Commercial satellite imagery analyzed by the British newspaper The Times on 19/10 revealed a structure believed to be a 29B6 Konteiner radar complex. Russia has positioned this system in Gvardeysk, Kaliningrad, located approximately 32 km from the Polish border and 65 km from Lithuania.

This structure features three antenna branches, each about 500 m long, radiating in three different directions.

The 29B6 Konteiner can detect ballistic missiles, warships, and aircraft at a maximum range of 3,200 km and an altitude of 100 km. This coverage extends across northern and western Europe, including all of England. Beyond Kaliningrad, Russia has deployed at least two other 29B6 Konteiner complexes in the Republic of Mordovia and Amur province.

Russia's radar cluster under construction in Kaliningrad, as shown in an image released on 19/10. *Times*.

The Times of the UK views this development as the latest evidence that Russia is transforming Kaliningrad into a hub for sophisticated military sensors and electronic warfare systems.

Over-the-horizon radar utilizes the ionosphere in space as a reflective layer for radio waves. This overcomes the limitation imposed by the Earth's curvature, allowing it to detect targets thousands of kilometers away, unlike conventional surveillance radars which are limited to tens or hundreds of kilometers.

This technology is immune to anti-radar missiles, and some modern systems can even detect stealth aircraft.

However, over-the-horizon radar has drawbacks, primarily its low resolution. While capable of detecting targets from thousands of kilometers away, it lacks the precision needed for tracking and providing targeting data for interceptor missiles. Furthermore, these radar stations are very large, making them easily detectable by satellites and vulnerable to satellite-guided weapons.

In addition to the 29B6 Konteiner, Russia operates several other over-the-horizon radar complexes to guard against potential preemptive ballistic missile attacks. A key system is the network of 10 Voronezh-DM stations, each capable of detecting 500 targets simultaneously at ranges of 6,000-10,000 km and altitudes up to 8,000 km.

NATO member states also operate similar systems, including the UK's Pluto I and II stations at Akrotiri Air Base on Cyprus, and France's Nostradamus complex located near Dreux, approximately 80 km west of Paris.

The location of Russia's Kaliningrad exclave. *Open Street Map*.

Kaliningrad, covering about 220 km2, lies on the Baltic Sea coast, surrounded by NATO nations such as Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden. Its strategic position, nestled within NATO territory, makes Kaliningrad a critical outpost for Russia in the event of a large-scale conflict.

For the past four years, the Kaliningrad exclave has been suspected as a continuous source of GPS jamming, disrupting navigation systems for vessels and aircraft in northeastern Europe.

Nguyen Tien (According to The Times, AP, Reuters)