On-duty air defense system
The Duty System (DHS) of the air defense of the GDR was an alarm and readiness system of units and associations of the air defense integrated into the Warsaw Pact . By the National People's Army were the radio technical troops , the anti-aircraft missile troops and fighter forces of the Air Force / Air Defense (LSK / LV) and parts of the air defense missile forces of air defense integrated into the DHS. In addition, the availability of technical / logistical support from the so-called securing units was required. If necessary, combat helicopters of the army air forces and the border troops were involved in the enforcement of air sovereignty. The DHS was viewed as a peacetime combat mission.
guide
The management of the air defense of the Warsaw Treaty Organization was based on the principles that were developed and issued by the staff of the United Armed Forces of the participating states of the Warsaw Treaty . Due to an agreement of 1964 between the GDR and the Soviet Union , the DHS was managed centrally by the Commander-in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Armed Forces in Germany (GSSD) and his staff and via the Chief of the Air Force / Air Defense of the NVA. The authority to open fire in the event of airspace violations lay with the representatives of the Soviet armed forces. The NVA regulations did not provide for the use of armed force against civil aircraft.
In 1987 the National Defense Council of the GDR determined that the regulations for enforcing air sovereignty against airspace violators were not clearly regulated and that a revision of the regulations and procedures was therefore necessary. Due to the turnaround, the measures introduced were not fully implemented.
- The management system were available
The central command post of the Soviet air defense in the GDR in Wünsdorf with the command posts :
- 71st Fighter Corps in Wittstock
- 16th Guards Fighter Division in Damgarten
- 61st Air Guard Corps in Lutherstadt Wittenberg
- 6th Mixed Guard Flying Division in Merseburg
- 126th Fighter Division in Zerbst
- the associated anti-aircraft missile brigades / regiments, fighter squadrons, radio technical troops.
The central command post of the air force / air defense of the NVA in Fürstenwalde with the command posts:
- 1st Air Defense Division (NVA) in Cottbus
- 3rd Air Defense Division (NVA) in Neubrandenburg
- the associated anti-aircraft missile brigades / regiments, fighter squadrons, radio technical troops.
Forces in the DHS
Flying bandages
In peacetime the following funds were made available for the DHS with a start time of 8 to 10 minutes:
- 20 combat helicopters (7 of them NVA)
- 26 fighters (of which NVA: 12)
Anti-aircraft missile force / air defense
The anti-aircraft missile departments of the LSK / LV and the anti-aircraft missile regiments of the land forces of the NVA and the GSSD were integrated into the DHS in their peace stations. Fire readiness was established within 4 to 8 minutes.
For the anti-aircraft missile force, four levels of readiness (BSFAR - readiness to launch the anti-aircraft missiles and levels of readiness 1 to 3) were distinguished, which set the time for taking combat readiness .
Radio troops
In cooperation with GSSD units, the radio technical troops of the NVA were responsible for monitoring the airspace at all times of the year and were supposed to report approaching NATO combat aircraft in good time to alert the combat units .
Monitoring at the border with the Federal Republic of Germany and in the Baltic Sea area down to a lower limit of 100 to 200 meters was ensured by a corresponding distribution of posts. In order to be able to locate aircraft approaching lower down , support through visual airspace observation was provided. For this purpose, the posts of the GDR border troops were also used. The reaction time from their initial observation to reporting to a radio engineering company was 3 to 4 minutes.
Effects on staff
Due to the high availability required, the DHS represented a great burden for the personnel employed, which also impaired the private sector. As a compensation measure, service members of the army in the DHS were entitled to allowances.
An increase in the sense of responsibility should be promoted through appropriate political and ideological educational work.
More DHS
The permanent standby services of the People's Police in the precincts and guards, the operational units of the Ministry for State Security and civil defense, especially the fire brigades in the fire stations , were also referred to as DHS .
literature
- Julian-André Finke: Guardian of the sky? The Air Force of the GDR in the Warsaw Pact on duty system . Ch. Links Berlin, 2010, ISBN 978-3-86153-580-5 .
- Bernd Biedermann, Siegfried Horst: The anti-aircraft missile troops of the air defense of the GDR - history and stories . Steffen Verlag Friedland, 2010, ISBN 978-3-940101-87-7 .
swell
- "NVA. National People's Army of the GDR in brief. ”VI. 1983 edition; Bonner Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft, Bonn, Essen, 1983
- Minutes of meetings of the NVR from 1962 to 1987
Individual evidence
- ↑ Minutes of the 74th meeting of the NVR on July 3, 1987, p. 127 ( Memento of the original of October 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Minutes of the 10th meeting of the NVR on April 6, 1962 ( Memento of the original of August 21, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Minutes of the 74th meeting of the NVR on July 3, 1987, pp. 123-139 ( Memento of the original of October 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Soviet troops in Germany 1945 to 1994, memorial album, Moscow edition, «Junge Garde» publishing house, 1994; ISBN 5-235-02221-1 ; Page 21.
- ↑ a b Minutes of the 74th meeting of the NVR on July 3, 1987 p. 129 ( Memento of the original from October 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Minutes of the 74th meeting of the NVR on July 3, 1987 p. 130 ( Memento of the original of October 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
