TABOSHAR SOLID-PROPELLANT MOTOR PRODUCTION PLANT: A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF FACILITIES AND PROCESS FLOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
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• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 15, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: January 1, 1988
• Content Type: MISC

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Central Intelligence Agency
Directorate of Intelligence
January 1988
Taboshar Solid-Propellant Motor Production Plant:
A Preliminary Assessment of Facilities and Process Flow
Summary
The Taboshar solid-propellant motor
production plant
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has recently been identified
the south-central Soviet Union. However.
construction on the first part of the
plant began in about 1970 and was finished by 1973.
The plant experienced a major expansion in the late
.1970s and early 1980s. A second major construction
program began in the mid-1980s and is still in
progress.
The plant is made up of two separately secured
production lines. While these two lines display many
of the characteristics we normally observe at other
Soviet solid motor plants, many aspects of their
design are unusual. Neither line is directly served
by rail. Instead, shipments to and from the
Information available as of 1 October 1987 was used in this
report. (U)
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production lines must be made by truck. Another
unusual feature is that the first line was built in a
mountain ravine--a feature common to Chinese solid-
motor production plants but unique in the Soviet
Union. Also, the plant--unlike all the other Soviet
solid-propellant motor plants--does not appear to have
a static test facility for its motors, and has several
unique structures not normally found at Soviet motor
production plants.
Anal ysis
judgments about the plant:
o The production line in the mountain ravine was
probably first constructed as an experimental
propellant production facility.
o After the expansion of this line in the late 1970s
and early 1980s, it began serially producing
propellant, probably for cartridge-loaded motors.
By the early 1980s, this line was producing
propellant grain and motors for the third stage of
the SS-25 ICBM, and perhaps for the SS-25
follow-on. This facility may have produced
about one-fourth to one-third of the third-stage
motors required for the approximately 175 SS-25
missiles probably assembled to date.
o In the mid-1980s, construction began on the second
production line, which we believe will produce
case-bonded motors possibly for follow-ons to the
SS-X-24 ICBM, SS-N-20 SLBM, or for some other
missile system. While the major portion of
this line is still under construction, it may
already have a limited operational capability and
may eventually be able to produce enough motors
to assemble approximately 45 to 80 three-stage
ballistic missiles annually.
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Background
The Taboshar solid-propellant motor production plant is located
in the south-central USSR, about 40 kilometers south of Tashkent
near the town of Taboshar (figure 1).
(portions of the
plant have existed since at least the early 1970s. Major
construction programs have occurred twice since then--first in
the late 1970s and early 1980s and a second, continuing program
that began in the mid- 1980s. The plant displays many of the
characteristics normally associated with Soviet solid-propellant
motor plants, but many aspects of its design are unusual
including such anomalies as a lack of rail service into the
plant, an apparent absence of a static test facility for motor
testing, and the construction of several unique buildings.
a comparison of the
judgments, this paper describes the plant's facilities and
process flow, discusses the types of motors that are probably or
could eventually be produced there, and attempts to project
production capability.
acuity wi r-n o er ovie plants, and some analytical
Figure 1
Location of Taboshar Solid Motor
Production Plant, USSR
The Taboshar solid-propellant
motor production plant is com-
posed of two separately secured
production lines. One propell-
ant production line, located in
a mountain ravine, probably
produces cartridge-loaded mo-
tors. The second line, in the
neighboring valley, is probably
for production of case-bonded
mntnrsl (figure 2).
lIn cartridge-loading, propell-
ant cartridges are inserted in-
to molds, and then later, the
propellant cartridges are in-
serted into the motor case. In
case-bonding, the propellant is
poured directly into the motor
case.
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Probable Cartridge-loaded Propellant and Motor Production Line
Nestled in a mountain ravine, just west of town, is the
cartridge-loaded propellant and motor production line--the
oldest and most unique area of the Taboshar plant. Its location
and layout more closely resemble Chinese solid-propellant
facilities than other Soviet solid-propellant plants (figures 3,
4, and 5). Initial construction on this line began in about
1970 and ended in about 1973. Several storage sheds and other
small buildings occupied the site before construction began,
suggesting that this line may have been built on a site formerly
involved in mining operations. The natural terrain around this
production line isolates each building involved in hazardous
operations, and probably saved the Soviets time and money since
they did not need to construct extensive revetments around all
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the buildings. This line has some building-to-building rail
service within its confines, but it is not served by a mainline
track--a very unusual feature perhaps dictated by the rugged
terrain. In fact, for the internal rail service to negotiate
the terrain and move material between sections of the plant, a
rail elevator was constructed (figure 4). Shipments to and from
this area must be made by truck. The trucks probably travel
back and forth to Leninabad--the nearest rail-served city--where
motor components and motors are loaded off of and onto railcars
for long distance shipments. Since the layout of this line
appears to be unique among motor plants in the Soviet Union,
may have originally been an experimental industrial design. 25X1
Initial facilities at this propellant line consisted of
propellant-production-related buildings, a propellant disposal
area, an administrative area, a firehouse, probable underground
storage areas, and other support buildings. Three adits that
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are present in the southern part of the ravine may have existed
before 1970 as entrances to mine shafts; later they probably
only had to be modified to serve as entrances to the underground
storage areas (figure 4).
The small scale of the initial construction in the early 1970s
and the unusual design of the line lead us to believe that it
was originally constructed as an experimental plant, not meant
to serially produce propellant or motors. On the basis of
building layout and safety requirements, we judge that only two
of the original buildings constructed were initially capable of
producing propellant (figure 4). Both of these buildings are
similar to structures that handle solid-propellant at other
Soviet plants. They are physically separated from the other
buildings in the area and a lightning arrester is immediately
adjacent to one of the buildings.
Since grinding is
one of the more hazardous aspects o propellant production, we
believe installation and eventual operation of the machinery in
the early 1970s occurred in the building protected by the
lightning arrester although the absence of an earthen barricade
around the building limits our confidence in this judgement.
The other probable production building was, and probably still
is, involved in less hazardous work such as ingredient receiving
and preparation since it apparently has no lightning arrester
protection.
The second phase of construction at this line occurred during
the later half of the 1970s and early 1980s and, we believe,
signaled the conversion of this facility from experimental
production to serial production of propellant and motors.
During this time frame, construction,; was completed on a
propellant grinding building on the western end of the line
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(figure 3). The building is very similar to grinding buildings
for series production at such solid motor plants as Biysk and
Kamensk-Shakhtinsky. It is completely surrounded by an earthen
revetment, flanked by two lightning arresters, and is some
distance away from other structures. These safety measures and
the similarity of this building to those for serial production
at other solid motoi production plants suggests that it, too,
was built for serial production of propellant. We cannot
confidently identify a propellant mixing building at this line.
Possibly, the grinding building also serves as a mixing
building, or the building involved in grinding operations in the
early 1970s may now be used to mix propellant.
Three additional facilities--a probable propellant casting
building, a probable propellant curing building, and what may be
a motor finishing area--were built at this line in the early
1980s and provide further evidence that Taboshar's role in solid
motor production was expanding (figures 4 and 5). The casting
and curing buildings are similar in size and layout to casting
and curing buildings found at the Biysk, Kamensk-Shakhtinsky,
and Pavlograd solid motor plants. The casting building is
revetted, rail-served, and situated between two lightning
arresters. We believe it contains a casting pit where
propellant is cast into molds or sheaths for the cartridge-
loaded motors.2
The curing building is adjacent to the casting building and is
connected directly to it by rail. It is also protected by two
lightning arresters. The building houses curing ovens and a
control section. Here, the propellant is cured for a specific
time period under elevated temperatures and strictly controlled
humidity levels.
The third facility built during this time frame is located at
the extreme northeast end of the line (figure 5). We believe
this facility may be for motor finishing and shipping, that is,
propellant X-ray testing, mold disassembly, cartridge insertion,
and packaging for shipment. Although there are several
buildings within this area, only three appear to be devoted to
motor finishing. The other structures in the finishing area
probably house administrative, engineering, and component
storage areas. The ductwork on a section of roof of one
building is similar to ductwork on the roofs of other propellant
X-ray test buildings in the Soviet Union and suggests that X-ray
tests of the propellant are conducted in that section. We
zA casting pit is a chamber, below ground level, in which
propellant is poured into molds or motor cases. Its purpose is
to provide protection in the event of an accidental explosion.
(U)
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believe that in the adjacent high-bay section the molds are
disassembled, cartridges are inserted into the cases, the
propellant is machined, and auxiliary equipment is installed on
the motor. The other finishing building--which is connected by
rail to the X-ray and component installation building--probably
is used to check out the completed motors, readv them for
shipping, and store the motors before shipment.
Recent special intelligence indicates that Taboshar has been
producing the third-stage propellant grain and motors for the
SS-25 ICBM and possibly its follow-on since at least early
1985.3 The construction of the casting, curing, and finishing
buildings has corresponded to the development and production of
the SS-25 program. Moreover, the casting building at Taboshar
is almost identical to a casting building constructed at about
the same time at the. Kamensk-Shakhtinsky plant, which is
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assessed to produce motors for the SS-25. These factors suggest
that the casting, curing, and finishing facilities at Taboshar
were constructed specifically for the SS-25 program, and that
Taboshar has probably been producing SS-25 third-stage
propellant grain and motors since the early 1980s.
Possible Case--bonded Propellant and Motor Production Line
The newest section of Taboshar is located in the valley adjacent
to the mountain range containing the original part of the plant
(figure 6). Construction on this propellant line began in the
mid-1980s, and much of it is still unfinished. This production
line is similar to the newer motor production lines for the SS-
N-20 SLBM at Biysk and for the SS-X-24 ICBM at Pavlograd. This
similarity is the main reason we believe this area of Taboshar
will eventually produce case-bonded motors like those probably
used on the SS-N-20 and SS-X-24. However, this line also has
unusual features not normally seen at other Soviet motor plants.
The line has some unique buildings and, like the cartridge-
loaded line, lacks a main rail line. Components and finished
products must be sent by truck to and from the nearest rail line
in Leninabad.
Several of the buildings at this line have been completed and
are surrounded by a temporary security fence--used to keep
uncleared construction workers out of sensitive areas--
suggesting that these buildings may be operational or are at
least receiving production equipment. Within this secured area
is an X-ray test building and a 10-bay curing building--
connected via a support section to another 10-bay curing
building still under construction (figure 6). Both of these
structures are served by an enclosed transverser--a device that
runs along rails and feeds propellant, motor cases, and motors
into the various bays of the production buildings. These two
buildings are nearly identical in size and layout to the
buildings performing the same functions at Biysk and Pavlograd.
We believe the other two production buildings within the secured
area are either for motor casting operations or motor finishing
functions such as igniter, exit nozzle, and cableway
installation (figure 6). The two buildings are connected by a
central support section and are served by the transverser. They
are equipped with fire escapes for the overhead crane operators,
indicating hazardous materials are handled inside. The presence
of the temporary security fence suggests this area could be
operational. These buildings may be for motor casting--the
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process that occurs before curing and X-ray testing. However,
these buildings differ from other casting buildings in that they
are not revetted, are situated relatively close to other
buildings, and apparently have no lightning arresters near them.
This lack of safety features suggests that the two buildings may
instead perform less hazardous finishing operations, and that a
casting building will eventually have to be constructed nerhans
in the open area adjacent to these two buildings.
A number of other production buildings are still under
construction at this line and will need to be completed before
the line can be fully operational. Among them are a motor case
receiving, inspection, and preparation building; a probable
propellant mixing building; a second ten-bay curing building;
and several support buildings probably for such functions as
mold disassembly and propellant machining (figure 6). The
receiving, inspection, and preparation building is similar to
structures located at Biysk and Pavlograd that serve the same
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function. It should be externally complete by the end of 1987
and operational by early-to-mid 1988. The curing and mixing
buildings are in an earlier stage of construction. The second
curing building--which is identical to the one already
completed--will probably be finished by early 1988. The mixing
building will probably not be finished and operational until
late 1988. It will be very similar to those already existing at
Biysk and Petrokrepost and others now under construction at
Pavlograd and Biysk.
Adjacent to the mixing building is a row of five tank-like
structures, three of which will eventually be served by a second
rail transverser now under construction (figure 6). Similar
tank-like structures are located at Biysk. However, the
structures at Biysk are not served by a transverser and are not
aligned in a row, but are clustered. All five of these
structures at Taboshar (and presumably the ones at Biysk) are
constructed with inner and outer walls that we believe may be
designed to contain an accidental explosion. A possible control
building is located to one side of the tank-like structures.
The exact function of these structures is unknown, but their
location adjacent to the mixing building and their double wall
construction suggest that they could be a new design for
propellant grinding facilities. The three tank-like structures
served by the transverser may perform the actual grinding
operations, hile the other two may store propellant
ingredients.
The Soviets are currently developing two ballistic missiles that
probably will use case-bonded motors--a follow-on to the SS-X-24
ICBM and a follow-on to the SS-N-20 SLBM. Some fragmentary
evidence suggests the Soviets may also be developing a large-
diameter solid-propellant ICBM that could eventually replace all
or part of the SS-18 ICBM force. Other plants already have, or
are building, production lines that we believe are specifically
for these new systems. However, it is possible that some motor
production for one or more of these systems will occur at
Taboshar--perhaps to augment the production capability for these
systems. Conversely, the Soviets may also be developing other
ballistic missiles that will use case-bonded motors produced at
Taboshar on which we have no other information.
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Production Capability
The relatively small scale of the cartridge-loaded propellant
line (compared to other Soviet motor plants) suggests that this
line has not been producing large numbers of SS-25 third-stage
motors. Since the line only has one casting and one curing
building for the production of SS-25 motors, we estimate that it
has supplied about one-quarter to one-third of the third-stage
motors required for the approximately 175 SS-25s produced to
date. Special intelligence and imagery indicate that most of
the third-stage motors along with all of the first- and second-
stage motors for the SS-25 are probably produced at the Kamensk-
Shakhtinsky Motor Plant.
The layout, facilities, and large rail transversers of the case-
bonded production line closely resemble those at Biysk and
Pavlograd that produce large case-bonded motors, suggesting that
this new line at Taboshar has also been designed to manufacture
this type of motor. Soviet open source reporting indicates that
their case-bonded motors require 15 to 25 days to cure.4 This
large range in curing time (similar US motors generally require
five to eight days to cure) suggests that the Soviets stress-
cure motors--a process that involves curing the propellant from
the inside by inserting a heating element into the propellant
cavity. In this process the curing time varies according to the
motor diameter. A smaller-diameter motor requires less time to
cure and vice versa. We do not know the size of the motors that
will be produced at Taboshar's case-bonded motor line and,
therefore, cannot estimate a single production capability for
the line. However, we do know that the curing time ranges from
15 to 25 days, and that there will soon be 20 curing ovens
available. From this information, we can estimate that the line
has a maximum capacity to produce approximately 280 to 480
motors annually. However, limited data indicate that Soviet
plants usually operate at about 50 percent of estimated
capacity. Therefore, we estimate that Taboshar will produce
around 140 to 240 case-bonded motors per year or enough motors
to assemble approximately 45 to 80 three-stage missiles each
year.
4For further information see Solid-Production Rocket Engines,
I.KH. Fakhrutdinov, Moscow 1981. (U)
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Appendix A
Probable Production Flow at the Cartridge-Loaded Line
Motor cases and propellant ingredients arrive at the main gate
and administrative area (A)l on the west end of the line. The
propellant ingredients are taken to the adits (B) for storage,
and then to the preparation building (C) for screening and
weighing. The cases are transported to the motor finishing
facility (D) for inspection, cleaning, and liner installation.
The propellant ingredients are next moved to the grinding
building (E), where they are ground to specific sizes, and then
to the possible mixing building (F) where the ingredients are
mixed together--probably along with a hardening agent. After
mixing is complete, the propellant is taken to the casting
building (G) where it is poured into cartridge segments. The
cartridges are then moved into the curing building (H) to
undergo heat treatment for a specific time period. After
propellant curing, the cartridges go by truck to the finishing
facility (D) where the molds are first disassembled and the
propellant is X-ray tested to ensure no cracks or voids have
formed in the propellant during production. Next the cartridges
are machined and inserted into the cases. Finally, the motors
are packaged for shipment and either shipped immediately from
the facility out the east gate (I) or placed in temporary
storage.
'All letters refer to figures 7, 8, and 9.
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APPENDIX B
Probable Production Flow At the Case-Bonded Line
Trucks bring motor cases and propellant ingredients to the south
gate and administrative area (A) of this production line.
Cases are taken to the motor case receiving and preparation
building (B) for inspection, cleaning, and liner installation.
Propellant ingredients are transported via the transverser to
the tank-like possible propellant grinding and storage buildings
(C). There, ingredients are either stored before grinding or
are immediately ground to specific particle sizes. Next, the
ingredients are moved by the transverser to the propellant
mixing building (D) where the ingredients are mixed together,
probably with a hardening agent. Motor cases and propellant
meet at the casting building or buildings (E). The cases are
placed into the casting pit and propellant is poured into the
cases at a constant rate under vacuum conditions. After casting
operations, the motors are transported by a second transverser
to the curing building (F), placed into an oven, and cured for
15 to 25 days. Afterward, the mold is disassembled and the
motors are moved to the X-ray test building (G) to ensure no
cracks or voids have formed in the propellant during production.
The propellant is then machined, and the motors are taken to a
finishing building (H) where igniters, cableways, nozzle rings,
and exit nozzles are attached. The motor is then packaged for
shipment, and shipped by truck to the rail line in Leninabad.
A l letters refer to figure 10.
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