On Thursday, in an unprecedented move, a group of foreigners were given a tour of Don-2N, a major anti-ballistic missile (ABM) and space vehicle tracking radar system near Moscow, said Defense Ministry Space Command spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin.
The group comprised nearly 30 Valdai International Discussion Club experts from Russia, the United States, Britain, France, Belarus, Norway, Turkey, Germany, Poland and Japan.
“During their visit to the command post of a ballistic missile defense unit, the delegation watched a combat crew in operation and heard about the system’s target detection capability,” Zolotukhin said.
Don-2N is a phased array radar capable of monitoring the air space at an altitude of 40,000 km (24,860 miles) around the clock. It detects and tracks targets, establishes their position and trajectory, and directs anti-missiles to the target.
The Don-2N radar is that rare example of an independent multifunctional facility that functions as part of an ABM system while also being an integrated part of Russia’s joint early warning and space control system.
The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004 by RIA Novosti, the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, The Moscow News, Russia in Global Affairs, and Russia Profile. The club is named after the location of its first meeting.
The club was designed to develop and sustain a dialogue between Russian and foreign scientists, politicians, and journalists, and to promote the analysis of political, economic, and social issues affecting both Russia and the world.
