[FPSPACE] Soviet Rocket Designations
Steve Zaloga
steve_zaloga@msn.com
Tue, 16 Jan 2001 10:59:43 -0500
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Mark:
Regarding the Soviet missile designations:
The GURVO designations (e.g. 15A18) are part of a general pattern of Sovi=
et industrial index numbers. They are also widely used on other weapon sy=
stems, and also extend to sub-components. They stem from the engineering =
practice of labelling drawings, and probably came into Russia via German =
engineering practices.
The Bureau (e.g. R-36) designations are also official government designat=
ors, and are often found in the TTZ/ministerial decrees. =20
A type of designation not mentioned in your list was the policy of naming=
systems that was first adopted by Ustinov in the mid 1970s (and which al=
so extended to other types of weapons). So we have Pioner, Molodets, Tsel=
ina, Voevoda, etc. These were adopted specifically because the other two =
methods of naming weapon systems were so confusing to policy makers.
Treaty pseudonyms are utterly fictitious. They were dreamed up by the MoD=
as Grechko wouldn't even release the slightest bit of data during arms c=
ontrol negotiations, even the proper designations for missiles. They have=
no relation to anything and are the least useful form of identification.
There is actually another form of DoD intelligence designator, the tempor=
ary designators (e.g. KY-19, TT-06, NE-04, PL-05). These are used when te=
lemetry first comes in if it is not clear whether the missile is a new ty=
pe or simply a variant of an existing type. The first two letters indicat=
e the launch site, the next two are sequential numeric. They are not wide=
ly reported in open literature, but they do crop up in declassified CIA a=
nd other DoD material.
Cheers!
Steve Z.
----- Original Message -----
From: M.Wade@iaea.org
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 10:27 AM
To: fpspace@friends-partners.org
Subject: [FPSPACE] Soviet Rocket Designations
I wonder if I could poll the group on Soviet rocket designations. Since t=
he
end of Glasnost, we have become aware of up to 7 different designations f=
or
every missile. Which of these do you consider the preferred version -
combining accuracy while being 'user friendly' when writing? From least t=
o
most accurate/specific, these would be:
Article Number, eg: 15A18 - this is the official government designation.
This appears ususally in official military histories, is actually stamped=
on
the detailed parts, and is the most specific. This is probably the most
accurate. Problems: they're relatively unknown and difficult to remember.=
...
Bureau designation, eg R-36MU - these are ususally used in design bureau
memoirs etc. The problem is some inconsistencies in relation to article
numbers. This is my vote for the one to use, because they seem friendlier
than the article numbers, and run in a sequence at least.
Arms Treaty Designations: eg RS-20: These are designations provided in
official arms limitation treaty protocols, with the designations seeming =
to
be almost mischevious as a method of disinformation. These often appear i=
n
various memoirs and histories, and seem to have real substance in the cas=
e
of SLBM's.
DoD Designations: eg SS-18 Mod 3. I think these should be phased out in
general writing, since they are now shown to not always correspond to the
actual missile mods built.
ASCC Reporting Names: eg Satan. The Russian writers seem to like some of
these, and they're fun to say, and Western reporters seem to love them...=
.
but the same name applies sometimes to a rather large family of missiles.
In the case of launch vehicles, we have in addition the Sheldon Library o=
f
Congress designations (F-1, G-1, etc) and the Russian popular name (Dnepr=
,
Proton-M, etc).....
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D
Mark Wade
m.wade@iaea.org
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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV>Mark:</DIV> <D=
IV>Regarding the Soviet missile designations:</DIV> <DIV>The GURVO design=
ations (e.g. 15A18) are part of a general pattern of Soviet industrial in=
dex numbers. They are also widely used on other weapon systems, and also =
extend to sub-components. They stem from the engineering practice of labe=
lling drawings, and probably came into Russia via German engineering prac=
tices.</DIV> <DIV>The Bureau (e.g. R-36) designations are also offic=
ial government designators, and are often found in the TTZ/ministerial de=
crees. </DIV> <DIV>A type of designation not mentioned in your =
list was the policy of naming systems that was first adopted by Ustinov i=
n the mid 1970s (and which also extended to other types of weapons). So w=
e have Pioner, Molodets, Tselina, Voevoda, etc. These were adopted specif=
ically because the other two methods of naming weapon systems were so con=
fusing to policy makers.</DIV> <DIV>Treaty pseudonyms are utterly fictiti=
ous. They were dreamed up by the MoD as Grechko wouldn't even release the=
slightest bit of data during arms control negotiations, even the proper =
designations for missiles. They have no relation to anything and are the =
least useful form of identification.</DIV> <DIV>There is actually another=
form of DoD intelligence designator, the temporary designators (e.g. KY-=
19, TT-06, NE-04, PL-05). These are used when telemetry first comes in if=
it is not clear whether the missile is a new type or simply a variant of=
an existing type. The first two letters indicate the launch site, the ne=
xt two are sequential numeric. They are not widely reported in open liter=
ature, but they do crop up in declassified CIA and other DoD material.</D=
IV> <DIV>Cheers!</DIV> <DIV>Steve Z.<BR></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOT=
E style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDE=
R-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt A=
rial">----- Original Message -----</DIV> <DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e=
4; FONT: 10pt Arial; FONT-COLOR: black"><B>From:</B> M.Wade@iaea.org=
</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January=
16, 2001 10:27 AM</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>To:</B> =
fpspace@friends-partners.org</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>Sub=
ject:</B> [FPSPACE] Soviet Rocket Designations</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>=
<BR>I wonder if I could poll the group on Soviet rocket designations. Sin=
ce the<BR>end of Glasnost, we have become aware of up to 7 different desi=
gnations for<BR>every missile. Which of these do you consider the preferr=
ed version -<BR>combining accuracy while being 'user friendly' when writi=
ng? From least to<BR>most accurate/specific, these would be:<BR><BR>Artic=
le Number, eg: 15A18 - this is the official government designation.<BR>Th=
is appears ususally in official military histories, is actually stamped o=
n<BR>the detailed parts, and is the most specific. This is probably the m=
ost<BR>accurate. Problems: they're relatively unknown and difficult to re=
member....<BR><BR>Bureau designation, eg R-36MU - these are ususally used=
in design bureau<BR>memoirs etc. The problem is some inconsistencies in =
relation to article<BR>numbers. This is my vote for the one to use, becau=
se they seem friendlier<BR>than the article numbers, and run in a sequenc=
e at least.<BR><BR>Arms Treaty Designations: eg RS-20: These are designat=
ions provided in<BR>official arms limitation treaty protocols, with the d=
esignations seeming to<BR>be almost mischevious as a method of disinforma=
tion. These often appear in<BR>various memoirs and histories, and seem to=
have real substance in the case<BR>of SLBM's.<BR><BR>DoD Designations: e=
g SS-18 Mod 3. I think these should be phased out in<BR>general writing, =
since they are now shown to not always correspond to the<BR>actual missil=
e mods built.<BR><BR>ASCC Reporting Names: eg Satan. The Russian writers =
seem to like some of<BR>these, and they're fun to say, and Western report=
ers seem to love them....<BR>but the same name applies sometimes to a rat=
her large family of missiles.<BR><BR>In the case of launch vehicles, we h=
ave in addition the Sheldon Library of<BR>Congress designations (F-1, G-1=
, etc) and the Russian popular name (Dnepr,<BR>Proton-M, etc).....<BR><BR=
><BR><BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D<BR>Mark Wade<BR>m.wade@iaea.org<BR><BR>_____________________=
__________________________<BR>FPSPACE mailing list<BR>FPSPACE@friends-par=
tners.org<BR>http://fpmail.friends-partners.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/fpsp=
ace<BR><BR> <DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML><DIV><BR><br clear=3Dal=
l><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a href=3D"http://explore=
r.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></p></DIV>
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