow Oblast, this massive phased-array radar is a critical component of the Russian A-135 anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system.
The Don-2N’s advanced capabilities, unique design, and ongoing modernization efforts underscore its importance in Russia’s national security framework.
The Don-2N Radar’s History
The Don-2N is an imposing structure, characterized by its unique quadrangle frustum shape. Each of its four sides is equipped with a 59-foot diameter and super-high-frequency (SHF) band radar, providing 360-degree coverage for detecting and tracking missiles. Adjacent to each circular search-and-track array is a 33-foot square antenna array, separated by a vertical shielding structure, used for guiding interceptor missiles via datalink. The radar operates in the centimeter range, enabling it to detect small objects, reportedly as small as five centimeters (or just about two inches), at distances of 1,243 miles away and at altitudes as high as 24,855 miles high.
The system is powered by an Elbrus-2 supercomputer, which manages the complex computations required for tracking multiple targets, analyzing trajectories, and coordinating interceptor missiles. This computational power allows the Don-2N to function autonomously, a critical feature in the event of disrupted communications with its command-and-control center.
The radar’s phased-array design, with its electronically scanned arrays, provides rapid scanning and high precision, making it capable of simultaneous detection, tracking, and guidance tasks. Its ability to monitor the upper hemisphere continuously and integrate with Russia’s broader missile defense and space surveillance systems further enhances its versatility.
Russia’s development of the Don-2N radar is rooted, as with so much in the country’s modern military history, in the geopolitical dynamics of the Cold War—particularly the 1972 ABM Treaty. That treaty allowed the United States and the Soviet Union to each designate one area for missile defense. While the United States chose North Dakota—home of much of its nuclear arsenal—the Soviet Union prioritized Moscow, reflecting the capital’s political and symbolic significance.
Construction began on the Don-2N in 1978, with the radar achieving full operational capability by 1989. It was officially accepted into service in 1996 after extensive testing and integration into the A-135 system. A prototype, known as Don-2NP (NATO designation “Horse Leg”) was developed at the Sary Shagan test site in Kazakhstan, serving as a testing ground for the technologies later implemented in the Don-2N.
The development of the Don-2N was a significant engineering feat, requiring advanced materials, precise manufacturing, and sophisticated software to meet the demands of modern missile defense. The facility near Fryazino, a scientific town northeast of Moscow, played a key role in producing the radar’s high-quality microwave and millimeter components, adhering to stringent military standards.
Russia’s Don-2N’s strategic importance is underscored by the fact that the US military, as of the 1998 Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), allocated 69 consecutive nuclear weapons to neutralize the facility, highlighting its perceived threat to US strategic interests. This targeting reflects the radar’s role in disrupting potential missile attacks, making it a high-priority asset for Russia.
The Mission Set of the Don-2N
The Don-2N’s primary role is to detect and track intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and other ballistic threats targeting Moscow, providing early warning and enabling the A-135 to deploy interceptors such as the 53T6 (Gazelle) missiles. The radar’s ability to classify warheads, distinguish them from decoys, and counter active jamming enhances its effectiveness against sophisticated missile threats.
Beyond missile defense, Don-2N contributes to Russia’s space surveillance, automatically detecting and tracking objects in orbit and relaying trajectory data to Russia’s Central Space Surveillance Center.
The radar’s remarkable sensitivity was demonstrated in a 1994 joint experiment with the Americans, part of the ODERACS 1 program, where it detected a two-inch sphere at 932-1,243 miles away—outperforming other radars, including the US Cobra Dane. This capability only further highlights the ability of the Don-2N to monitor space debris and potential anti-satellite threats.
This radar’s integration with Russia’s broader early-warning network, including Voronezh radars and the EKS satellite constellation, ensures comprehensive coverage of potential missile launch areas.
America Has Failed the Missile Defense Test
There’s a bigger issue here—one that can be traced back to the late 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, the Soviets were deeply committed to creating a real missile defense network—no matter how rudimentary—to protect key parts of Moscow from possible American nuclear attacks.
The Americans purposely eschewed placing even rudimentary missile defenses around some of its most sensitive cities, preferring instead to protect sensitive US military bases. Remember that instead of prioritizing Washington or New York against a Soviet missile threat, the Pentagon chose North Dakota.
Perhaps that decision was strategically sound at the time, and it may have been the best option. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the Russians have prioritized building defenses against missile attacks in their urban centers—and the Americans have not. Now a tipping point has likely been reached, in which Russia’s missile defenses might actually be better than the American systems.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / pingvin121674.
