DON-2N "Pill Box" Ballistic Missile Defense Radar

Introduction:  

The Don-2N radar (Russian: Дон-2Н, NATO: Pill Box) is a large missile defense and early warning active electronically scanned array radar outside Moscow.  It is a key part of the Russian A-135 anti-ballistic missile system designed for the defense of the capital. 

The multifunctional DON-2N structure has the shape of a truncated pyramid with equal length and width (100 meters), and height of 45 meters. There are round phased antenna arrays for tracking targets and anti-missiles (antenna diameter 16 m) and square (10.4 x 10.4 m) phased antenna arrays for transmitting commands to direct anti-missile guidance on all four lateral surfaces of the structure.  Along with the digital processing of incoming signals and information this radar features an antimissile missile control channel and a wide range of probing signals, making its operation possible in various modes.  It has a range of 1200-1500 km for ballistic missile targets and range of 600-1000 km for space targets.  Building of the radar began in 1978, it was commissioned in 1989 and became fully operational around 1996.  Starting in 2007, the Russians began a program of upgrading the capabilities of the DON-2N.  By 2020 these upgrades were part of the overall A-135 missile defense system improvement program. The antennas of the most powerful multifunctional radar Don-2N remained the same, but the entire computer complex and its combat programs were replaced with new ones. All this significantly increased the speed and accuracy of the missile defense system. 

 What’s in the Box: 

This kit consists of a square grey plastic roof structure and five grey plastic sprues.  Also included is a large fret of photo etched brass and a length of monofilament line.

The A Part is the roof structure.  It measures 11 5/8”X11 5/8”.

There are four B Sprues each containing the sides of the DON-2N structure

.    

The C Sprue contains the base and parts of the “bonus” A-235 Anti-ballistic Missile System.

The kit provides a large photo etched fret which contains the tower assemblies and a length of monofilament line to stretch between the towers.

Reference:

РЛС ПРО [ABM radar] (in Russian). RTI Mints. n.d. Archived from the original on 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-02-18.

"Valdai Club 3: Touring the Don-2N Radar Facility". Russian Military Reform. 2011-06-02. Archived from the original on 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2012-02-19.

Bret Lortie, "A Do It Yourself SIOP," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, July/August, 57/4, (2001): p 29, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2968/057004008 Archived 2020-11-11 at the Wayback Machine.

Conclusion: 

This looks to be a very good offering from TAKOM.  The molding is clean and crisp.  TAKOM is utilizing slide molding to good advantage on many critical parts. It looks like this kit offers some great opportunities for application of some weathering techniques.  I anticipate the assembly of the photo etched towers and stringing the line between each tower assembly might present some challenges.  NOTE:  This kit is not yet available on the market.  

Highly Recommended or Beginner to Advanced skill level modelers pending a full build.

Thanks goes out to TAKOM for this review kit.

Reviewed by Mike Petty

AMPS Central Virginia

AMPS, President

If you liked this review, consider joining AMPS. Your annual membership
includes six copies of AMPS's magazine, Boresight,
and helps to support our ongoing reviews.

Click here for more information about joining AMPS