1193th Combat Command Center
Unit Identification and Designations
The 1193rd Combat Command Center (military unit 49494) and the 212th Separate Combat Control and Communications Regulations Group are identified in open sources as elements of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN) command-and-control structure associated with the automated nuclear weapons control system "Perimeter." The administrative identifier "military unit 49494" is repeatedly linked to the 1193rd Combat Command Center in publicly available references.
Organizational Context and Command Affiliation
Within the RVSN, these entities support the national-level nuclear command-and-control (NC2) architecture, which includes the "Kazbek" system (with the "Cheget" nuclear briefcase) and interfaces with the General Staff and the Missile Attack Early Warning System (SPRN). "Perimeter" functions as a survivable, automated backup for transmitting launch orders if normal communication channels are disrupted or leadership nodes are incapacitated.
Mission and Functional Roles
The 1193rd Combat Command Center is attributed with maintaining the readiness of automated combat-control circuits, generating and routing command messages, and overseeing the technical operation of associated communications assets that support strategic nuclear force command. The 212th Separate Combat Control and Communications Regulations Group provides scheduled maintenance ("reglament") and technical support for combat-control and communications equipment, ensuring compliance with serviceability standards, periodic checks, and restoration procedures.
Historical Background and Status of "Perimeter"
"Perimeter" was developed in the Soviet era; test activities for its command-missile component occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the system reportedly entered combat duty in 1985. In December 2011, the Commander of the RVSN, Lt. Gen. Sergey Karakaev, publicly confirmed that "Perimeter" exists and remains in service; subsequent official statements have reiterated its continued operational status. Detailed staffing, basing, and internal procedures remain classified and are not disclosed in official public sources.
Technical Elements and Capabilities (Open-Source)
Open-source descriptions indicate that "Perimeter" incorporates a command-missile subsystem commonly referred to as "Sirena" (industrial index 15P175), which uses silo-based ballistic missiles fitted with radio-transmitting payloads instead of nuclear warheads to broadcast authenticated launch commands to strategic forces. Earlier iterations are associated with the 15A11 command missile based on the MR-UR-100UTTKh series; later implementations are widely linked to UR-100N UTTKh (NATO: SS-19) platforms adapted for the command role. The system integrates multiple inputs—including communications status, missile-attack warning data, and environmental indicators—to determine when transmission of commands is authorized under preset criteria.
Location Assessment
Specific coordinates and garrison details for military unit 49494 are not publicly disclosed. Central RVSN command-and-control elements are concentrated in Moscow Oblast (notably the closed garrison Vlasikha, which hosts RVSN Headquarters), and command-missile silos have been associated with a limited number of sites used for testing and duty; however, no authoritative public source explicitly assigns military unit 49494 to a particular location.
Infrastructure and Security Features
Facilities associated with these functions are typically hardened and include underground command posts, electromagnetic-pulse protection, redundant power and life-support, and multiple communications pathways (wired, radio-relay, satellite, and high-frequency/very-low-frequency channels). The command-missile component provides an independent, over-the-horizon broadcast pathway designed to reach dispersed launchers even if terrestrial networks are degraded.
Training, Testing, and Exercises
Russian Ministry of Defence announcements about annual strategic deterrence exercises (e.g., "Grom") have on multiple occasions referenced the launch of a "command missile" that transmitted control signals to other strategic assets, demonstrating the functioning of the strategic combat-control network. These events indicate ongoing training and validation of the automated command chain while avoiding disclosure of unit-level participation or site-specific details.
Legal and Treaty Considerations
Automated command-and-control architectures such as "Perimeter" are not prohibited under existing strategic arms control instruments. To the extent that command missiles are ballistic missiles deployed in or launched from ICBM silos, they fall under treaty definitions, notifications, and launcher counting rules (e.g., under New START). Detailed declarations and launcher accounting for such subsystems are handled through bilateral verification and notifications rather than public reporting.
Information Availability and Classification Note
Most technical parameters, command protocols, dispositions, and internal organization of military unit 49494 and its sub-elements are classified. Open-source attributions linking the 1193rd Combat Command Center and the 212th Separate Combat Control and Communications Regulations Group to the "Perimeter" automated nuclear weapons control system are consistent with publicly available official statements and reporting; however, comprehensive specifics—such as exact manning, site layout, equipment types, and operating procedures—are not publicly available.