Chapter 12: "New Materials Unlock New Secrets of the OTH Radar. Publication in Krasnaya Zvezda in 1996"
Original: Глава 12 «Новые материалы открывают новые тайны ЗГРЛС. Публикация в Красной Звезде в 1996 году»
In 1994, the central Ministry of Defense journal of the Russian Federation, "Armiya," was finally shut down. The press service of the military department apparently remembered how in the autumn of 1991 our collective fought to preserve the journal "Communist of the Armed Forces" and our editor-in-chief. Therefore, a colonel was specially sent from the press service to the editorial office. Generally a decent fellow and journalist. But the mission he was given was clearly dishonorable. To convince the editorial collective, after the issuance of an order by Russian Federation Defense Minister General of the Army Pavel Grachev on the closure of the journal—incidentally, a member of the journal's editorial board—to quietly disperse. And not to stage various protests, not to attempt to use influential politicians and military figures to defend the publication. After all, it would have been possible to create a real scandal. There was cause for it. The military-communist past of "Armiya" was, so to speak, an emotional matter. From the Defense Ministry press service, from the Main Directorate for Personnel Affairs (GUVR MO RF), information came from knowledgeable people that it was all about money. During that period, the central Defense Ministry newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda" and the central literary-publicistic journal "Voyin" ["Warrior"], formerly "Sovetskiy voyin" ["Soviet Warrior"], had become unprofitable. The head of the information directorate and the press secretary of the defense minister lobbied the interests of these publications. So they submitted to the defense minister, so to speak, somewhat inaccurate information about "Armiya." Allegedly an unprofitable, unpopular publication. Must be closed. And General of the Army Pavel Grachev, although he was a member of the editorial board of our journal, apparently never actually held the journal in his own hands. He signed an order closing "Armiya" without particularly investigating the nuances and problems of departmental military press. And what was some little journal to General of the Army Pavel Sergeyevich Grachev, albeit profitable and popular? During that period he was disbanding combined-arms, tank, aviation, and air defense armies. Tens of thousands of professional officers were retiring annually from the Armed Forces. This dissolution of troops and including military press avenged itself two years later in Chechnya, when inexperienced commanders led inexperienced young soldiers into battle, while women from the Defense Ministry press service tried to organize counterwork against Dudayev's propaganda machine. The propaganda apparatus of the Defense Ministry and the state proved absolutely unprepared for information warfare.
The colonel from the press service who came to the editorial office to persuade us not to rebel, placing his hand on his heart, assured us that everyone would be provided appropriate positions in military publications in Moscow. It turned out the opposite way. No vacancies were found for thirty experienced military journalists. Thus I found myself unemployed and moreover homeless in Moscow. But everything in life changes. After several attempts to find acceptable work, I received a call from newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of the journal with an inert and non-descriptive name, "Orientir" ["Bearing"], Colonel Nikolai Nikolayevich Yefimov, who offered me the position of responsible secretary. That is, the third senior manager in the publication after him and his deputy. However, I did not know responsible secretary work. So I agreed to become senior editor, which, generally speaking, was quite good at that time. Within a couple of months I received the long-awaited apartment. And after becoming a full-fledged Moscow resident, I, the only one from the entire large collective of journalists of the disbanded "Armiya" journal, was offered to transfer to service at the central military department newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda" in the defense industry department as deputy editor of an editorial section. Work at the newspaper proceeded quite successfully until I became ill again with the OTH radar theme. After several months, once I had settled in at the newspaper office, again an irresistible desire arose to tell about the over-the-horizon epic in the central newspaper of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense. Moreover, I was literally being pushed toward this by previously unpublished materials from the scientific-technical conference at NIIDAAR [НИИDAP] that lay in my archive. Thus I decided to prepare material in which to recount the posthumous rehabilitation of the chief designer, to whose memory and work it was dedicated. I shared this idea with the defense industry department editor, Colonel Valentin Rudenko. He supported my intention. I am very grateful to Valentin Vladimirovich. The only thing he advised was to write about this delicate problem relying fully on documents and the words of eyewitnesses to events. Thus I began my second journalistic investigation of the OTH radar.
This time no one was pressing me. In the first half of 1995 I met several times with military and civilian specialists, participants in the over-the-horizon epic in our state. I studied many issues in greater detail. Work proceeded without particular problems. Scientists, designers, and military personnel willingly met with a journalist from "Krasnaya Zvezda." The authority of the central military newspaper in the state during that period was high. I do not now recall who precisely during the second investigation advised me to meet with Franz Kuzminskiy's son. Supposedly he might have materials and documents left by the chief designer. In an old notebook there remained an entry—"Aleksandr Frantsevich" and a home telephone number..."
I agreed quite quickly to meet with Aleksandr Kuzminskiy. It is probably not necessary to describe in detail where and how we spoke. Then Aleksandr Frantsevich transmitted to me a number of documents. For a journalistic investigation they proved simply invaluable. On their basis I could prepare more objective material for the newspaper on the OTH radar problem. However, during that period something happened to me that could have ended very tragically.
On assignment from the editorial office, unrelated to the over-the-horizon investigation, I traveled on a short business trip to distant suburbs of Moscow. I spent several hours in the military commissariat of a small city. In the second half of the day the military commissar drove me to the railway station in his official car. While waiting for the commuter train we came out onto the platform. The train was already approaching. Suddenly someone pushed me hard from behind into the rails. Had it not been for the military commissar of the city, I would surely have fallen from the platform straight under the wheels of the train. The commissar managed to grab my greatcoat with one hand at the last moment and pull me toward himself. Although the platform was sprinkled with sand, it was still quite slippery in the slight frost. I was literally spun around in place. Losing my balance, I fell onto the platform and struck my left temple against a large iron angle bracket protruding several centimeters from the platform's asphalt. As it later turned out, this was the base of a cut-off support for securing a power transmission line. I quickly got to my feet. My head was ringing. A lieutenant colonel ran along the platform chasing two fleeing men. It was visible how they jumped from the platform not far away and disappeared behind station warehouses. My face felt unusually hot. Some sticky substance flowed down my cheek. I touched the injury with my fingers. I looked at them. My fingers were covered in blood. On the platform beneath my feet in the dirt a small red puddle was visible. I pulled out a handkerchief and tried to wipe away the blood. The handkerchief immediately became wet and sticky. Through the handkerchief I felt how blood pulsed from the wound near my ear. The out-of-breath military commissar ran up. Without saying a word, he took me by the arm and led me to the car. In the city hospital the local surgeon spent two hours stitching up a small wound on my head near my ear. The sharp edge of the iron bracket protruding above the platform had pierced the skin on my head and severed some small artery. It could not be stitched. I lay for two hours on my right side in an uncomfortable position on the operating table. Thanks to that surgeon. Upon parting he told me that had this happened somewhere in the provinces the outcome could have been very tragic.
I was on sick leave for about a week. I rode in public transport to the military clinic for bandage changes with my head wrapped. At the office I explained that hooligans had attacked me. The police of the suburban city subsequently reported that they had failed to find the attackers. Supposedly one local resident saw how, at about the same time I was pushed under the train, two men ran out onto the station road and got into a waiting car that was covered in mud. The witness could not state the color, make, or especially the number precisely. Thanks to the police for at least conducting an investigation. In the end I was paid a small insurance settlement. During treatment I read the materials transmitted to me by the chief designer's son. They made it possible to view the over-the-horizon epic and the struggle around it in a somewhat different, harsher light.
I will frankly note that I had doubts regarding Franz Kuzminskiy's voluntary departure from the position of director—scientific director of NIIDAAR. A journalist in his work does not err when checking and rechecking information obtained during the preparation of material, even if it is transmitted from reliable sources from well-known leaders. Additional verification and doubts do not hurt. Order No. 371 from Minister of the Radio Industry of the USSR P. Pleshakov dated August 24, 1981 completely dispelled my doubts. I read this document with surprise. It turned out that indeed, contrary to rumors subsequently spread, Kuzminskiy voluntarily left his administrative position as director. Here is what was noted in the old order:
"Comrade Franz Aleksandrovich Kuzminskiy is relieved of the position of director—scientific director of the Scientific Research Institute of Long-Range Radio Communication of the Central Scientific and Production Association 'Vympel' in connection with transition to other work at personal request. In recognition of many years of fruitful work in the position of institute director, declare to Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. a commendation. We wish you, esteemed Franz Aleksandrovich, further success in your work activities."
On that same day, August 24, 1981, the Minister of Radio Industry of the USSR signed another order No. 373: "Appoint Comrade Franz Aleksandrovich Kuzminskiy as deputy director of the Scientific Research Institute of Long-Range Radio Communication of the Central Scientific and Production Association 'Vympel' for scientific work."
Very curious turned out to be the institute documents marked "For Official Use Only." But these are secrets of the past. Therefore they can be published. These are entries on blanks labeled "Institute Director Instructions." From them it is clear that already by December 1981 relations between the deputy director of NIIDAAR for scientific work and the director directly had become strained. The blanks are quite original. At NIIDAAR, apparently, bureaucratic procedures for managing the collective were worked out to the smallest details. On one side was "Institute Director Instructions," on the other—"Report on Execution (filled in personally by the responsible executor)." And at the bottom of the blank in small print was noted "Subject to return to secretariat within the established timeframe." Thus control over execution of NIIDAAR director's instructions was properly organized. It would be good to introduce such a reporting system throughout our state. You put your signature under "Report on Execution" and be so good as to account for work performed. But let us return to the old documents. They personally opened my eyes to the confrontation between the NIIDAAR director and the chief designer, who voluntarily left, including partly to oblige the former, his senior administrative position in order to devote himself wholly to the OTH radar system (ZGRL). Here are just some of them.
Director's Instruction No. 27 from December 12, 1981
"To Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A.
I draw your attention to non-execution by you of the order from September 22, 1981 No. 65 regarding completion of verification of readiness of object 1937 for placing on... in the month of November of this year.
I oblige you to take urgent measures ensuring preparation of the commission report in the coming days of December of this year. I warn of personal responsibility for missing deadlines."
Under the "instruction" a signature—Markov.
On the back in the "Report on Execution" it is noted:
"This assignment is unclear. Verification of readiness of 1937 is being conducted by the Customer's commission headed by Comrade Voronoy. Work has been successfully completed and the appropriate report has been drawn up. The Customer does not intend to issue any commission report, nor is it necessary."
A clear signature—Kuzminskiy and date December 12, 1981
The following instruction from NIIDAAR director dated January 6, 1982 No. 4:
"To Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A.
I again draw your attention to demonstrative avoidance of personal participation and leadership in coordinating the draft of a VPK [Military-Industrial Commission] decision (VP—16824ss from October 30) and non-execution within the established timeframe (December 17, 1981) of the instruction from General Director TSNPO No. 8912 dated December 7, 1981."
Signature—Markov.
In the "Report on Execution" Kuzminskiy responds that same day:
"To Comrade Markov,
Your order is unclear to me, and the complaints stated are fabricated. I continuously personally participate in all complex matters of the known topic. The natural difficulties encountered are better resolved with friendly businesslike attention rather than prodding."
Signature—Kuzminskiy.
Clearly, by 1982 relations between the director and chief designer had become very complicated, and by early 1983 they had become intolerable for both institute leaders. This is clearly seen in the example of a memo that during that critical period Franz Aleksandrovich wrote to Director Markov:
"By your order No. 6ss from February 8, 1983,—points 8, 9, 10, 11, 14,—a number of production tasks have been assigned to NF (Editor's note: NF—Nikolayevsk Branch) of NIIDAAR and certain structural-organizational changes have been made in it. This order was issued without discussion with me as the official responsible for the direct subordination of NIIDAAR's NF. Your adoption of guidance decisions of a production-organizational nature regarding subordinate collectives without coordination with me occurs repeatedly, which does not contribute to proper work effectiveness. I do not doubt that you yourself assess such practice negatively. Therefore I wish to regard what has occurred as a misunderstanding and request your agreement to clarify points 8, 9, 10, 11, 14 of the mentioned order, taking into account at the same time ensuring execution of corresponding work assigned by the Resolutions of December 24, 1982 and May 31, 1982.
A draft of your order, to clarify order No. from February 8, 1983, will be presented to you subject to your agreement to it."
Below the memo a clear signature of Kuzminskiy and date—February 17, 1983
NIIDAAR Director Vladimir Markov wrote his resolution on the memo, "To Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. I assess the expenditure of working time on similar memos negatively and regard it as a misunderstanding. The order, coordinated with NF leadership, was presented during the time of your being on a business trip. I request you to cosign it or additionally report proposals for development of the indicated work at NF." At the bottom a helpful hand of a personnel worker wrote: Kuzminskiy F.A. was on a business trip from February 7 to February 11, 1983.
This document also confirmed the words of Franz Kuzminskiy that the NIIDAAR director through his decisions had extremely complicated his work as chief designer. For Kuzminskiy during that period the main thing was to improve the tactical-technical characteristics of the already-built over-the-horizon combat radars, to introduce the entire over-the-horizon system into the composition of the missile attack warning system. And he did everything in his power and capacity. Incidentally, Vladimir Markov's proposals in principle were quite sensible—to refine the radars for detecting air targets. However, during that period they were holding back Kuzminskiy's main work, introducing disorganization into it, diverting forces and means. It is possible that had it not been for this confrontation, if Franz Aleksandrovich had worked in morally comfortable conditions, he would have managed to complete the planned work on improving the radars. After all, it was no accident that many asserted that only Franz Aleksandrovich could accomplish this gigantic work. But, unfortunately, Vladimir Markov and others did not allow him to do so. For Kuzminskiy was simply forced to leave NIIDAAR. As I reported above, former vice-president of the MAC "Vympel" Vyacheslav Borisovich Makletsov recounted, the new composition of the institute's party committee became completely under the control of NIIDAAR director Markov. Franz Kuzminskiy did not account for or understand this. I managed to obtain a very remarkable document on this score.
"To the Party Committee of NIIDAAR.
Comrade members of the Party Committee! At the meeting of the Party Committee in February of this year during discussion of the question of work at the experimental plant I proposed to note in the Party Committee decision that the plant plan does not provide for production of equipment for product 32D6, which contradicts the assignment established by the corresponding Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and Government of the USSR, and proposed to task communists Markov V.I., Trukhmanov A.L., and Kuzminskiy F.A. to take necessary measures for immediate expansion of equipment production for this product in order coordinated with the Customer. Secretary of the Party Committee of NIIDAAR Comrade Simonov S.A. gave me clarification that the question of the state of work on the given topic (NIO-3) is supposed to be specially prepared and considered at the Party Committee meeting on March 23, 1983. Therefore acceptance of my proposal would be premature.
Up to the present time consideration of the question of the state of work on the NIO-3 topic at the Party Committee meeting has not taken place. It was scheduled three times and postponed three times: from March 23 to April 6, from April 6 to April 21, and from April 21 to a time unknown to me. Along with this, I, as a known official to you, am experiencing acute anxiety regarding the state of affairs on the NIO-3 topic. The essence of this is as follows. The aforementioned Resolution tasked us with solution of a problem which on a large scale consists of two parts: improvement of the equipment complex of the known product and improvement of the complex of special ionospheric algorithms. As for the first part, it has already been realized to the extent of a sketch project approved by the customer, and the question of equipment production, after intervention by the Ministry leadership and the Commission of the Council of Ministers, apparently will soon move from the dead point in the nearest time. However, the several lost months will hardly be made up. Nevertheless, now there is grounds to hope that, though delayed relative to the established deadline, the task of producing the equipment complex will be solved. As for the second part of the task—improvement of the complex of special ionospheric algorithms—it faces more serious threat. The fact is that it is precisely this part of the task that determines success or failure of the assigned work as a whole. It is precisely this that is the most difficult section of work, containing within it a wide range of very complex tasks such as study and appropriate utilization of the natural properties of the ionosphere, experimental-mathematical modeling of the complex process of solving the final target task, organization and conduct of special test work, etc. Execution of these tasks can be ensured only on the basis of the Nikolayevsk Branch of NIIDAAR, which was created and prepared for years for this and which has the appropriate complex of unique experimental means. However, the NIIDAAR director has issued a number of orders by which significant rearrangements have been made to previously established and successfully executed functional duties of the main work leaders. With mounting pressure measures are being taken to transfer tasks for improvement of the equipment complex of the product to the Nikolayevsk Branch. Under the conditions of the really existing reality this will inevitably entail impermissible weakening of the efforts of the Nikolayevsk Branch in execution of the aforementioned second part of the task assigned to us, which will lead not simply to postponement of execution deadlines. This threatens insufficiently quality solution of a number of fundamental questions, or that proper solutions simply will not be found for some determining tasks. This creates real preconditions for poor-quality solution of the task set before us as a whole, which will lead to undeserved discrediting of the created means, including those already transferred to the Customer. My repeated attempts to convince the director of the harmfulness of the measures he is undertaking and their inadmissibility have not yet led to the desired result. I consider it my duty to inform you of the foregoing.
Comrades, one more circumstance troubles me. There exists a special program approved by the minister and the leadership of the Customer. This program forms the basis for execution of work on the second part of the task assigned to us, about which I spoke above. In connection with the order from NIIDAAR director about strengthening the sectoral subdivisions of the Nikolayevsk Branch, which practically means reduction of forces executing work on improvement of ionospheric algorithms, I considered it necessary to remind NIIDAAR Branch leadership of the main circle of tasks before it in accordance with the mentioned program. With this aim I tasked to prepare a phototelegram in the name of the commander of the Nikolayevsk Branch with generalized-concentrated exposition of these tasks and request to consider appropriate organizational forms of their execution. I familiarized a number of leadership comrades of NIO-3 with the prepared telegram and asked them to cosign it, after which I signed it myself. This is the usual and familiar work procedure for everyone. However, after transmission of the telegram to the Nikolayevsk Branch, the secretary of the Party bureau of NIO-3, deputy chief of the department Comrade Danshin was invited to see Party Committee secretary Comrade Simonov S.A., and he was expressed dissatisfaction regarding the fact that he had cosigned this telegram, including threats of being removed from duties as secretary of the Party bureau of NIO-3. Similarly, chief of the NIO-3 department sublieutenant-engineer Bykovskiy was called to see director Comrade Markov V.I. and he was also expressed dissatisfaction regarding his cosigning of the telegram.
I perceive this as cautionary measures regarding possible criticism of measures being conducted by the director, and I consider this a dangerous symptom which has no right to exist.
I request that this information of mine be appended to the protocol of today's Party Committee meeting." Signature—Kuzminskiy. April 21, 1983
However, Franz Kuzminskiy's hopes in the NIIDAAR Party Committee, as a fair collective arbiter in his protracted conflict with Markov, were not justified. Moreover, the Party Committee not only failed to understand the situation that had developed around work on the OTH radar, but also severely punished Kuzminskiy himself. It is possible that such injustice Franz Aleksandrovich was no longer able to bear. There is a limit to patience. As a result, with a Party disciplinary action, at his own request he left NIIDAAR.
To the Institute of Applied Geophysics named after Academician Fedorov E.K. (IPG) Franz Aleksandrovich came to work as an ordinary employee. There they quickly assessed what kind of person and scientist this was. In 1985 the Party commission of this institute reviewed the personal file of communist Kuzminskiy. Such was a serious form of work and influence on Party members during the time of CPSU omnipotence. A sort of Party court or tribunal. I managed to obtain a report on the work of that Party commission. I deliberately did not edit this document, did not change its formulations. That era has forever sunk into oblivion. However, one should not forget about it. Frankly, I do not wish to see a repeat of such Party tribunals in our state, at which a person's soul was literally turned inside out. A Party disciplinary action closed the path to a higher position, to prestigious work. Party committees and Party commissions were run by ordinary people with their own preferences and ambitions, but they were supposed to be crystal clear in honesty and fairness. But can one change human character when given the right to punish or show mercy? I know from my own experience what it is like to have one's case reviewed by a Party commission. But apparently during that period at IPG there worked more principled communists than at NIIDAAR. Here is this report.
"In June 1983 the Party Committee of NIIDAAR imposed on communist Kuzminskiy F.A. (at that time an NIIDAAR employee) a strict reprimand with the following formulation: 'For unsatisfactory condition of planned and executive discipline in the subdivisions he led, manifested in chronic non-execution of planned work at NIO-3 and NF of NIIDAAR, repeated creation of conflict situations in the collective, introducing unnecessary nervousness into work and diverting him from execution of tasks formulated by Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and Council of Ministers of the USSR, personal lack of discipline, expressed in systematic non-execution of orders of the General Director of TSNPO 'Vympel' and director of NIIDAAR, decisions of the Scientific-Technical Council and Council of Leadership.'"
To prepare the question of removing from communist Kuzminskiy F.A. the disciplinary action, the Party bureau of the Institute of Applied Geophysics named after Academician Fedorov E.K. created a commission consisting of Ivanov A.B.—secretary of the bureau, Kozorezov E.V.—deputy secretary of the Party bureau for organizational matters, and Pisanko Yu.V.—secretary of the workshop Party organization of the GFS [Geophysical Station].
The commission conducted conversations with Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A., Secretary of the NIIDAAR Party Committee Comrade Simonov S.A., as well as with leadership and ordinary employees of subdivisions of GFS, where Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. currently works, studied his attitude toward production and public work, behavior in the collective.
Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. has worked at IPG from November 1, 1983. His transition from work at NIIDAAR to IPG, according to the statement of Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A., was due to fundamental disagreement of views between him (as chief designer) and the NIIDAAR director on scientific-technical and organizational questions of conducting the development assigned by Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and Council of Ministers of the USSR. As a result of these disagreements, Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. came to the conclusion that he needed either to agree with the director's line and head, in his conviction, an incorrect direction in solving the set task, or go to another organization engaged in related questions and attempt to find a way of theoretical solution of the fundamental difficulties of the development which he had been conducting as chief designer.
During the period of work at IPG, Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. has demonstrated himself positively from the production and public side. His manner of communication with comrades and behavior in the collective are also characterized positively. By the type of work he performs he has no subordinate subdivisions, however, as an executor, he performs assigned production tasks with quality and within established deadlines. He willingly assists colleagues in laboratory work. No manifestations of creation of conflict situations in the collective on the part of Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. have been observed. Moreover, by his manner of behavior and appropriate actions he always strives to prevent possible occurrence of unnecessary nervousness in work. No elements of personal lack of discipline have been observed in Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A.—all orders, directives, and instructions of leaders are executed by him with quality and appropriate responsibility.
Taking the foregoing into account, the IPG Party organization on March 4, 1985 unanimously adopted a decision to petition the Kuibyshev District CPSU Committee about removal of the disciplinary action from Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. However, the bureau of the Kuibyshev District CPSU Committee at the session of April 18, 1985 deemed that the question of removing the disciplinary action from communist Kuzminskiy F.A. had been raised prematurely. After this the IPG Party organization began to study more carefully both the production and Party work of Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A., his personal qualities as a person and communist. He was assigned responsible Party work—in September 1985 he was elected a member of the Party bureau of the workshop Party organization, at present he is deputy secretary for organizational work. Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. seriously approached the Party assignment and has recommended himself in this work from the positive side.
On his own initiative, Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. works on the theoretical foundations of overcoming the main fundamental difficulty of the development which he had been conducting at NIIDAAR as chief designer. He believes that this work is close to successful completion and intends to transmit its results to NIIDAAR for implementation.
In evaluating various aspects of the activities and behavior of Comrade Kuzminskiy F.A. during the period of his work at IPG, the commission came to the conclusion:
During three years of work at IPG, the shortcomings mentioned in the formulation of the disciplinary action 'strict reprimand' have not manifested themselves. Taking into account the positive characteristics of production activity, public work, and behavior in the collective of communist Kuzminskiy F.A., the commission recommends the IPG Party organization to petition the Kuibyshev District CPSU Committee about removal from communist Kuzminskiy Frantz Aleksandrovich of the strict reprimand imposed on him by the Party Committee of NIIDAAR in June 1983.
Commission Chairman A.B. Ivanov, Commission Members E.V. Kozorezov, Yu.V. Pisanko
Thus, the collective of the Institute of Applied Geophysics required less than a year and a half to understand who Franz Aleksandrovich Kuzminskiy really was. He turned out not to be a troublemaker, not an instigator, not a saboteur, but indeed an honorable person and good worker. But at NIIDAAR over the decades they were never able to understand what kind of person had led the collective for long years and quite successfully at that.
The conclusion naturally suggests itself that Franz Kuzminskiy was simply not allowed to complete the OTH combat system. It was to precisely such conviction that I came after my second journalistic investigation. I had all the appropriate documents. And I set to work on the material. I wrote it in the editorial office practically in one day. I was lucky that there were no other editorial assignments, and the new computer at that time significantly eased the creative anguish. The problem was familiar and comprehensible. However, work on the final section of the material was unexpectedly interrupted by a phone call. A man inquired with whom he was speaking. At the same time the man's voice was as if from a dungeon, and his words sounded against the background of some kind of hum, resembling that which arises in an automobile while traveling through the city. Naturally, I introduced myself. In response the man said that now someone would speak with me. For a couple of seconds from the telephone receiver I heard one monotonous hum. Then already clearly a different man with an authoritative intonation in his voice inquired about my health. For me this was unexpected. What business was it of his about my health? So approximately I answered and in turn recommended the new interlocutor to introduce himself, who was he? To this the man literally, articulating each word, slowly pronounced that this was unnecessary. And again asked about my health and with this added, supposedly had the wound on my head healed? I remembered that conversation almost verbatim.
"You were warned not to write about the OTH radar anymore," the man said unhurriedly, "you did not listen. However, I regret that our employees overdid it. They are being punished for this arbitrary action. They were not authorized to treat you this way."
Here I literally exploded.
"Just who the hell are you," I snapped sharply into the receiver.
Unfortunately, there was no one else in the office during the conversation. We could have tried to trace the number of the caller.
"Do not try, Aleksandr Grigoryevich, to call the police or the telephone exchange and ask to determine my number," reacted the stranger to my outburst and the small pause, "it is useless. Better think over what I am about to tell you. You are a stubborn person. You have surely already written another material on the OTH radar. Probably someone has already told you about attempts to privatize NIIDAAR, possible reprofiling of the institute. So then. You can write about Kuzminskiy and others whatever you want. But regarding reprofiling it is better not to. We will find a way to read your material before publication and believe me, we will find a way to prevent it being published. In case of your stubbornness and intransigence we can apply certain measures. And maybe even you will receive from us a good honorarium for objective material on the OTH combat system. All the best."
The conversation literally knocked me out of my work rhythm. That day I did not touch the computer anymore. Of course, I had heard that something could happen to NIIDAAR, just as with many other plants and scientific centers in the country during the period of privatization. I had intended to point this out in the material. But the phone call and the voice of the unknown person, clearly speaking on a super-modern and expensive cell phone at that time from a car, frankly made me think about the safety of myself and my family. I well remembered the push in the back and the fall on the platform. My sublieutenant's insignia and officer's uniform could not protect either me or my close ones. So was it worth risking? In the final analysis, having carefully thought through all the pros and cons, I decided not to play with fire and write the material without any hint at possible battles around the institute itself. On this question let others figure it out without me. After such reflection, I removed from the material an already prepared paragraph. And stopped there. However, the material itself lay on the editor's desk for several months and was only published in 1996 under the heading "Archive of Russian Weapons." True, against this heading I tried to object then. Supposedly it is too early to consider such radar armament as former. It will yet show itself. However, the department editor reacted to my attempts to change the heading with words to the effect that the combat system had never been adopted into service, and now it would hardly be possible to complete its development. But the heading does not diminish the value of the material. All the more since such a heading removes questions about possible lobbying of NIIDAAR in the newspaper.
"Archive of Russian Weapons"
"Those Who Look Beyond the Horizon"
"Outlines to the History of Creation of Super-Powerful Domestic OTH Radars"
"Alexander Babakin"
In the very beginning of the 1990s these fantastic-looking structures of once super-secret military objects suddenly found themselves under the close attention of the press, both ours and foreign. The creators of such objects (over-the-horizon radars), talented designers, engineers, and scientists were accused of wild schemes. In some publications, in particular, it was emphasized that they supposedly for the sake of brilliant careers, profit, and government awards thought up projects similar to reversing the Siberian rivers and squandered billions in public funds on a worthless enterprise. However, all in due order.
"This fan is black, this fan is precious..."
Post-war years. A new generation of jet aircraft is being created—with enormous speeds, range, and altitude, the atomic bomb appears, and its carriers—intercontinental ballistic missiles—are approaching... Success in the distant duel between aviation and missile technology and air defense reconnaissance means is clearly on the side of the former. In all leading states, including the USSR, there is active search for new methods of radar detection at long range. Scientists studying ionized layers of the Earth's atmosphere substantiated the possibility of seeing beyond the radio horizon. They discovered the ability of these layers to reflect the energy of short radio waves.
In 1946 Russian scientist and designer Nikolai Ivanovich Kabanov for the first time in the world proposed the idea of early detection of aircraft in the shortwave band at distances up to three thousand kilometers. The "NIIR" work bearing the classification "top secret" was known to a narrow circle under the code name "Fan" (Veer). According to eyewitnesses, the famous scientist in the field of radiophysics Academician Shchukin loved to occasionally hum, upon meeting with Kabanov, as a jest: "This fan is black, this fan is precious..."
And the "Fan" could indeed have become precious—to give the country a reliable radar shield with which it would be possible to control large areas, detect many targets in advance with relatively low energy expenditure. However, in 1949 Nikolai Kabanov, due to insurmountable technical difficulties, ceased research. In scientific circles a persistent stereotype formed that such a radar could not be created. Later the Americans also ceased research in this direction.
Only a few years later, laureate of the State Prize of the USSR Efim Shtyren, his closest assistant and fellow thinker Vasily Shamshin (who later became Minister of Communications), and along with them young scientists Boris Kukis and Efir Shustov managed to theoretically substantiate a fundamentally new scientific idea of over-the-horizon locational observation of targets at ranges from three to ten thousand kilometers. Moreover, they created a working model of an over-the-horizon locator with which they tracked ballistic missile launches from Baikonur at a distance of 2,500 kilometers. It seemed this success should be developed. And the new director of the Institute of Long-Range Radio Communication Vladimir Markov began to urge Shtyren to build a full-scale model of a powerful radar. He insistently refused, trying to prove that without detailed scientific research and laboratory testing one could not undertake construction of such an expensive object. And as a result of Shtyren's stubbornness, despite his merits, he was removed from the position of chief designer.
"Test Radar—Not Yet Combat"
In 1964 Franz Kuzminskiy becomes chief engineer at the Scientific Research Institute of Long-Range Radio Communication (NIIDAAR). One of the students of Academician Raspleti-
"New Materials Unlock New Secrets of the OTH Radar"
na—creator of the first Soviet air defense missile complexes—already a sufficiently experienced, mature scientist, he became interested in the scientific problem which one of the institute's departments was engaged in. The ionosphere, solar radiation and activity, the properties of targets and the Earth's surface to reflect radar signals, industrial interference—all these topics were then little studied. They aroused genuine interest in Kuzminskiy, and in the capacity of chief designer in 1970 he begins creation of an experimental radar near Nikolayev, the project of which was developed by scientists Vladimir Vasyukov, Yuri Grishin, Efir Shustov, Albert Barayev, and Valentin Strelkin.
As recalls the former deputy chief designer Doctor of Technical Sciences, Academician Efir Shustov, constantly there were complex scientific and technical problems to solve. So, the Dnepropetrovsk Machine-Building Plant indefinitely delayed the manufacture, assembly, and commissioning of 26 enormous transmitters, the size of a two-story house. And because of this the test schedule of the entire Nikolayev over-the-horizon complex came under threat. In higher-ups people were already beginning to talk about removing the construction leaders, but then the completely unfinished object could well have been frozen... And Kuzminskiy, so to speak, risking his head, creates several teams from his specialists to help the plant.
People worked in a zone of increased danger. Inside the enormous transmitter electrical current voltage ranged from 6 to 40 kilovolts. Thank God that institute specialists were well prepared in this regard. But the plant workers suffered a tragedy: several people died from electrocution, and several more became invalids. Subsequently the Dnepropetrovsk people turned in on time fifteen transmitters, the NIIDAAR brigades—eleven.
The over-the-horizon radar turned out to be very and very impressive. The receiving antenna was 300 meters wide and 135 meters tall. On the antenna itself were placed 330 vibrators. Each was 15 meters in size. The transmitting antenna was 210 meters wide and 85 meters tall. In a large building 90 meters long were housed 26 two-story transmitters.
For the first time this fantastic structure began operating almost 25 years ago, on November 7, 1971 (yes, the radar startup was timed to another date of the Great October). Then, over the course of several years, chief designer Franz Kuzminskiy, his deputies Yuri Grishin, Efir Shustov, Viktor Chepiga, and hundreds of other highly experienced specialists, among whom were Valentin Strelkin and Yuri Kalinin, tuned the systems, so to speak, taught the radar to see targets. At state trials, which were observed by military specialists from the customer's directorate, the experimental OTH radar successfully detected several group launches consisting of four rockets simultaneously launched from one distant test range. But for the chief designer this success and the hyperextension of recent years came at great cost. A severe massive heart attack confined Kuzminskiy to a hospital bed for several long months. And yet a combat OTH radar had to be created.
"The Disgraced Designer"
First, the experimental radar station had to be taught not simply to record rocket launches and draw flight trajectory on screens, but to output all parameters of motion of single and group targets, increase detection reliability at maximum ranges, reduce to a minimum the probability of false alarms. Kuzminskiy was an advocate of conducting serious research, accumulating experience, understanding the detection system. For example, why in one specific situation (given time of day and year, level of solar activity...) targets were detected, and already a short time later the radar suddenly became blind.
Without answers to all these and other questions Kuzminskiy did not want to proceed with creation of a combat radar. But the chief designer was constantly pressed by the leadership of the Ministry of Radio Industry and the Ministry of Defense, and at the ministerial level there was pressure from the all-powerful CPSU Central Committee: "When will a combat over-the-horizon radar appear and the entire super-system? Will we soon have reliable information about American missile bases and all missile launches from there?" There is nowhere to go.
In 1976 the first combat locator was built in Ukraine. Large-scale testing began. In parallel an OTH radar was being constructed near Komsomolsk-on-Amur. And here at the testing phase of the Ukrainian combat radar its creators began to face failures. The fears of Kuzminskiy and military specialists were realized regarding the treachery of the polar cap of the ionosphere over the North Pole, which was capable of literally devouring the energy radiated by the radar. Therefore it saw single targets poorly.
The early 1980s for chief designer Kuzminskiy, who had also become director of his institute, became very difficult. To conduct the envisioned scientific research on propagation of electromagnetic waves in the polar ionosphere, substantial funds were needed and, what was most important, lengthy painstaking work. But he was demanded to achieve quick guaranteed success. In the circle of like-minded friends and his closest people Kuzminskiy repeatedly said that he found it difficult to combine two positions: chief designer and director.
And here into the complex epic of creation of over-the-horizon radar again intervened his majesty chance. Vladimir Markov was removed from the post of deputy minister of radio industry. In former years Kuzminskiy worked much with him and hoped to again attract Markov to his cause, yielding him the director's chair at the institute. But...
As it soon turned out, they held different viewpoints on ways to refine the combat OTH radars. Gradually this divergence in views erupted into open hostility. It is not worth stirring up the past and recounting how it was conducted. After some time Kuzminskiy realized—he could not stand up against Markov. And then, seeing that great scientific effort and large funds were threatened, he resolved on a desperate step. He writes applications to the Central Scientific and Production Association "Vympel" and to the minister of radio industry about his resignation. By this move Kuzminskiy hoped to influence the leaders, to force them to study the problem more deeply. But he was simply refused...
And yet the scientist remained true to his ideas. For six years together with specialists from the Applied Geophysics Institute and mathematicians from Moscow State University Kuzminskiy persistently researched the laws of radar signal propagation through the ionosphere. By 1989 he already knew how to make the over-the-horizon super-locator truly all-seeing. However, the bureaucrats of the appropriate departments proved deaf to the appeals of the disgraced former chief designer. The scientist could no longer bear such treatment. His health sharply deteriorated. And then on a June day in 1991, at the age of 69, Franz Kuzminskiy died. Thousands of NIIDAAR employees, leaders of the industry, ministry, and military personnel came to say goodbye to the former chief designer of the OTH radar.
In November 1993 a scientific-technical conference took place dedicated to the memory of the scientist and the 25th anniversary of the day of the first Soviet experiments on detection of targets at over-the-horizon ultra-long ranges. Deputy Chairman of the Scientific Council on the Integrated Problem of Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences Academician Vladimir Mikulin then noted that Kuzminskiy made a great contribution to over-the-horizon location. The successes we have in this field in our country are directly connected with his name. A mobile, containerized OTH radar has already been created. A flying locator for detection of stealthy targets at great ranges is being developed, which due to its low cost and simplicity has no analogs in the world. Research is being conducted in other directions as well. So today it can be said with confidence—Russia will look beyond the horizon."
No particular reaction to the material followed. True, it was noted as one of the best in that issue of "Krasnaya Zvezda" newspaper. It read with interest. There were several calls from NIIDAAR. They thanked me for objectivity and for telling about Kuzminskiy's posthumous rehabilitation and his brainchild. However, a newspaper analytical piece has its own characteristics. In the publication I was not able to provide a number of important documents showing the activities of Franz Kuzminskiy after his dismissal from NIIDAAR, his strenuous scientific search. Only indicated his work after dismissal. Now there is the opportunity to publish these documents. Let even doubters be convinced that Kuzminskiy even after dismissal actively attempted to improve the OTH combat system and was possibly close to solving the scientific-technical problem of why the ionosphere 'devoured' the energy of combat radars. At that time they did not allow me in the Ministry of Radio Industry, in the commission on military-industrial questions at the Council of Ministers of the USSR, in the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, in the CPSU Central Committee to familiarize myself with a letter from Franz Kuzminskiy with proposals for improving the combat OTH radars. Subsequently some leaders told me point-blank whether there even was such a letter. Perhaps it was the fruit of fantasy of a dismissed and offended former chief designer. So to speak, trust less on someone's word, comrade military journalist. And I did not trust, but checked the information received. But it was withheld from me. It was profitable for many that the letter and conclusions would forever remain buried in departmental archives. Now before me on the desk lies a draft of that letter to Yu.D. Maslyukov, P.S. Pleshakov, A.I. Koldunovn, V.V. Sychov, dated April 23, 1987. For readers of this book who are in the know, I do not think it is necessary to indicate the positions of these highly placed military and civilian officials. So the reader should move on to the next chapter, where other materials from Franz Kuzminskiy's archive will be published without cuts and corrections.