In the 70s and 80s of the last century American politicians it has been said many times that nuclear weapon became the main factor that prevented the escalation of the Cold War into the Third World War. Indeed, the possibility of total annihilation can cool many hotheads, but only if the aggressor realizes that he cannot avoid a retaliatory strike. Meanwhile, the United States was actively developing the concept of "preventive war", a surprise attack, as a result of which all Soviet means of delivering nuclear weapons were to be destroyed in their places of deployment. One of the most effective ways protection against this threat was the creation of military railway missile systems - BZHRK. Despite the fact that this deterrent remained in service for a relatively short time, the impressions received by the "international partners" were unusually strong.
What is BZHRK
Combat railway missile system(BZHRK) is a mobile carrier of strategic nuclear weapons. At first, another abbreviation was used to designate it - BRZHDK, but gradually the "extra" letter disappeared. In my own way appearance it is an ordinary train, which makes it extremely difficult for a potential enemy to detect and track it. In addition, such a carrier is highly mobile: it is capable of covering hundreds and even thousands of kilometers during the day. Stealth and mobility are the most important properties, which allow us to count on the fact that the complex will be able to "survive" the first nuclear strike from the aggressor and carry out a retaliatory launch.
The history of the creation of combat railway missile systems
At the end of the 50s of the last century, the LGM-30 Minuteman solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile was developed in the United States. It was distinguished from earlier liquid carriers by its low cost, ease of operation, and compactness. All these qualities allowed the US military to put forward the idea of placing the Minutemen on special trains. Already in 1960, Operation Big Star was carried out, during which mass-size models that copied the LGM-30 were moved along US railroads. Despite the fact that the exercises ended quite successfully, the concept was not further developed, since the train with nuclear missiles was considered too expensive.
The first Soviet "railway-based" projects appeared almost simultaneously with the American ones, and three design bureaus took up the corresponding developments at once:
- OKB-586 (the future of Yuzhnoye Design Bureau). It was supposed to place medium-range RT-12 missiles on the train;
- OKB-301 (now JSC NPO named after S.A. Lavochkin). The most unusual project, which involved a railway base cruise missile"Storm";
- OKB-1 ( modern name- RKO Energia named after S.P. Queen). The complex was created based on the use of RT-2 missiles capable of reaching the United States.
All three projects had to be closed at a very early stage: the time had not yet come for their implementation. The issue of the BZHRK was again on the agenda after OKB-586 (Yuzhnoye) began to create a solid-propellant rocket RT-21. But here too, unfortunately, it was not possible to achieve success. Neither the RT-21 nor the RT-22 were put into service with the Soviet army. Therefore, rocket trains appeared only on the drawings.
The turning point in this story was 1969, when Yuzhnoye Design Bureau received an official task from the government, which provided for the creation of a special train for the new promising RT-23 ICBM. After two long decades, the hard work of Soviet designers ended in complete success - the troops received "Good job" - the world's first BZHRK. But the achievement, as it soon became clear, turned out to be ephemeral. Already in 1993, Russia undertook to destroy these trains within ten years, which was done - only two of them survived, and even then as museum exhibits. In addition, at the request of Western "friends", rocket trains spent almost the entire time of their existence at points of permanent deployment, practically not appearing on the railway.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the United States began to feel more and more free in the international arena. It was officially announced the withdrawal from the anti-missile defense treaty, and then the creation of the doctrine of "instant global strike", aimed at the complete destruction of the military potential of any potential adversary. Under these conditions, the Russian leadership involuntarily had to think again about the lost strategic trains. It was no longer possible to restore the destroyed Molodtsy, since Yuzhnoye Design Bureau became a foreign company after the collapse of the USSR. The only way out was to create a completely new complex, called "Barguzin".
The principle of the device and operation of the BZHRK
The combat railway complex includes the following elements:
- Launch modules placed in specially equipped wagons. Rockets are initially in a horizontal position;
- Diesel locomotives that set the train in motion;
- command module;
- A tank that holds a supply of diesel fuel.
In particular, the command module RT-23 UTTH "Molodets" consisted of seven cars, which housed launch control points, residential compartments for military personnel, a dining room and other necessary premises.
The use of rocket trains involves their placement at permanent deployment points with the ability to immediately go on duty on command. Moving by rail, this "special" train is constantly in touch with the command, and after receiving the order, it must immediately stop, and then, in the shortest possible time, prepare and carry out a launch on the given targets.
Advantages and disadvantages of the BZHRK
Railway complexes occupy a special position in the classical "nuclear triad". Ordinary silo launchers are immobile, and no matter how carefully they are camouflaged, sooner or later satellite reconnaissance will detect them. In other words, the enemy knows in advance where the disarming strike should be delivered. Nuclear submarines move and try to remain unnoticed, but any of them can still be detected, tracked, and then destroyed. Even more vulnerable are strategic bombers.
Moreover, in case of a sudden attack, even mobile ground complexes may not provide a retaliatory strike to the enemy, since most often they do not move more than a few tens of kilometers from their main base. Another thing is the train, which is able to travel long distances, and very quickly. Due to this quality, no type of reconnaissance will help a potential aggressor determine exactly which point should be struck in order to disable rocket train.
The main drawback of the BZHRK is a relatively low level of security. Although the train is armored, it may not be as resistant to the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion as a launch silo. In addition, a significant danger is the attack of saboteurs. True, the probability of such attacks is low: they are very difficult to organize.
It should also be noted that a rather significant drawback of the RT-23 UTTX was its huge weight - the rails sagged and wore out under the weight of the launch modules.
Varieties of BZHRK
Over the past sixty years, a considerable number of various combat train projects have been invented, however, in most cases, a bold design idea remained on paper in the form of a drawing or sketch. Only two complexes were built - the RT-23 UTTH Molodets and the more modern Barguzin, which, however, is unfinished.
BZHRK "Molodets"
The first and so far the only serial combat railway complex was created for a very long time. The government assignment provided for the simultaneous development of both a special train and the RT-23 missile intended for it, which later in the West, according to the classification adopted by NATO, was designated as SS-24 Scalpel (not to be confused with SS-19 Stiletto).
At first it seemed that everything would end in failure. The tests of the rocket propulsion systems dragged on so much that in 1973 the train project was “frozen”, and all efforts were switched to the development of a stationary “mine” version of the weapon, designated in the documents as 15Zh44. All this happened against the backdrop of a constant increase in the bar of requirements from the side of the main customer - the USSR Ministry of Defense.
In 1979, the designers were given two instructions at once: firstly, to install a warhead with multiple warheads on the RT-23, and secondly, to return to the problem of creating a “composition special purpose". Tests of the “mine” rocket began in 1982, and two years later the first launch of the RT-23 (in the 15Zh52 modification) took place from a combat train. It was built in just one copy and was a purely prototype for testing technologies and training. Trial launches were mostly successful, however, the military was not satisfied with both the range and the accuracy of hitting the target. It was possible to solve these problems only after the creation of the RT-23 UTTKh, it is also 15Zh61 or SS-24 Scalpel mod. 3 according to NATO classification.
In 1989, the world's first full-fledged BZHRK "Molodets" entered service with the Soviet army. It was a special train equipped with three 15Zh61 missiles. A total of 12 such trains were built.
The most significant design features of the Molodets were:
- Disguised as refrigerators, three-car launch modules mounted on bogies with double the number of axles;
- Retractable stops for fixing the platform before the launch of the rocket;
- A special system with which the wires of the contact network were removed and grounded.
In order to reduce the dimensions of the 15Zh61, the designers created a special folding fairing for it. On 15ZH52 it was inflatable. The launch was also non-standard: at first, a “mortar launch” was performed - the rocket was thrown up without turning on the engines, then the powder accelerator gave its body an inclined position, and only after that it began to work power point. Thanks to the use of such a scheme, hot gases were vented to the side and could not damage the train or rails.
BZHRK "Barguzin"
The development of a new combat railway complex, officially launched in 2012, was entrusted to the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (MIT). At the same time, it was supposed to use the intercontinental RS-24 Yars, whose weight is more than two times less than that of the Soviet Scalpels. Weight reduction launcher made it possible to abandon the use of reinforced wheeled carts. In addition, the new train no longer required strengthening of the railway tracks. Stealth also increased, because the previously very specific carriages of Molodets launch modules could be recognized by close observation.
In 2014-2015, official reports were published several times about the successful development of individual components of the system, however, then there was silence, which lasted until December 2017, when, finally, the complete cessation of all project activities was announced.
The official reason for such a deplorable outcome was the banal lack of funding. It seemed that everything would end there, but in the first months of 2019, journalists started talking about the possible resumption of the creation of Barguzin. This time, the reason was the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Therefore, the media have already "re-equipped" the new BZHRK, saying that now it has been decided to install the RS-26 "Rubezh" on it. It is extremely difficult today to assess the level of reliability of such information "stuffing".
TTX military railway missile systems
BZHRK "Molodets"
| firing range | 10 450 (10 100) kilometers |
| Circular deviation | 0.2-0.3 (0.5-0.7) kilometers |
| Launch weight of the rocket | 104.8 tons |
| Thrown weight | 4050 kg |
| Launcher weight | 126 tons |
| Wagon weight with PU and rocket | Over 200 tons |
| Rocket length (full) | 23.3 meters |
| Coefficient of energy-weight perfection of the rocket Gpg / Go, kgf / tf | 31 |
| head type | Separate warheads of individual guidance |
| Number of warheads | 10 |
| Charge power | 550 kilotons |
| Time to bring the missile into combat position | 80 seconds |
| Maximum speed BZHRK | 80 km/h |
| Number of missiles | 3 |
In parentheses are the characteristics of the RT-23 (15Zh52) missiles, which were installed on the very first prototype of the combat railway missile system.
BZHRK "Barguzin"
Many characteristics of the RS-24 Yars ICBM are currently classified. In addition, it is not clear to what degree of readiness the BZHRK missile system "Barguzin" was brought. Therefore, today we can only cite the estimated performance characteristics of this train with six nuclear missiles on board:
According to information that got into the open press, the weight of the launch module of the BZHRK "Barguzin" does not exceed 65-70 tons, which approximately corresponds to the characteristics of a conventional freight car. It is easy to see that the crushing power of the Molodets is much greater than that of its contemporary, however, this disadvantage is compensated by the increased accuracy of missiles and the use of special blocks to overcome missile defense.
Despite its considerable "age", the concept of "nuclear train" remains relevant today. In any case, for Russia, with its vast territory and extensive network of railways, the BZHRK is a weapon that is needed today and will remain needed tomorrow. Whether it will reappear is hard to say. Designers are hampered by a lack of money, a technological gap that arose after the collapse of the USSR, and an ever-changing political background. One thing is clear - even a small number of missile trains could dramatically increase the country's defense capability.
If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.
Combat railway complex with missiles "Yars"
According to a number of media reports, the development of combat railway complexes (BZHRK) of a new generation in Russia has been discontinued and the topic is closed for the near future. At the same time, they refer to only one source - Rossiyskaya Gazeta, which was informed by a certain source from the military-industrial complex. That is, apart from data from an unnamed source, at the moment there is no real information about the termination of work on the Barguzin complex. Note that the Russian Ministry of Defense does not comment on this issue.
But not so long ago Russian newspaper”With reference to an incomprehensible source, she said that to the Earth, and Samara, Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod are under threat. As a result, referring to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, numerous regional media began to advise the residents of Kazan, Samara and Nizhny Novgorod to prepare for a terrible and painful death ...
Bad story. To somehow more trusted by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.Let me remind you that a year ago, in December 2016, the Ministry of Defense announced that the throw tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile for a combat railway missile system (BZHRK) were successful. According to the official report, the launch was carried out not by the Yars missile itself, but, as it was clarified, by its small-sized model. Thesetests were a stage before the start of more serious work on the creation of the complex. They had to confirm that the chosen type of rocket could exit the launcher located on the railway platform without any problems.
What happened over the past year?Is Russia really phasing out the deployment of “nuclear trains”?
Unlikely. Most likely, the combat railway complex with Yars missiles is switching to, so to speak, underground tunnel level . The one that has long gone, for example, the development of laser weapons.
So there is every reason to think in this direction ...
Why does Russia need BZHRK?
Does Russia need “nuclear trains”? Oh sure.
Their creation in the USSR became a necessary measure after submarine missile carriers became the basis of the nuclear missile triad in the USA.It turned out to be impossible to deliver a preemptive strike on submarines, because. in the ocean expanses they are elusive, but they themselves could approach our coastline closely, keep the main territory of the country at gunpoint. The USSR could not answer with parity.
Over the past decades, NATO countries have managed to cover the seas and oceans with a network of sonar stations that track the movements of our submarines. Of course, Soviet submariners resorted to various tricks... Sometimes our nuclear submarines with nuclear missiles unexpectedly appeared where they were not expected at all. However, this did not solve the problem of global secrecy.
The basis of the Soviet Strategic Missile Forces were silo launchers. It is clear that they have become a priority target for strategic missiles of NATO countries. Meanwhile, the world's longest railway network allowed the USSR to create really secretive mobile nuclear missile systems . Outwardly, especially from above, the BZHRK was no different from refrigerated cars. True, two diesel locomotives pulled such a train - after all, many trains pull two locomotives ... In general, it turned out to be very difficult to identify them by means of space intelligence.
Combat missile trains were easily lost in the vast expanses, could go into numerous underground tunnels - unused or for special military purposes. So, only along the railway line from Asha to Zlatoust ( Southern Urals) there are more than 40 tunnels and underground tunnels that allow you to hide any train from space observations ... If necessary, the train could be pulled out of the tunnel and prepared for firing in 3-5 minutes. If the signal for a missile launch caught the train on the way, it urgently slowed down, supports were extended at the cars, the wires of the railway contact network were moved apart and a volley was fired!
The BZHRK railway workers received the letter “train number zero”. rocket trains "Well done", each of which included three intercontinental ballistic missiles We have been in service since 1987. Each missile carried 10 warheads. They had a unique accuracy of hitting the target, for which they received the name in the West scalpel .
By 1991, 3 missile divisions were deployed, 4 trains each. They were stationed in the Kostroma region, Krasnoyarsk and Perm regions.
In accordance with the START-2 Treaty, Russia by 2007 had disposed of all BZHRKs, except for two. Although many experts argued that START-2 did not require this at all. Of course, the destruction of complexes that had no analogues in the world did not cause delight among the military. But wisdom was confirmed: there is no evil without good. The missiles were designed and produced in Ukraine, in Dnepropetrovsk. So, if, under pressure from the United States, Russia had not eliminated its BZHRK, their maintenance and life extension under the current conditions would have become impossible.
New generation BZHRK "Barguzin"
Work on the BZHRK called "Barguzin" in Russia began in 2012, when it became finally clear that the West considers our country as the main enemy. NATO moved to the East, they began to deploy missile defense systems in Europe, and Bulava missiles for strategic submarines of a new generation at that time did not live up to expectations - only the first one hit the target during a salvo launch, the rest either self-destructed or flew into "milk". Specialists later figured out what was the matter, and at the moment the problem is solved, but in 2012 the situation was unclear. It was this that intensified work on nuclear missile trains.
By 2016, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces Sergey Karakaev, the design of a new BZHRK under the code name "Barguzin" was completed. According to Karakaev, Barguzin will significantly outperform its predecessor in terms of accuracy, missile range and other characteristics, which will allow it to be part of the Strategic Missile Forces until at least 2040. At the end of 2017, according to him, the Supreme Commander of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin should be presented with a report on the prospects for the deployment of a new generation of BZHRK.
The development of the BZHRK was carried out by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering, where Topol, Yars and Bulava were created. One must think that the conclusions from the failures in the creation of a sea-based missile were drawn there. The main thing is that rockets have become lighter. This made it possible to remove unmasking signs - reinforced wheelsets and two pulling diesel locomotives. Possibly increased total number missiles on the same train. In fact, the BZHRK became a land strategic boat put on rails. The train can be completely autonomous for a month. All wagons are sealed, protected from small arms and damaging factors of an atomic explosion.
As previously reported, the Barguzin railway missile system will be equipped with the Yars RS-24 ICBM. The timing of the adoption of the complex into service was named.
“We have a modern rocket that is small enough to fit in an ordinary car of a letter train, and at the same time has powerful combat equipment. Therefore, for the time being, it is not planned to create other missiles for the Barguzin, ”
– said a source from the military-industrial complex. He noted that the main thing now is to create a railway complex on a new technological basis in three or four years and successfully test it with Yars.
According to the source, the first Barguzin can be put on combat duty in early 2018. “If everything goes according to schedule, then with proper funding, the Barguzin can be put into service at the turn of 2019-2020,” the source added. Earlier, another source said that one composition of the combat railway missile system (BZHRK) "Barguzin" will be able to carry six intercontinental ballistic missiles and will be equated to a regiment.
Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev spoke about various aspects of the work and development of a kind of troops, and also touched on the topic of promising projects.
The strategic "train number 0" should become really invisible to technical intelligence
BZHRK "Barguzin" should combine the most advanced achievements of domestic science and technology. S. Karakaev noted that the Barguzin complex will embody the positive experience in the development and operation of the previous system of this class - the BZHRK 15P961 Molodets. The creation of a new railway missile system will make it possible to fully restore the composition of the strike group of strategic missile forces. Thus, the latter will include mine, ground and railway missile systems.
The development of the Barguzin project is being carried out by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (MIT) and in Udmurtia, where the production of a missile system is planned. Over the past decades, this organization has created several types of missile systems for various purposes. Thus, the Strategic Missile Forces operate the Topol, Topol-M and Yars missiles developed at MIT, and the latest Project 955 Borey submarines carry Bulava missiles.
BZHRK "Barguzin" in its characteristics will surpass the system "Molodets", however, it will be very similar to the base one. The commander-in-chief of the Strategic Missile Forces noted that the launch weight of the new missile should not exceed 47 tons, and the dimensions should correspond to the dimensions of standard railway cars. The relatively low weight of the rocket is an important feature of the new BZHRK, which distinguishes it from the Molodets and gives it an advantage over it. The 15Zh62 missiles weighed more than 100 tons, which is why the car with the launcher was equipped with special equipment to distribute the load on neighboring cars.
This design of the units of the complex made it possible to bring the load on the track to acceptable values. The use of a much lighter rocket will make it possible to do without complex systems connecting the cars and redistributing the load. In general architecture and appearance, the new Barguzin BZHRK will be very similar to the Molodets complex. Due to the need for camouflage, the missile system should look like an ordinary train with passenger and freight cars, inside which all the necessary equipment will be placed.
The Barguzin missile system should include several locomotives, several wagons to accommodate the crew and special equipment, as well as special wagons with missile launchers.
The launchers of the BZHRK Molodets were disguised as refrigerator cars. Probably, "Barguzin" will receive similar units. Asthe main element of the complex - a rocket - is being developed on the basis of the Yars product; in terms of its capabilities, the railway complex will be approximately equal to the unpaved Yars. The well-known characteristics of the RS-24 Yars missile allow us to roughly imagine what the BZHRK Barguzin missile will be like.
The Yars product has three stages, the total length is about 23 m. The starting weight is 45-49 tons. The maximum launch range reaches 11 thousand km.
Detailed information about combat equipment is missing. According to various sources, the RS-24 missile carries a multiple reentry vehicle with 3-4 individually targetable warheads. The Yars missile can be used with both silo and mobile launchers. Like existing mobile ground-based missile systems, rail systems are highly mobile. However, the use of the existing railway network provides them with much greater strategic mobility, since the missile train can be deployed to any area if necessary.Given the size of the country, this possibility increases the already considerable range of missiles.
So will there be a rocket train? Firstly, it already exists and various modifications have been tested. Secondly, if the train is created invisible, then this should be done secretly - then everything will work out. After all, that's how it used to be...
2019-09-02T10:43:05+05:00 Alex Zarubin Analysis - forecast Defense of the FatherlandPeople, facts, opinionsanalysis, army, videoconferencing, armed forces, defense, RussiaMissile train "Barguzin" Combat railway complex with missiles "Yars" According to a number of media reports, the development of combat railway complexes (BZHRK) of a new generation in Russia has been stopped and the topic is closed for the near future. At the same time, they refer to only one source - Rossiyskaya Gazeta, which was informed by a certain source from the military-industrial complex. So besides data...Alex Zarubin Alex Zarubin [email protected] Author In the middle of Russia
In Russia, a new nuclear weapon is being prepared for the final stage of testing - the combat railway missile system (BZHRK) "Barguzin", created on the basis of its predecessor, the BZHRK "Molodets" (SS-24 Scalpel), which was on combat duty from 1987 to 2005 and It was withdrawn from service by agreement with the United States in 1993. What forced Russia to return to the creation of these weapons again? When the Americans once again confirmed the deployment of their missile defense facilities in Europe in 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin rather harshly formulated Russia's response to this. He officially stated that the creation of an American missile defense system actually "nullifies our nuclear missile potential", and announced that our answer would be "the development of strike nuclear missile systems." One of these complexes was the Barguzin BZHRK, which the US military especially did not like , causing them serious concern, since its adoption makes the presence of US missile defense as such practically useless. The predecessor of "Bargruzin" "Well done" BZHRK until 2005 was already standing on armament of the Strategic Missile Forces. Its lead developer in the USSR was Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (Ukraine). The only rocket manufacturer is the Pavlograd Mechanical Plant. Tests of the BZHRK with the RT-23UTTH Molodets missile (according to NATO classification - SS-24 Scalpel) in the railway version began in February 1985 and ended by 1987. The BZHRK looked like ordinary trains made of refrigerated, mail-luggage and even passenger cars. Inside each train there were three launchers with Molodets solid-propellant missiles, as well as the entire system for their support with a command post and combat crews. The first BZHRK was put on combat duty in 1987 in Kostroma. In 1988, five regiments were already deployed (a total of 15 launchers), and by 1991, three missile divisions: near Kostroma, Perm and Krasnoyarsk, each consisted of four missile regiments (a total of 12 BZHRK trains). Each train consisted of several cars . One car is a command post, the other three - with an opening roof - launchers with missiles. Moreover, it was possible to launch rockets both from the planned parking lots and from any point on the route. To do this, the train stopped, a contact suspension of electrical wires was removed with a special device, the launch container was placed in a vertical position, and the rocket started. 
The complexes stood at a distance of about four kilometers from each other in stationary shelters. Within a radius of 1500 kilometers from their bases, together with the railway workers, work was carried out to strengthen the track: heavier rails were laid, wooden sleepers were replaced with reinforced concrete, embankments were littered with denser gravel. freight trains, thousands plying across the expanses of Russia, was only possible for professionals (launch modules with a rocket had eight wheelsets each, the rest of the support cars had four each). During the day, the train could cover about 1200 kilometers. The time of his combat patrol was 21 days (thanks to the reserves on board, he could work autonomously for up to 28 days). Great importance was attached to the BZHRK, even the officers who served on these trains had ranks higher than their counterparts in similar positions of mine complexes. 
Soviet BZHRK–
shock to Washington Rocketeers tell either a legend, or a true story that the Americans themselves allegedly pushed our designers to create the BZHRK. They say that once our intelligence received information that in the United States they are working on the creation of a railway complex that can move through underground tunnels and, if necessary, appear from under the ground at certain points in order to launch a strategic missile unexpectedly for the enemy. Photographs were even attached to the intelligence report this train. Apparently, these data made a strong impression on the Soviet leadership, since it was immediately decided to create something similar. But our engineers approached this issue more creatively. They decided: why drive trains underground? You can put them on conventional railways, disguised as freight trains. It will be easier, cheaper and more efficient. Later, however, it turned out that the Americans conducted special studies that showed that in their conditions the BZHRK would not be effective enough. They simply slipped us misinformation in order to once again shake up the Soviet budget, forcing us, as it seemed to them then, to useless expenses, and the photo was taken from a small full-scale model. 
But by the time all this became clear, it was already too late for Soviet engineers to work back. They, and not only in the drawings, have already created a new nuclear weapon with an individual-guided missile, a range of ten thousand kilometers with ten warheads with a capacity of 0.43 Mt and a serious set of means to overcome missile defense. In Washington, this news caused a real shock. Still would! How do you determine which of the "freight trains" to destroy in the event of a nuclear strike? If you shoot at all at once, no nuclear warheads will be enough. Therefore, in order to track the movement of these trains, which easily escaped the field of view of tracking systems, the Americans had to keep a constellation of 18 spy satellites almost constantly over Russia, which cost them very dearly. Especially when you consider that the US intelligence services have never been able to identify the BZHRK on the patrol route. Therefore, as soon as the political situation allowed in the early 90s, the US immediately tried to get rid of this headache. At first, they obtained from the Russian authorities that the BZHRK would not ride around the country, but would be laid up. This allowed them to constantly keep over Russia instead of 16-18 spy satellites, only three or four. And then they persuaded our politicians to finally destroy the BZHRK. Those officially agreed under the pretext of supposedly "the expiration of the warranty period for their operation." 
How the "Scalpels" were cut The last combat personnel was sent for remelting in 2005. Eyewitnesses said that when the wheels of cars rattled on the rails in the twilight of the night and the nuclear “ghost train” with the Scalpel missiles set off on its last journey, even the strongest men could not stand it: tears rolled down from the eyes of both gray-haired designers and rocket officers . They said goodbye to unique weapons, which in many combat characteristics surpassed everything that was available and was even planned to be adopted in the near future. Everyone understood that this unique weapon in the mid-90s became a hostage to political agreements between the country's leadership and Washington. And unselfish ones. Apparently, therefore, each new stage the destruction of the BZHRK in a strange way coincided with the next tranche of the International Monetary Fund loan. The refusal of the BZHRK had a number of objective reasons. In particular, when Moscow and Kyiv "fled" in 1991, it immediately hurt Russia's nuclear power. Almost all of our nuclear missiles during the Soviet era were made in Ukraine under the guidance of Academicians Yangel and Utkin. Of the 20 types that were then in service, 12 were designed in Dnepropetrovsk, at the Yuzhnoye design bureau, and produced there, at the Yuzhmash plant. BZHRK was also made in Ukrainian Pavlograd. 
But every time it became more and more difficult to negotiate with the developers from Nezalezhnaya to extend their service life or upgrade. As a result of all these circumstances, our generals had to report with a sour face to the country's leadership that “in accordance with the planned reduction in the Strategic Missile Forces, another BZHRK was removed from combat duty.” But what to do: the politicians promised - the military are forced to fulfill. At the same time, they perfectly understood: if we cut and remove missiles from combat duty due to old age at the same pace as in the late 90s, then in just five years, instead of the existing 150 Voevods, we will not have any of these heavy missiles. And then no light Topols will make the weather any more - and at that time there were only about 40 of them. For the American missile defense system, this is nothing. For this reason, as soon as Yeltsin vacated the Kremlin office, a number of people from the country's military leadership, at the request of the rocket men, began to prove to the new president the need to create a nuclear complex similar to the BZHRK. And when it became finally clear that the US plans to create its own missile defense system were not going to be abandoned under any circumstances, work on the creation of this complex really began. And now, in the very near future, the States will again receive their former headache, now in the form of a new BZHRK generation called "Barguzin". Moreover, as the rocket scientists say, these will be ultra-modern missiles, in which all the shortcomings that the Scalpel has have been eliminated. 
"Barguzin"–
main trump card against US missile defense The main drawback noted by the opponents of the BZHRK is the accelerated wear and tear of the railway tracks along which it traveled. They often had to be repaired, about which the military and the railway workers had eternal disputes. The reason for this was heavy rockets - weighing 105 tons. They did not fit in one car - they had to be placed in two, reinforcing wheel sets on them. Today, when the issues of profit and commerce have come to the fore, Russian Railways is probably not ready, as it was before, to infringe on its interests for the sake of national defense, and also bear the cost of repairing the canvas in the event that a decision is made that BZHRK should again run on their roads. It is the commercial reason, according to some experts, that today could become an obstacle to the final decision to adopt them. However, now this problem has been removed. The fact is that there will no longer be heavy missiles in the new BZHRK. The complexes are armed with lighter RS-24 missiles, which are used in the Yars complexes, and therefore the weight of the wagon turns out to be comparable to the usual one, which makes it possible to achieve perfect camouflage of the combat personnel. True, the RS-24s have only four warheads, and there were dozen. But here it must be borne in mind that the Barguzin itself is carrying not three missiles, as it was before, but already twice as many. This, of course, is all the same - 24 against 30. But we should not forget that the Yars are practically the most modern development and the probability of overcoming missile defense is much higher than that of their predecessors. The navigation system has also been updated: now you do not need to set the coordinates of targets in advance, everything can be changed quickly. 
Such a mobile complex can cover up to 1,000 kilometers per day, cruising along any railway lines in the country, indistinguishable from a regular train with refrigerated cars. The time of "autonomy" is a month. There is no doubt that the new BZHRK grouping will become a much more effective response to the US missile defense system than even the deployment of our Iskander tactical missiles near the borders of Europe, which are so feared in the West. There is also no doubt that the idea of a BZHRK is for the Americans clearly will not like it (although theoretically their creation will not violate the latest Russian-American agreements). BZHRK at one time formed the basis of a retaliatory strike grouping in the Strategic Missile Forces, since they had increased survivability and with a high probability could survive after the first strike was delivered by the enemy. The United States was no less afraid of him than the legendary "Satan", since the BZHRK was a real factor in inevitable retribution. Until 2020, five regiments of the BZHRK "Barguzin" are planned to be put into service - these are 120 warheads, respectively. Apparently, the BZHRK will become the strongest argument, in fact, our main trump card in the dispute with the Americans regarding the advisability of deploying global system PRO.
The BZHRK, or Barguzin combat railway missile system, is a new generation of trains armed with ballistic missiles. Developed in Russian Federation. In 2020, it is planned to be adopted.
What is a nuclear train? What was the first generation of rocket trains in the USSR? Why did the US fail to create a ghost train? You will get answers to these and many other questions in this article.
What is "BZHRK"?
BZHRK (or ghost train) is a military railway strategic missile system. The complex is located on the basis of a railway train consisting of a diesel locomotive and freight cars. From the outside, it is no different from the ordinary freight trains that ply Russia by the thousands. However, it has a very difficult filling. Inside are placed intercontinental missiles, command posts, technical service systems, technological modules that ensure the functioning of the complex and the vital activity of personnel. At the same time, the train is autonomous.
The BZHRK was created primarily as the main strike power for delivering a retaliatory nuclear strike against a potential enemy, therefore it had the qualities of mobility and survivability. According to the plans of the command, he was supposed to survive after being hit by an intercontinental ballistic missile by a potential enemy.
BZHRK "Scalpel" - the previous generation of nuclear trains
For the first time, the development of nuclear trains began to be carried out in the 60s of the twentieth century. Work was carried out in the USSR and the USA approximately in parallel.
What does the idea of creation, according to legend, was thrown up, namely, by the Americans. After unsuccessful attempts by the United States to create a complex, it was decided to start disinformation that such trains were being actively created and would soon be on the rails. The purpose of false information was one - to force the Soviet Union to invest huge funds in an unrealizable idea. As a result, the result exceeded all expectations.
On January 13, 1969, the Order of the Commander-in-Chief "On the creation of a mobile combat railway missile system (BZHRK) with the RT-23 missile" was signed, in pursuance of which by the 1980s in the USSR for the first time in the world it was put into production and tested under conditions close to combat, a missile carrier on a railway platform, which had no analogues and does not exist in the whole world. As experts said, there is no more formidable and mobile weapon on the planet than a mobile railway combat train with a continental missile on board.
The team worked on the creation of the complex Russian Academy Sciences, headed by brothers Alexei and Vladimir Utkin. During the creation, the designers faced several serious difficulties.
- Firstly, the mass of the train - a huge weight could deform the railway track. The weight of the smallest ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) was 100 tons.
- Secondly, the direct flame at the launch of the rocket melted the train and the rails on which it stood.
- Thirdly, the contact network above the car, of course, was an obstacle to launching a rocket. And this is not the whole list of problems faced by Soviet specialists.
The BZHRK used RT-23U missiles (according to NATO classification SS-24 "Scalpel"). For the composition, special rockets were made with a retractable nozzle and fairing. One missile carries a MIRV-type multiple reentry vehicle with 10 warheads with a yield of 500 kilotons each.
An original decision was made to distribute the load on the track. Three cars were connected by a rigid coupling, which ensured that the weight of the rocket was distributed over a longer section of the railway track. In a combat state, special hydraulic paws were put forward.
To divert the contact suspension of the network that interferes with the launch, a special device was invented that carefully removed the wires from the operating area of the complex. The network was de-energized before launch.
To launch a rocket, an ingenious solution was also invented - a mortar launch. The powder charge threw the rocket 20 meters above the ground, after which another charge corrected the inclination of the rocket nozzle away from the train, and after that the first stage engine was turned on. Thus, a column of flame of great temperature did not cause damage to the cars and tracks, but was directed in the right direction.
The autonomy of the rocket train was more than 20 days.
On October 20, 1987, after tests carried out at the Semipalatinsk test site, the RT-23UTTH Molodets missile regiment took up combat duty. And by 1989, 3 divisions of the BZHRK were deployed on the territory of the USSR, dispersed at a distance of many thousands of kilometers: in the Kostroma region, in the Perm and Krasnoyarsk regions.
The BZHRK device includes railway modules for various purposes, namely: 3 launch modules for RT-23UTTKh ICBMs, 7 cars as part of the command module, a module with fuel reserves in a railway tank, and 2 diesel locomotives of the DM-62 modification. Work on improving the equipment did not stop even after entering the troops, and its combat potential was steadily growing.
BZHRK "Molodets" were a nightmare for the Americans. Enormous funds were allocated for tracking ghost trains. Reconnaissance satellites searched for 12 ghost trains across the country and could not distinguish the combat complex from the train with refrigerators (refrigerator cars) carrying food.
After the collapse Soviet Union, already in Russia everything has changed. On January 3, 1993, the START-2 treaty was signed in Moscow, according to which the Russian Federation must destroy part of its missile potential, including RT-23U missiles, therefore, by 2005, according to the official version, all BZHRKs are removed from combat duty and destroyed, and a few survivors are sent to storage for further disposal.
The complex was officially on combat duty in the Soviet Union for about 20 years, until 2005.
US attempts to create a ghost train
The United States also made attempts to create missile systems on a railway platform. Their development began in the 1960s, since around the same time, Pentagon scientists first created the Minuteman solid-fuel ballistic missile, which, due to its technical parameters, could be launched from small sites and in railway shaking conditions. The development was given the name "Minitman Rail Garrison".
It was originally planned that the ghost train filled with missiles would run at predetermined positions, for which work would be carried out at the indicated locations to create conditions in order to simplify the launch and adjust the missile's navigation system to the specified launch points.
The first mobile Minuteman missiles on a railway platform were to enter the US Army by mid-1962. But the American administration did not allocate the necessary amount to prepare the infrastructure and launch the production of prototypes, and the program was shelved. And the created transport wagons were used to deliver the "Minitman" to the place of combat deployment - launch mines.
However, after the success of the Soviet Union in the development of similar projects, the United States remembered the technology that had been gathering dust since the 60s and in 1986 created a new project using old developments. For the prototype, the then-existing LGM-118A "Peacekeeper" missile was chosen. It was planned that its traction would be provided by four-axle diesel locomotives, and each train would be provided with two security cars. 2 wagons will be allocated to the launcher with an already loaded missile in the launch container, another one will have a control center, and the rest of the wagons will take fuel and parts for current repairs.
But "Peacekeeper Rail Garrison" was never destined to get on the rails. After the official end of the Cold War, the US authorities abandoned the development of missile systems on a railway platform and redirected cash flows to other military industry projects.
In the United States, the rail-based missile system was never put into operation - its history ended after unsuccessful tests in 1989.
New railway missile complex of the Russian Federation
At present, for various reasons, not one of the armies of the world is armed with railway launchers. The Russian Federation is the only one that has been working on the creation of this type of weapon since 2012, and by now has developed preliminary projects for a railway launcher that meets all modern requirements for strategic weapons.
It is known that the design name of the new BZHRK is "Barguzin". The project documentation indicates that the Barguzin will be assembled from two main parts: a railway launcher and a combat missile.
The railway launcher will be located on a railway platform, to which a special beam with a lifting boom and a control mechanism is attached. A lifting frame is attached to the railway boom with the possibility of longitudinal movement. TPK (torpedo hull perforator) with a rocket will be supported by supports that are mounted on base plates and equipped with swivel rods.
The rocket is brought to the launch from the TPK, commands to which are given from a special car as part of the BZHRK with control systems brought to it. When the rocket is launched, the roof of the car opens (folds back), due to which the distance necessary for the launch is formed.
Comparative characteristics
| Parameter | BZHRK "Barguzin" | BZHRK "Molodets" |
| Date of adoption | 2009 | 1989 |
| Rocket length, m | 22,7 | 22,6 |
| Starting weight, t | 47,1 | 104,5 |
| Maximum range, km | 11000 | 10 100 |
| Number and power of warheads, Mt | 3-4 X 0.15; 3-4 X 0.3 | 10×0.55 |
| Number of locomotives | 1 | 3 |
| Number of missiles | 6 | 3 |
| Autonomy, days | 28 | 28 |
Advantages of the new BZHRK:
- Less train weight
- Modern navigation systems
- Greater missile hit accuracy
rockets
At the stage of developing project documentation, the developers and the command had a choice - which of the modern missiles in service with Russian army, use as a projectile on the BZHRK "Barguzin". After numerous discussions, the Yars and Yars-M missiles were chosen. This missile is a silo- and mobile-based solid-propellant ballistic missile with a detachable warhead, maximum range the flight of which is 11,000 kilometers, and the charge power in TNT equivalent is from 150 to 300 kilograms. The specified ballistic missile proved to be excellent during preliminary tests.
Does BZHRK exist now?
After signing international treaty START-2 in January 1993, Russia lost its combat railroad missile systems. Now most of them have been destroyed, and the rest have turned into exhibits standing on the sidings of the railway depots. Therefore, in fact, until 2006, our state was left without a strike force to strike back with colossal mobile capabilities. But in 2002, Russia refused to ratify the START-2 treaty, which meant the possibility of restoring the ballistic missile potential.
As mentioned above, not one of the world powers currently has a single BZHRK worker in combat service. The only country that is taking steps to create a BZHRK is Russia, and several stages have already passed in the process of creating the complex.
Current situation
In 2006, instead of the BZHRK, the troops began to receive Topol-M mobile ground-based missile systems armed with Yars missiles. Currently, the Russian army is armed with more than a hundred Topol-M combat complexes, which can partially fill the gap left after the decommissioning of the BZHRK.
The current situation gives reason for optimism - we all hope that by 2020 the BZHRK "Barguzin" will enter mass production, which will equip our army.
Experimental design work (R&D) on the Barguzin project was started by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering in 2012. The completion of the R&D is planned for 2020, and funds for their implementation are already being allocated. In 2014, the preliminary design of the complex was completed, and by the beginning of 2015, the designers began the first stage of experimental design work to create a railway launcher. The development of design documentation has been in full swing since 2015. The timing of the creation of individual elements of the Barguzin, its collection and preliminary tests will be known by 2018. The start of the deployment of the complex and its entry into the army is planned for 2020.
PROMISING MILITARY RAILWAY MISSILE COMPLEXES (RAIL-MOBILE MISSILE SYSTEMS) "BARGUZIN"
31.01.2019
Probably, the location of the throw tests of the BZHRK "Barguzin" was discovered. It is curious that it is located on the same former site LV "Cyclone" in Plesetsk, where are the starting positions, previously identified as the positions of the Nudol complex. Site coordinates: N 62°54.448′ E 40°47.115′.
The creation of the site, tentatively, began in early 2016 and ended in the fall of 2017, which does not contradict the information that appeared earlier in a number of media. Let me remind you that anonymous sources in the military-industrial complex confirmed the information that throw tests were carried out at the Plesetsk training ground in November 2016 as part of the Barguzin BZHRK creation program. According to the TASS publication, the BZHRK "Barguzin" is excluded from the state armaments program until 2027. R&D for the creation of the BZHRK is currently suspended or completed, so no further tests are being conducted on the site.
https://bmpd.livejournal.com
15.11.2019
Russia has created a unified Yars missile system for various types of basing, including rail. This, according to RIA Novosti, was announced by the creator of the Topol-M, Yars and Bulava ballistic missiles, the general designer of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yuri Solomonov.
At the same time, the project to create a railway carrier of ballistic missiles, the Barguzin complex, is still frozen. At least, there was no official information about the resumption of development.
“We created the Topol-M missile system, now Yars is for different types of basing: for mobile soil, for mines, and for railways - there is a single missile everywhere,” Solomonov said in an interview with National Defense magazine.
It was assumed that the new generation BZHRK "Barguzin" would be developed before 2018, but in 2017 Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported, citing a source in the defense industry, that work on the creation of a new BZHRK was suspended.
Radio Sputnik
PERSPECTIVE BATTLE RAILWAY MISSILE COMPLEX (BZHRK) "BARGUZIN" 
Work on a new-generation combat mobile railway complex with an intercontinental ballistic missile for the Barguzin design and development work has been carried out with the leading role of JSC "Corporation" Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering "(MIT) since 2011 as part of the State Armaments Program for 2011-2020 (GPV-2020) , with an initial deadline for completion of State tests in 2019.
Combat railway missile systems (BZHRK), which were taken off duty in 2005 and then disposed of, can again be introduced into the Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN), said Sergey Karakaev, commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, in December 2011.
The Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (the developer of the Bulava, Topol and Yars missiles - ed.) began development work on the creation of combat railway missile systems (BZHRK), Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said in April 2013. “Works on the BZHRK have been deployed, they are being carried out by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering. At the initial stage of R & D (experimental design work), while this is not very expensive work - on preliminary design, technical projects, ”Borisov said, adding that the cost of creating the BZHRK has not yet been determined.
Russia planned to create a new combat railway missile system (BZHRK) until 2020, new BZHRK will be produced only by Russian industrial cooperation, and unlike the Soviet model, the mass of a solid-propellant ballistic missile will be half as much so that it can fit in one railway car. It will be a completely different missile, a completely different complex,” said the former commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov.
At the end of 2014, the preliminary design of the complex was approved, and in 2015, the development of design documentation began. In 2014, the 4th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense reported on the topic of the BZHRK, adopted in the interests of creating promising mobile (railway) based missile systems. The cooperation of the performers has been determined and development work is already underway.
The Strategic Missile Forces confirmed that the creation of a combat railway missile system (BZHRK) could soon resume, Andrey Filatov, deputy commander of the Strategic Missile Forces for work with personnel, said in December 2014. “In the near future, the materialization of this idea will occur. I can say that we must expect,” Filatov said, stressing that this could happen “in the near future.”
The prospective combat railway complex (BZHRK) for the Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN), which is currently being developed, will bear the name "Barguzin", said Sergey Karakaev, Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, on December 17, 2014. “The creation of the newest BZHRK is planned in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation. It is being developed exclusively by enterprises of the domestic military-industrial complex, embodying the most advanced achievements of our military rocket science," the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces emphasized.
The Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering, the main developer of modern missiles for the Strategic Missile Forces, has completed the preliminary design and is preparing design documentation for the new complex.
The commander emphasized that "the newest complex will embody the positive experience of creating and operating its predecessor - the BZHRK with the Molodets missile" (also known as RT-23UTTKh).
The Barguzin complex will significantly surpass its predecessor in terms of accuracy, missile range and other characteristics, which will allow this complex for decades - at least until 2040 - to be in combat strength Strategic Missile Forces. - said the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Sergei Karakaev.
Sergey Karakaev noted that the creation of the BZHRK will allow to fully restore the composition of the strike force of the Strategic Missile Forces, which will include mobile ground, mine and railway missile systems.
The development and adoption of a military railway missile system (BZHRK) does not contradict the requirements of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-3), said Anatoly Antonov, Deputy Defense Minister of Russia. "The presence, the creation of the BZHRK does not contradict the obligations of the Russian Federation under START, and the appearance of the BZHRK, in my opinion, will not require any revision of this agreement," the deputy minister said. Mobile strategic missile systems are not prohibited by the START treaty, Antonov stressed, adding that each of the parties to the treaty has the right to independently determine the composition and structure of its strategic nuclear forces.
One composition of the combat railway missile system (BZHRK) "Barguzin" will be able to carry six intercontinental ballistic missiles of the "Yars" or "Yars-M" type and will be equated to a regiment. The divisional set of "Barguzin" was supposed to have five regiments.
In 2015, experts assumed that the BZHRK itself would be created by 2018, and after that, flight design tests would go on for about two years. At the same time, the general designer of missile systems, Yuri Solomonov, said that such a complex is underway, but it will not be completed very soon. He noted that the combat railway missile system is an intercontinental class complex. It does not fall under the restrictions of Russian-American agreements in the field of strategic weapons.
The draft design of the Barguzin combat railway missile system is ready, Yuri Borisov, Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia for Armaments, said in May 2015.
- The creation of the BZHRK is going according to plan, there are no difficulties. "Barguzin", consisting of up to five missile regiments, will enter service with one of the missile divisions of the Strategic Missile Forces until 2020. Unlike its predecessor, the Molodets BZHRK, the new complex will not differ in any way from a conventional train,” Borisov said.
The stage of development of design documentation for the combat railway missile system "Barguzin" was supposed to be completed in mid-2016.
It was soon noted that the adoption of the Barguzin combat railway missile system was postponed for more than a year, it will take place no earlier than 2020.
The head of the military education department of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel Vladimir Nesterov, confirmed in February 2016 that the preliminary design of the Barguzin BZHRK has now been completed and working design documentation for its entire system is being prepared. The Strategic Rocket Forces (RVSN) of Russia in the near future plan to begin training specialists in the operation of the combat railway missile system (BZHRK) "Barguzin", he said.
The timing of the creation of a new missile train "Barguzin" will be determined in the state armaments program for 2018-2025, said Colonel-General Viktor Esin, Chief of the Main Staff of the Strategic Missile Forces in 1994-1996. “The timing of the creation of the BZHRK will be determined in the new state arms program (for 2018-2025), which is planned to be adopted in 2018. The new complex will be created taking into account the level of technology development that has been achieved in 20 years since the creation of the first complex. As planned, it will be significantly different from its predecessor,” Yesin said in May 2016. According to him, the creation of experimental samples of individual elements of the BZHRK "Barguzin" has now begun.
According to the general designer of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering, Yuri Solomonov, in May 2016, missile launch tests for the new Russian military railway missile system (BZHRK) Barguzin were to begin in 2016, possibly at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Based on the results of the launch in early 2017, a decision will be made on the deployment of full-scale work on the BZHRK project, he said.
It was necessary to confirm the feasibility of a “mortar” launch of the product and its subsequent withdrawal away from the rocket train, in which people and technological equipment are located, after which the main engine of the ICBM will be launched by throwing tests on a new product.
At the end of October 2016, the first and only throw test of the missile of the Barguzin complex was carried out in Plesetsk. They were considered fully successful, which paved the way for the start of flight design tests. At that time, it was assumed that flight tests of a missile for the Russian Barguzin combat railway missile system would begin in 2019.
When the SAP-2020 was corrected in 2015, the main stages of the Barguzin R&D implementation were moved beyond the scope of the SAP-2020 and were to be determined by the new State Armaments Program for 2016-2025 (then for 2018-2027).
The Sarmat heavy ICBM and the Barguzin railway missile system (BZHRK) will be created if they are included in the state arms program for 2018-2025, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in July 2017.
Earlier, the timing of the creation of this weapon, which should come to replace the models created in cooperation with Ukrainian enterprises, was repeatedly shifted to later ones.
The development of promising combat railway complexes (BZHRK) "Barguzin" was stopped in Russia, it was announced on December 2, 2017 in the publication "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" with reference to a representative of the country's military-industrial complex. According to the interlocutor of the publication, "the topic is closed, in any case, for the near future."
“Experimental design work on the Barguzin has been carried out. The jump launch experiment was a success. If urgently needed, our rocket train will quickly get on the rails. In the meantime, let's forget about him, ”the article says.
