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Grigoriy Vasilyevich Kisunko

Grigory Vasilyevich Kisunko, hero of labor, laureate of the Lenin Prize, was creator of the first anti-missile defense system in Moscow - the A and A-35 systems. On March 4, 1961, at the Sary-Shagan training ground, for the first time in the world, he launched a nuclear-free V-1000 missile to intercept the warhead of the R-12 ballistic missile. And hit it with 16,000 tungsten-carbide balls, which exploded 32 meters from the head of the attacking missile and completely destroyed it.

Grigoriy Vasilyevich Kisunko (1918–98) was the “patriarch” of the Soviet anti-ballistic missile program. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he was chief designer at OKB-30, which later became the heart of the large Vympel Central Scientific- Production Association (TsNPO Vympel) that conducted research on anti-ballistic missile and early warning systems during the Soviet era.

Grigory Vasilievich Kisunko was a Russian scientist in the field of radio electronics. He was a designer, head of KB-1 Ministry of defence industry of the USSR, engineer-Colonel, doctor of technical sciences, and Professor. Grigoriy Vasilyevich Kisunko (1918–98) was the “patriarch” of the Soviet anti-ballistic missile program. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he was chief designer at OKB-30, which later became the heart of the large Vympel Central Scientific Production Association (TsNPO Vympel) that conducted research on anti-ballistic missile and early warning systems during the Soviet era.

Grigory Vasilievich was a son of an "enemy of the people", in fact his father was just the working-driver, who was shot in 1938 for allegedly preparing an armed uprising against Soviet rule. From a young age, he lived, studied, fought and worked under the heavy yoke of "exposure", without losing the advantages of integrity, and not sparing his health and energy for the creation of a reliable weapon to protect the homeland from a nuclear attack.

Kisunko was born 20 July 1918 in Goda v Sele Bel'manka, now in Kuybyshev region of Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine. His father - Vasily Trofimovich Kisunko, was born in 1896 in Ukraine. In 1912 he began work as a handyman, locomotive fireman on the railroad, and worked at the Mariupol Metallurgical Plant. After the outbreak of the imperialist war, he was drafted into the army and served as a private in the Caucasus front.

The mother - Nadezhda Avramovna Kisunko {before marriage Scriabin), was born in 1894, a Ukrainian. As a 10-year-old she lived on rotten "for the grub, and clothing" in a well-off rural area, and upon reaching the age of 14 went as a domestic worker in the city of Mariupol and Ekaterinoslav. After the October Revolution, until 1930 they lived as middle peasants in the village Belmanka.

In the year 1930 the family moved to the town of Mariupol (known as Zhdanov 1948-1989), where his father worked at a machine plant. Ilyich's mother worked as a cleaner at the same plant. On 03 April 1938 his father was arested by the NKVD in Mariupol, and on false charges his father was sentenced to capital punishment on April 29, 1938 in Donetsk. In March 1965, his father was posthumously rehabilitated. Mother a year after the arrest of his father was forced to leave the job because of the cleaner appeared symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis. Since then, she's was dependents on here son.

In 1934 he graduated from 9 years of schooling. Because of material difficulties in the family, he left school and went to the city of Lugansk (from 1935-1958 and 1970-1990 knmown as Voroshilovgrad). There he entered the physico-mathematical faculty of the Pedagogical Institute, from which he graduated in 1938, with honors, majoring in physics. In the autumn of 1938 Kisunko enrolled in the graduate school in the Department of theoretical physics of the Leningrad State Herzen Pedagogical Institute. In June 1941 he graduated with a thesis for the degree of candidate of physico-mathematical sciences.

On 04 July 1941, he enrolled as a volunteer in the Leningrad people's militia, in an ordinary 2-th infantry regiment 5th Infantry Division, but from there it was sent to the Kujbyshev district of the city of Leningrad (1991-Saint Petersburg). Kisunko was assigned as a cadet in military school of air surveillance, warning and communication (INPUT) of the Red Army in the town of Pushkin, the Leningrad region.

From 18 February 1942 onwards, by the order of the main Department (GU) air defence (TC), as a Lieutenant Kisunko was sent to the 337th separate radio battalion of the Special Moscow PVO army. Here he served until December 1944 ad Assistant platoon commander-Chief of station for the technical part, Commander of a platoon - the head of the station, an engineer company of radio aircraft detection stations.

From December 1944 to October 1950 he was lecturer, senior lecturer, and Deputy Head of the Department of theoretical fundamentals of radar at the Military red banner Academy named after S.M.Budenny. In October 1950 year was seconded to the Ministry of armaments of the USSR to work with KB-1, leaving the ranks of the Soviet army.

The KB-1 participated in the creation of the first domestic air defense missile systems - S-25 and S-75. Kisunko served as Chief of the development of microwave devices, Chief Technical supervisor, Department head of complex laboratories to develop RF devices. He was Deputy Technical Manager for the testing guidance station for S-25 surface-to-air missiles, and the Chief of Department of development of anti-aircraft missile systems.

At the conclusion of development of System-25 and the production of the pilot sample of the S-75, Kisunko was tasked to lead the creation of the KB-1, a new SKB majoring in problematic subjects. In 1955, at KB-1, a division was created to work on the missile-defense system. Grigoriy Vasilyevich Kisunko, a 36-year-old doctor of science and electrodynamics specialist, was appointed division head. He began by setting up proof-of-concept experiments. They were necessary to prove that, at distances of 1,000 kilometers and more, it was possible to “see” a target—a warhead that had separated from a missile—and distinguish it from the missile hull.

Subsequently, Kisunko was appointed head of the SDB (OKB) and Chief Designer of the KB-1 on special topics. In the light of this team of scientific elaborations of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers adopted decision No. 107-101 dated February 3, 1956 year of establishing a system of special polygon and the appointment of Kisunko as Chief Designer of System A.

By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ("closed") of April 20, 1956, for participation in the development of a system S-25, Grigory Kisunko was awarded the title of hero of Socialist Labor with the order of Lenin and the gold medal "Hammer and Sickle".

In 1958 he was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (from 1991, the Russian Academy of Sciences). In the same year, Kisunko was given the personal title of "Chief Designer of 1st degree" by the Minister of aviation industry of the USSR.

On April 8, 1958 year, having considered progress on System A, the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers adopted decision No. 389-185 on the development project of A-35, and appointe Kisunko the General Designer of the system. After the development of the project was accepted by the Central Committee of the CPSU and Council of Ministers of the USSR, Decree No. 27-9 of January 9, 1960 authorized the establishment of the A-35 system.

Work on the creation and testing of the System A was successfully completed so that the system, for the first time in domestic and global practice, warheads of ballistic missiles were destroyed on their flight paths. Grushin’s V-1000 missile, guided by Kisunko’s radar and computer system, struck the warhead of an R-12 ballistic missile launched from Kapustin Yar.

The positive assessment of these works and on their results at the same time clarifying the features of A-35 was given in the Decree of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers No. 823-351 dated August 31, 1961 year. In October 1961 and October 1962 by Decree of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers in the area of deployment of the System A, special operations were conducted, K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5 using IMS products to conduct specialized studies in which the System A served as the main scientific-experimental and measuring base. Scientific management studies in radar parts was entrusted to Kisunko.

To ensure the development of system A-35 and related special topics of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers adopted decision No. 1181-511 of 30 December 1961, for the allocation of OKB-30 was transformed into an independent scientific and design organization. On 30 December 1961 Kisunko was appointed head of the newly formed independent OKB-30 [as part of KB-1] and General Designer of the missile defense system A-35. Kisunko's design bureau gained a higher status in KB-1, which was reflected in the change in designation from SKB-30 to OKB-30 [that is, from special design bureau to general design bureau].

On March 24 1966 OKB-30 was transformed into the OKB "Vympel" and Kisunko became its director and scientific director. In 1966 year Kisunko, who led the staff working on the establishment of System A, was awarded the Lenin Prize.

With this Organization (later Vympel Design Bureau), Kisunko was tasked to lead as the head-chief designer of the OKB. In 1970 by order of USSR Ministry of the Radio Industry [MRP / MCI] was created the Central Scientific Industrial Association TsNPO "Vympel", incorporating OKB "Vympel", from which the three institutions have been established (one of them was the parent of the main enterprise). In the CNPO Kisunko served as Deputy General Director for scientific work and head of SNI-35 and its modernization (S-35), while technical guidance, testing and upgrading System-35 as its Chief Designer.

Kisunko described some of the peripeteia of this grandiose project, which the Soviet's Cold War opponents subsequently rated very highly. The author of The Secret Zone gave a very harsh and subjective assessment of the actions of certain scientists and leaders - Raspletin, Mints, Kalmykov, and Chelomey.

While testing the system A-35 and putting it into operation, there were performed two stages in 1972 and 1974 respectively. In 1974, under the technical guidance of Kisunko as Chief Designer, the program completed all preparatory work for the modernization of A-35 to the extent specified by the Decree of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers No. 376-119 dated June 10, 1971 onwards: conceptual design and additions thereto - 1972-1973, TTT A-35M System - May 1973, research and experimental development on the range and special bench of computer technical solutions for implementing the system with its modernization in 1974.

Kisunko proposed the creation of a system of "Aurora" in three stages: to defend Moscow, the European part and the Asian part of the USSR. For target detection and target firing system it proposed to use two radar rings. On the periphery were to be placed AL Station Mintz 5N12G decimeter and centimeter range 5N12N around Moscow - station "Danube" UHF. The proposed use centimetric radar "Istra" as-firing radar. "Aurora" system should be able to destroy nearly 300 goals.

From September 1974 to May 1975, in accordance with the decision of three ministries (USSR Ministry of the Radio Industry [MRP / MCI], IOM, ILO), Commander-in-Chief of the missile forces and air defense forces Commander, Kisunko served as technical leader of a special range of works carried out for the benefit of all designated offices. In this same period, work was begun on the A-35 system objects to introduce previously worked out technical solutions for modernization that Kisunko headed up until August 13, 1975.

On August 13, 1975, by order of the USSR Ministry of the Radio Industry [MRP / MCI], Kisunko was transferred from the Central Scientific Industrial Association "Vympel" and appointed as the first Deputy Director of the Central Research Institute of Radio Electronic Systems for research. Consequently, the final phase of the test works on modernization of the system A-35 was held without his participation. In 1977 these works were completed and the system adopted.

In addition to the above government jobs, in 1968 by Decree of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers, Kisunko had been entrusted with the functions of General Designer of territorial missile defense system. However, this work was not developed due to the negotiations, and then the signing of the ABM Treaty between the USSR and the United States. In 1974 the appointment of Kisunko as General Designer of territorial missile defense system was abolished.

On December 31, 1974 a letter signed by the Minister Pleshakov to the Commander of the Air Defense addressed a proposal to stop work on the A-35 modernization. Faced with the fact of direct administrative strangulation modernization of A-35 - and even at the ministerial level! - Kisunko later wrote

"I had no choice but to send a letter directly to L.I.Brezhnev. From the Assistant Secretary General, I learned that Leonid Ilyich forwarded it to the Minister of Defense Grechko and Ustinov Secretary of the CPSU. Three months of bureaucratic fuss about my letter was invisible to me, until I was acquaintedwith the order of Ministry of Radio Industry of April 28, 1975: in the SEC created NIO-4, appointed him governor, and my responsibility "responsibility for the rework of A-35 equipment and systems in the prescribed amount and within the given time frame...."

"I was no doubt that after my letter, L.I.Brezhnev found it necessary to take the last and decisive step in my dismissal from the ABM. And I was not wrong.... the party committee decided to hear me - how things are going with the modernization of the A-35 in view of the previously imposed sanction me.... I was charged for my dissenting opinions in a number of scientific and technical issues that do not coincide with the views of the majority....

"Golovkin adds: "Students and colleagues do not support Grigory Vasilevich. We need a single line on missile defense as a whole. " "Without Kisunko", - says Shvygin."

Kisunko and Basistov were among some of the other distinguished scientists and designers working in the same field of defense among who there were irreconcilable differences, and even long-standing feuds. That the success of one of them is often simply crossed out the fate and life of a competitor. And though many of them were favored by the regime, crowned with stars heroes laureate awards and academic ranks, not just once or twice, it was defeat in the struggle for the state order for Adopting "your" combat system or complex led to heart attacks, in the removal of your favorite things, and actual oblivion. To survive such a blow to forgive his opponent's success was not possible to everyone.

The exacerbation of differences from the principled standpoint of Kisunko's views on the A-35 and the development of specialized topics, resulted in Kisunko being excluded from this topic. Kisunko found it impossible to further stay in USSR Ministry of the Radio Industry [MRP / MCI] and in July 1979 year requested report to the Minister of Defense of the USSR about the recall itself as a member of USSR Ministry of the Radio Industry [MRP / MCI].

On August 13, 1979 he was appointed Scientific Adviser of 45th Central Scientific Researc Institute of Ministry of defence of the USSR. In the year 1987 he retired, after which he worked as the head of the laboratory of the Department of theoretical problems of the USSR Academny of Sciences and Russian Academny of Sciences.

Kisunko was the author and organizer of the development of missile guidance systems to ballistic targets and precision radars ( radar ) tracking ballistic and space targets. He picked up directly at the creation of unique radar tracking of military missiles, to obtain baseline data for the design of radar satellites and manned spacecraft. As a result, a whole galaxy of such funds was created : RE1 , RE2 , RE3 ; RTN1 , RTN2 , RTN3 ; RCC and RCT and radar "Argun" MCF-fire complexes in systems A, A-35 and A-35M.

It should also be said , that the radar developed GV Kisunko provided in 1985 current tracking over long space station "Salut-7", a period of her autonomic "abnormal operation" , concluded a docking area with this spacecraft station "Soyuz T-13" (with astronauts Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Viktorom Savinyh on board ) , and also gave an accurate prediction touchdown of the landing of the ship machine ( crew during landing ( after the partial shift change ) - Vladimir Janibekov and Georgy Grechko ).

GV Kisunko initiated the creation of laser radars and directed the work on their development. In the field of basic research he found international recognition of his work on electrodynamics of microwaves problems, automated control complex, and new methods of radar and gravitational wave astronomy. In his books, monographs on the theory of electromagnetic hollow cavities, electrodynamics hollow systems and ultrahigh frequency, more than one generation of experts on radio and electronics studied.

In 1987, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, Grigoriy Vasilevich Kisunko was discharged from the Armed Forces of the USSR. After the resignation, GV Kisunko worked as head of the Laboratory Division of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR theoretical problems (since 1992 - Russian Academy of Sciences).

Kisunko was a member of the CPSU(B) since the year 1944. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in the 7the and 8th convocations (1966-1974). He was a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1958), doctor of technical sciences (1951), Professor (1956), and the author of a number of fundamental scientific papers on electrodynamics.

Lieutenant-General-engineer (1967). Awarded 2 orders of Lenin (20.04.1956; 19.07.1968), order of the Patriotic War 1 (11.03.1985), order of the red banner of labour, order of the Red Star (30.12.1956), Russian order "for merits before Fatherland" 4-th degree (16.11.1998, posthumous), medals, including 2 "for military merit (19.11.1951; 25.04.1953).

Laureate of Lenin Prize (1966).

Kisunko's wife - Kisunko Armor Isaevna - was born in 1915, and a member of the CPSU since 1942. Jewish, from 1934-1938 she was a student, from 1938-1941 a post-graduate student, and from 1941-1945 on the party and propaganda work. From 1945-1948 she was a teacher of fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism, and after 1948 did not work because of an eye disease. She continued party advocacy work on a volunteer basis. His son - Vasiliy Grigorevich Kisunko, born in 1940 - was a junior researcher at the Institute of Art History, CPSU member since 1970, at a member of the USSR Union of Journalists and the USSR Union of Cinematographers from 1940 birth. His son - Aleksandr Grigorevich Kisunko, born in 1947 - was an Associate Professor of Mathematics at MIREA, and non-partisan.

Grigory Vasilievich Kisunko lived in the hero-city Moscow, until he died 11 October 1998. He was buried at the Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow.

He was an honorary citizen of the city of Priozersk (Kazakhstan), a school is named after him in Moscow.

Colonel-General Yuri Vsevolodovich Votintseva - the former commander of the missile and space defense, said in an interview with the newspaper "Pravda" December 10, 1992: "The greatest contribution to the development of missile defense were made by Kisunko and Musatov. But in the most intense period of work on the system, because of the intrigues in the Ministry of Radio Industry, they were removed from the case."

Kisunko composed an epigraph for the last chapter of his memoirs The Secret Zone: “There is no sadder tale on this Earth than that of the Soviet anti-ballistic missile.”