Missiles as weapons were known to many nations and were created in different countries. It is believed that they appeared even before the gunshot. So, the outstanding Russian general and, moreover, the scientist K.I. Konstantinov wrote that rockets also came into use at the same time as the invention of artillery. They were used wherever gunpowder was used. And since they began to be used for military purposes, it means that special missile forces were created for this. This article is devoted to the appearance and development of the mentioned type of weapons, from fireworks to space flights.
How it all began
According to official history, gunpowder was invented in China around the 11th century AD. However, the naive Chinese did not come up with anything better than using it for filling fireworks. And several centuries later, the "enlightened" Europeans created more powerful formulations of gunpowder and immediately found elegant use for it: firearms, bombs, etc. Well, let us leave this statement to the conscience of historians. You and I were not in Ancient China, so it’s not worth affirming anything. And what do written sources say about the first use of missiles in the army?
The charter of the Russian army (1607-1621) as documentary evidence
The fact that in Russia and in Europe the military had information about the manufacture, design, storage and use of signal, incendiary and firework rockets, tells us the "Charter of military, cannon and other matters relating to military science." It is composed of 663 articles and decrees selected from foreign military literature. That is, this document confirms the existence of missiles in the armies of Europe and Russia, but nowhere is there any mention of their use directly in any battles. Nevertheless, we can conclude that they were used, since they fell into the hands of the military.
Oh, that thorny path …
Despite the misunderstanding and fear of the whole new military officials, the missile forces of Russia still became one of the leading branches of the armed forces. It’s hard to imagine a modern army without rockets. However, the path of their formation was very difficult.
Officially, the Russian army first adopted signal (lighting) rockets in 1717. After almost a hundred years, in 1814-1817, military scientist A. I. Kartmazov sought recognition from officials of their own high-explosive and incendiary (2-, 2.5- and 3.6-inch) missiles. They had a flight range of 1.5-3 km. They were not accepted into service.
In the years 1815-1817. Russian gunner A.D. Zasyadko also invents similar warheads, and military officials do not miss them either. The next attempt was made in 1823-1825. Having gone through many cabinets of the Ministry of War, the idea was finally approved, and the first military missiles (2-, 2.5-, 3- and 4-inch) came into service with the Russian army. The flight range was 1-2.7 km.
This tumultuous 19th century
In 1826, the mass production of these weapons begins. For this, the first rocket establishment is being created in St. Petersburg. In April of the following year, the first missile company was formed (in 1831 it was renamed the battery). This combat unit was intended for joint operations with cavalry and infantry. It is from this event that the official history of the missile forces of our country begins.
Baptism of fire
The Russian missile forces were first used in August 1827 in the Caucasus during the Russo-Iranian war (1826-1828). A year later, during the war with Turkey, a command was placed on them during the siege of the fortress of Varna. So, in the campaign of 1828, 1, 191 missiles were launched, of which 380 incendiary and 811 high-explosive. Since then, missile forces have played a major role in any military battles.
Military engineer K. A. Schilder
This talented man in 1834 developed a design that brought rocket weapons to a new stage of development. His device was intended for underground missile launch, it had an inclined tube-type guide. However, Schilder did not stop there. He developed rockets with enhanced high-explosive action. In addition, he was the first in the world to use electric valves to ignite solid fuels. In the same year, 1834, Schilder designed and even tested the world's first missile-carrying ferry and submarine. He installed on the watercraft installation for launching missiles from above and below water position. As you can see, the first half of the 19th century is characterized by the creation and widespread use of this type of weapon.
Lieutenant General K.I. Konstantinov
In the years 1840-1860. a huge contribution to the development of missile weapons, as well as the theory of its combat use, was made by the representative of the Russian artillery school, inventor and scientist K. I. Konstantinov. With his scientific work, he made a revolution in rocket science, thanks to which Russian technology took a leading place in the world. He developed the basics of experimental dynamics, scientific methods of designing this type of weapon. A number of devices and instruments for determining ballistic characteristics have been created. The scientist acted as an innovator in the field of rocket manufacturing, launched mass production. He made a huge treasure in the safety of the technological process of manufacturing weapons.
Konstantinov developed more powerful missiles and launchers for them. As a result, the maximum flight range was 5.3 km. Launchers have become more portable, convenient and advanced, they provide high accuracy and rate of fire, especially in mountainous areas. In 1856, according to the project of Konstantinov, a missile plant was built in Nikolaev.
Moor has done his job
In the 19th century, missile forces and artillery made a tremendous breakthrough in their development and distribution. So, military missiles were put into service in all military districts. There was not a single warship and naval base where missile forces would not be used. They took a direct part in field battles, and during the siege and assault of fortresses, etc. However, by the end of the 19th century, rocket weapons began to be much inferior to progressive barreled artillery, especially after the appearance of long-range rifled guns. And so the year 1890 came. It was the end for the missile forces: this type of weapon was discontinued in all countries of the world.
Jet movement: like a phoenix bird …
Despite the army's abandonment of the missile forces, scientists continued their work on this type of weapon. So, M. M. Pomortsev proposed new solutions related to increasing flight range, as well as firing accuracy. I.V. Volovsky developed missiles of a rotating type, multi-barrel aircraft and ground launchers. N.V. Gerasimov designed combat anti-aircraft solid-fuel analogues.
The main obstacle to the development of such a technique was the lack of a theoretical basis. To solve this problem, a group of Russian scientists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries carried out titanic work and made a significant contribution to the theory of jet propulsion. However, the founder of a unified theory of rocket dynamics and cosmonautics was K. E. Tsiolkovsky. This outstanding scientist from 1883 until the last days of his life worked on solving problems in rocket science and space flights. He solved the basic problems of the theory of jet propulsion.
The selfless work of many Russian scientists gave a new impetus to the development of this type of weapon, and, consequently, a new life for this type of troops. Even today, in our country, the rocket and space forces are associated with the names of prominent figures - Tsiolkovsky and Korolev.
Soviet Russia
After the revolution, work on missile weapons was not stopped, and in 1933, the Jet Research Institute was created in Moscow. In it, Soviet scientists designed ballistic and experimental cruise missiles and rocket gliders. In addition, significantly improved missiles and launchers for them have been created. This includes the subsequently legendary BM-13 Katyusha combat vehicle. A number of discoveries were made at the RNII. A complex of projects of units, devices and systems, which subsequently received application in rocketry, was proposed.
The Great Patriotic War
Katyusha became the world's first multiple launch rocket system. And most importantly, the creation of this machine has contributed to the resumption of special missile forces. By the beginning of the Second World War, the BM-13 combat vehicle was adopted. The difficult situation that developed in 1941 required the quickest launch of a new missile weapon. The restructuring of the industry was carried out as soon as possible. And already in August, 214 plants were involved in the production of this type of weapon. As we said above, missile forces were re-created in the Armed Forces, but during the war they were called the Guards mortar units, and subsequently to this day - rocket artillery.
BM-13 Katyusha combat vehicle
The first GMCs were divided into batteries and divisions. So, the first rocket battery, which consisted of 7 experimental installations and a small number of shells, was formed within three days under the command of Captain Flerov and was sent to the Western Front on July 2. And already on July 14, the Katyusha fired their first combat salvo at the Orsha railway station (the BM-13 combat vehicle is shown in the photo).
The missile forces in their debut launched a powerful fire attack simultaneously with 112 shells. As a result, a glow glowed over the station: ammunition was torn, trains were burning. A fiery tornado destroyed both the enemy’s manpower and military equipment. The combat effectiveness of missile weapons exceeded all expectations. Over the years of the Second World War, there has been a significant leap in the development of jet technology, which led to a significant spread of GMP. Towards the end of the war, the missile forces consisted of 40 separate divisions, 115 regiments, 40 separate brigades and 7 divisions — a total of 519 divisions.
Want peace - get ready for war
In the post-war period, rocket artillery continued to develop - the range, accuracy of fire and the power of the volley increased. The Soviet military complex created entire generations of 40-barrel 122-mm MLRS "Grad" and "Prima", 16-barrel 220-mm MLRS "Hurricane", providing for the destruction of targets at a distance of 35 km. In 1987, the 12-barrel 300-mm long-range MLRS Smerch was developed, which to this day has no analogues in the world. The target hit range in this setup is 70 km. In addition, the ground forces received tactical, tactical and anti-tank systems.
New weapons
In the 50s of the last century, the division of missile forces into various directions occurred. But rocket artillery retained its position to this day. New types were created - these are anti-aircraft missile troops and strategic forces. These units are firmly established on land, at sea, under water and in the air. So, anti-aircraft missile troops as a separate kind of troops are represented in the air defense, however, similar units exist in the Navy. With the creation of nuclear weapons, the main question arose: how to deliver the charge to its destination? In the USSR, a choice was made in favor of missiles; as a result, strategic missile forces appeared.
Stages of Strategic Missile Forces
- 1959-1965 - the creation, deployment, deployment on alert of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of solving strategic tasks in various military-geographical areas. In 1962, strategic missile forces took part in the Anadyr military operation, as a result of which medium-range missiles were covertly deployed in Cuba.
- 1965-1973 - Deployment of second-generation ICBMs. Transformation of the Strategic Missile Forces into the main component of the nuclear forces of the USSR.
- 1973-1985 - equipping the Strategic Missile Forces with third-generation missiles with separable warheads with individual guidance units.
- 1985-1991 - the elimination of medium-range missiles and the armament of the Strategic Missile Forces with fourth-generation complexes.
- 1992-1995 - withdrawal of ICBMs from Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Formed Russian strategic missile forces.
- 1996-2000 - Introduction of the fifth generation Topol-M missiles. Association of the Space Forces, Strategic Missile Forces and the Space and Missile Defense Forces.
- 2001 - Strategic Missile Forces were transformed into 2 types of Armed Forces - Strategic Missile Forces and Space Forces.
