| 53T6 (ABM-3 Gazelle) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Anti-ballistic missile |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | Since 1995 |
| Used by | Russia |
| Wars | Cold War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | NPO Novator Design Bureau |
| Designed | 1978[1] |
| Produced | 1988[1] |
| No. built | 68[1] |
| Variants | A modernized variant is in service as of July 2018[citation needed] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 10,000 kg (22,000 lbs) |
| Length | 12 m |
| Diameter | 1.8 m[2][3][4] |
| Warhead | nuclear 10 kt |
| Engine | 2-stage solid fuel |
Operational range | 80–100 km[2][5][6][7] |
| Flight ceiling | 80–100 km |
| Maximum speed | Mach 17 (20,800 km/h; 12,900 mph) |
Launch platform | silo[8][9] |
The 53T6 (NATO reporting name: ABM-3 Gazelle, previously SH-08)[1] is a Russian anti-ballistic missile. Designed in 1978 and in service since 1995,[10] 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 rocket armed with a 10 kt thermonuclear weapon. (note: This is a neutron bomb that partially fissions the radioactive materials in the RV and prevents detonation of the hydrogen explosive. A neutron bomb is an enhanced fission implosion trigger that encounters a neutron emitter and is not correctly described as thermonuclear while the incoming hydrogen bomb it disables is a thermonuclear weapon.) The missile is about 10 meters in length and 1.8 meters in diameter. Its launch weight is 10 tons.[1][11]
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 (20,800 km/h; 12,900 mph; 5.78 km/s).[11] The engine has extremely high specific impulse, the enormous thrust enabling acceleration from rest to Mach 16 within 3-4 seconds. Maximal load manoeuvre capability is 210 g longitudinal and 90 g transverse.[4]
