Missile ABM-1 Galosh
Summary
| Category | Surface-to-Air Missiles |
| Sub-type | Anti-ballistic missile |
| Origin country | 🇷🇺 Russia 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR |
| Manufacturer | Vympel |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 1978 |
| Number built | 64 units |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | Thermonuclear |
| Diameter | 2,570 mm (101.2 in) |
| Span | 6,000 mm (236.2 in) |
| Length | 19,800 mm (779.5 in) |
| Flight altitude | 120,000 m (393,701 ft) |
| Weight | 32,700 kg (72,091 lb) |
| Range | 350 km (217 mi) |
| Max. speed | 4,900 km/h (Mach 4.9) |
ABM-1 Galosh scale diagram
Description
The ABM-1 Galosh was an anti-ballistic missile developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War era. It was designed to intercept incoming Intercontinental ballistic missiles as part of a missile defense shield protecting Moscow.
The Galosh was first deployed in the 1970s as part of the A-35 anti-ballistic missile system safeguarding Moscow. It utilized a high-speed two-stage interception missile launched from silos around the city. The Galosh missile was equipped with a nuclear warhead to destroy incoming nuclear warheads through overlapping blasts.
At its peak, dozens of Galosh missiles were operational in silos surrounding Moscow as the capital's last line of defense against nuclear attack. The Galosh remained in service through the Cold War until the A-35 system was decommissioned in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union. It was an example of Cold War defenses against nuclear attack and deterrence through mutual assured destruction strategies. The Galosh missile itself was limited in interception capability compared to modern systems but reflected the state of technology at the time it was created.