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AA-84 Nuclear Charge - 53T6 SH-08 Gazelle

The development of warheads to solve the problems facing missile defense systems is worthy of a separate comment. To solve this problem, it was necessary to develop special boosted charges (i.e., enhanced due to the initiation of thermonuclear reactions even during the compression of the charge nucleus). These “thermonuclear” neutrons, due to their high energy, interact with the nuclei of fissile materials) charges in a substantially asymmetric configuration. The scientific problem that needed to be solved during development was related to the need to correct the initial asymmetry in the process of implosion of the central part of a nuclear charge when it is triggered and to ensure the stability of the booster mode.

This fundamental problem was successfully solved at VNIIEF under the scientific supervision of R.I.Ilkaev. In the 1970-80s at the VNIIEF in the interests of exploring the possibilities of creating a domestic missile defense under the scientific supervision of Yu.A. Romanova, E.M. Rabinovich, V.F. Rybachenko created and tested special nuclear charges with unique characteristics for a wide range of damaging factors of a nuclear explosion, including those with a significantly higher specific neutron yield per energy release unit compared to conventional nuclear charges (the so-called "neutron" warheads).

From designers, these developments were led by E.D. Yakovlev and V.D. Kharkin (KB-1 VNIIEF). Among the charges created in this way is the special AA-84 nuclear charge for the 53T6 missile (according to some reports, the product’s power is 10 kt). The ammunition for this nuclear charge and the corresponding automation systems were created in KB-2 VNIIEF under the leadership of S.G. Kocharyants.

It should be noted that in the interests of developing charges for missile defense and air defense of the country, more than 50 nuclear tests were carried out and a unique scientific and technical potential was developed, which to this day has been the basis for constructing new thermonuclear charges and testing intensively developing mathematical modeling methods.

The tests of the 53T6 anti-missile warheads were conducted at the Semipalatinsk test site, at the 108-k special facility, where the test tunnels for the VNIIEF and VNIITF were located. However, in 1989-1990, within the framework of the program “Aircraft-M”, tests were also conducted of a PR with a non-nuclear high-explosive fragmentation warhead of a directional type.