Type Anti-ballistic missile In service Since 1995 Wars Cold War | Place of origin Soviet Union Used by Russia | |
Designer NPO Novator Design Bureau | ||
The 53T6 (NATO reporting name: ABM-3 Gazelle, previously SH-08) is a Russian anti-ballistic missile. Designed in the early 1980s and in service since 1995, it is a component of the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system.
The missile is able to intercept incoming re-entry vehicles at a distance of 80 km. The 53T6 is a two-stage solid-propellant missile armed with a 10 kt thermonuclear weapon. The missile is about 10 meters in length and 1 meter in diameter. Its launch weight is 10 tons.
The 53T6 missile is kept in a silo-based launch container. Prior to launch its cover is blown off.
The missile achieves speeds of approximately Mach 17 (20,826 km/h; 12,941 mph; 5.7849 km/s). Maximum load manoeuvre capability is longitudinal 210G - transverse 90G
Radar support
The Gazelle missile system is supported by the Don-2N Pill Box radar.