Imagery Intelligence Programs and Activities
The first Soviet reconnaissance satellite was launched in
1962. Over the next 30 years, the Soviets launched over 850
photoreconnaissance satellites. On average, the Soviets, and now the
Russians, have been able to maintain 2 photoreconnaissance satellites in
orbit each year with an average of 780 mission days per year. Russian
imagery systems are assessed to be able to obtain resolutions of better
than one-third of a meter. The Russians currently use three types of
imagery satellites depending on the imagery requirement.
The third-generation photoreconnaissance satellite is a medium resolution
system (1.5 to 3 meters) that is used for wide area surveillance missions.
The satellite flies in low earth orbits at altitudes ranging from 235 to 245
kilometers. It is designed for mission durations of 2 to 3 weeks, and
requires that the satellite be deorbited for return of film canisters. During
Operation Desert Storm, the former Soviet Union launched three of these
spacecraft to fly repetitive ground tracks over the Persian Gulf region. The
capability to quickly launch and recover these satellites allowed the Soviets
to double their coverage of the area in response to the intelligence
requirements of Soviet political and military leaders. The Russians appear
to be phasing the third-generation satellite out of operation in favor of
follow-on systems.
The fourth-generation photoreconnaissance satellite provides the Russians
with increased operational capabilities. The spacecraft flies elliptical orbits
at altitudes of 170 kilometers, which improves resolution. The principal
improvements in the systems are the ability to return film canisters without
deorbiting the spacecraft, and the extension of orbital lifetime. The
productive lifetime of the fourthgeneration satellite now averages 60 days
per mission. During the last 5 years, the Russians have launched 6 high
resolution satellites, and 1 topographic mapper annually. During the Persian
Gulf War the former Soviets launched 4 fourth-generation satellites in a
period of less than 90 days, illustrating the ability of the Russians to surge
reconnaissance systems in times of crisis or international tension. The
groundtrack of these satellites was aligned with the Persian Gulf region to
provide additional coverage during daylight hours.
The fifth-generation satellite is an electrooptic imaging system that provides
the Russians with near real-time imagery. The fifth-generation imagery
satellite greatly improves the reconnaissance capabilities of the Russian
Federation. It provides quicker return of intelligence data and ends the
restrictions posed by the limited amount of film that can be carried by a
photoreconnaissance satellite. In general, the fifth-generation satellite is
used for global reconnaissance, and the third and fourth generation
satellites are used for coverage of particularly sensitive areas.
Overall, the Russians have continued to maintain a robust space
reconnaissance program, despite predictions that the program would wane
after the demise of the Soviet Union. The Russians have been able to
maintain a constellation of 160 satellites in orbit simultaneously, the same
level as under the Soviet Union, despite a 35 percent reduction in launches.
The one major problem faced by the Russians is the lack of an all
weather/day/night imaging system. Both electro-optic and photographic
systems require daylight and clear weather to be able to image an area. In
the 1980s, the Soviet attempted to develop a synthetic aperture radar
(SAR) system to provide all weather and night coverage. This program
failed to develop a militarily acceptable product, and the resulting Almaz
spacecraft was converted into a commercial mapping system. No
comparable SAR system is currently known to be under development.
Programs
Sources and Resources
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/russia/program/imint.htm
Created by John Pike
Maintained by Webmaster
Updated Wednesday, November 26, 1997 5:56:23 PM
