Lekhtusi Radar Station

Lekhtusi Radar Station is an early warning radar near Lekhtusi in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is a key part of the Russian early warning system against missile attack, going on combat duty on 11 February 2012.[2] It is run by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.

Lekhtusi Radar Station
Rear of the radar array
Lekhtusi Radar Station
Coordinates60.275458°N 30.546017°E / 60.275458; 30.546017
TypeRadar Station
Site information
OwnerRussia
Controlled byRussian Space Forces
Open to
the public		no
Conditionoperational
Site history
Built2004 (2004)
Built byRussia
In useRussia
Garrison information
Garrison571st independent radio-technical unit [1]

There have been a number of announcements about the introduction of this radar, the first one of the third generation Voronezh series of early warning radar. It first entered testing in December 2005, experimental service a year later, service in December 2009 and finally combat duty in 2012.[2]

The station is 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south west of the village of Lekhtusi and 40 kilometres (25 mi) north north east of St Petersburg. It is adjacent to the A.F. Mozhaysky Military-Space Academy which is an officer training centre for the Aerospace Defence Forces.[3]

Voronezh radar
Main article: Voronezh radar

Voronezh radar are highly prefabricated radars needing fewer personnel and using less energy than previous generations.[4] The one built in Lekhtusi is described as Voronezh-M,[5] a VHF radar with a stated range of 4,200 kilometres (2,610 mi).[6] The radar was described by Space Forces commander Oleg Ostapenko as covering north west Russia and replacing coverage lost when the radar at Skrunda in Latvia was decommissioned in 1998.[7][8]

References
  1. Holm, Michael (2011). "571st independent Radio-Technical Unit". Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  2. Podvig, Pavel (2012-02-11). "Radar in Lekhtusi begins combat duty". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  3. Podvig, Pavel (2006-01-30). "Voronezh-DM radar is in Lekhtusi". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  4. Bogdanov, Konstantin (2006-12-22). "New radar at Lekhtusi: a shield against missile attacks". RIA Novosti. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  5. Модернизация радаров СПРН в Северо-Западном округе начнется в 2015 году [Upgrading early warning radars in the Northwest District will begin in 2015] (in Russian). Lenta.ru. 2011-12-12. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  6. Радиолокационная станция высокой заводской готовности "Воронеж-М" [Radar of high prefabrication Voronezh-M] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Defence. n.d. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  7. "Russia set to restore radar shield on western borders in 2010". RIA Novosti. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  8. Bogdanov, Konstantin (2011-11-29). "Russia activates radar aimed at Europe". RIA Novosti. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
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