Martin John Callanan (notes)

Kurzeme: Vainode

Martin John Callanan

Vainode formely home to 3000 Soviet troops and three R-16 R-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (SS-5). Each 30 meter long and with a range of 13,000 km. Launch could take place with 30 mins after a direct order by telephone from the Cremlin. The reported targets where Holland, Belgium and Luxemborg. In the event of a launch being required, the concrete dome would slide across from the slio on rails. The facility was built for a one time use; it was disposiable once the missiles were launched.

The R-16 was a true first-generation missile and a vast improvement over the largely experimental ‘zeroth’ generation R-7, but it was still inferior to contemporary American missiles. On normal duty the missiles were stored in hangars, and it took one to three hours to roll them out, fuel them, and reach launch readiness. The missiles could remain fueled for only a few days due to the corrosive nature of the nitric acid fuel oxidant. After this, the fuel would have to be removed and the missile sent back to the factory for rebuilding. Even when fueled and in an alert posture, the Soviet missiles still needed to wait up to twenty minutes to spin up the gyroscopes in their guidance systems before launch was possible. Despite these shortcomings, the R-16 was unquestionably the first truly credible rocket based strategic nuclear deterrent developed by the Soviet Union.

4 responses to “Kurzeme: Vainode”

  1. Martin John Callanan

    The new cold war: Russia’s missiles to target Europe

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2094839,00.html

    “President Vladimir Putin yesterday declared that a new arms race and cold war with the west had begun and announced that Russia would retaliate against US missile defence plans in Europe by pointing its missiles at European cities.”

  2. andrej

    Not R-16, but R-14 (SS-5)

  3. Martin John Callanan

    Update:

    The R-14U (SS-5) Missile complex in Vainode is of type “Chusovaya”, 3 missile silos and a central bunker within a range of 100 meter. There are a number of “Chusovaya” installations in Latvia. “Chusovaya” complexes were initially developed around 1963 and was gradually phased out from 1971.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/martintrolle/sets/72157594222605610/

  4. Martin John Callanan

    Site history:

    The regiment based in Vainode-Nikrace-Nigrande had its official “winter headquarters” in Priekule, where there was a small garage for passenger trucks and duty shifts.

    Officers were mostly living in Priekule. Some veterans of disarmed R-5 (SS-3) regiment (or brigade?) in Paplaka, were based there.

    The regiment was a part of Siauliai division, which also comprised Jelgava and Dobele regiments, sergeant school and truck repair site in Jelgava (in the town), head offices in Siauliai and command & communications center near Siauliai.

    Plunge regiment was already disarmed on June 18th. 1978. Some Vainode veterans joked that discipline at Plunge was at a very low level, because officers morals were degraded after lots of contacts with Cuban prostitutes (tales were told that this regiment visited Cuba during “Anadyr” mission in 1963).

    Historically, the regiment started it’s military duty at Nigrande, where the first four surface launch pad missiles were put into operation in 1962.

    The Vainode and Nigrtande (Embute) sites were still under construction in 1962, because the silo system is much more complex than the surface launch pads.

    Officially, the regiment was named “Artillery Ammunition Depots”, and even in truck waybills the route was called say “Depot 3 – 2 – 1 – Priekule”. Vainode was “depot 3” – third battalion.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/martintrolle/sets/72157602815254341/