39th Radio-Technical Regiment
Unit Profile and Mission
The 39th Radio-Technical Regiment (Russian: 39-й радиотехнический полк), designated as military unit 21527, is a formation of the Radio-Technical Troops (RTV) within the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). RTV units provide continuous radar surveillance and airspace control, generate the recognized air picture, issue early warning of aerial threats, and supply target designation to fighter aviation and surface-to-air missile (SAM) formations. Their mission set includes tracking of aerodynamic targets (fixed-wing, rotary, UAV) and detection of some ballistic and high-altitude targets, with data distributed to higher command posts and adjacent air defense units.
Known Unit Identifiers and Subordinate Elements
The identifiers provided correspond to the regiment and multiple subordinate elements: military unit 21527 (regimental HQ), and subunits labeled 21527-2, 21527-3, 21527-5, 21527-6, 21527-7, and 21527-8. In Russian practice, the base military unit number is an official postal/administrative identifier used across Ministry of Defense documents, while suffixes typically denote separate subordinate detachments located at dispersed radar sites or support locations under the same parent unit. The specific geographic locations and exact roles of each suffix-designated subunit are not stated in the provided information and are not published in official open sources.
Organizational Structure
RTV regiments are structured around a regimental command post that controls several radio-technical battalions and/or separate radio-technical companies operating fixed and mobile radar posts. Subordinate elements man long-range nodal radar sites, low-altitude fill-in posts, mobile reserve groups, and technical-support nodes. Manning is arranged for 24/7 operations with rotating duty shifts. The 39th Radio-Technical Regiment, identified as military unit 21527, aligns with this standardized structure, with its listed 21527-2/3/5/6/7/8 elements consistent with dispersed radar and support sites subordinate to the regimental HQ.
Command Relationships
RTV regiments are subordinated to air and air defense formations within the regional Air and Air Defense Armies of the VKS. They operate in close coordination with fighter aviation regiments and SAM regiments/brigades (e.g., S-300PS/PM2 and S-400 units) to provide surveillance, early warning, and target data. Regimental command posts relay track data upward to operational-level command centers and laterally to adjacent RTV and air defense units, supporting the unified air picture and engagement planning.
Command-and-Control and Automation
Russian RTV units employ automated command-and-control (C2) and data fusion systems to build and disseminate the recognized air picture. Publicly referenced systems in VKS air defense include the Fundament family of automated command posts and interoperable data exchange networks that aggregate radar tracks, perform correlation and deconfliction, and forward data to air defense C2 such as Baikal-1M and other SAM control systems. Connectivity typically uses redundant fiber, radiorelay, and secure radio channels.
Radar Assets and Capabilities (VKS RTV Standard Inventory)
While official sources do not list the exact radar sets for military unit 21527, Russian RTV regiments are documented as operating a mix of legacy and modern 3D radars. Common systems in the VKS inventory include: 55Zh6M Nebo-M multi-band 3D radar complex (publicly stated detection ranges up to approximately 600 km for aerodynamic targets); 55Zh6U Nebo-U VHF radar (long-range air-surveillance, up to roughly 600 km per open sources); 59N6 Protivnik-G L-band 3D radar (commonly cited up to ~400 km); 64L6 Gamma-S1 S-band 3D radar (often cited up to ~300 km); 96L6 all-altitude 3D radar (used both with SAM units and in general surveillance, commonly cited up to ~300 km); 48Ya6-K1 Podlet-K1 low-altitude 3D radar (public sources cite up to ~300 km for low-altitude target detection); and legacy systems such as 35D6 (ST-68U), P-18 family (VHF), and 5N84A (VHF). Exact performance depends on terrain, siting, and target characteristics; the ranges above are widely cited open-source figures and are not regiment-specific.
Deployment Concept and Coverage
RTV regiments distribute their subordinate radar posts across a region to maximize overlapping coverage, especially along likely threat axes, coasts, and high terrain. Long-range nodal sites host higher-power radars to extend detection ranges, while gap-filler posts (often with low-altitude radars) mitigate terrain masking. Mobile reserve radars can be deployed to reinforce coverage or replace primary sensors during maintenance. Data from all posts is fused at the regimental command post and forwarded to higher echelons to ensure continuous situational awareness.
Site Infrastructure Characteristics
Typical RTV sites include hardened or semi-hardened radar pads, antenna masts/towers (including standardized 30–40 m masts such as the 40V6 series for improved horizon and low-altitude coverage), containerized equipment shelters, maintenance workshops, fuel storage, and barracks/admin buildings. Some radars are housed in transportable shelters on heavy-duty 8x8 chassis (e.g., BAZ or MZKT families), enabling repositioning and field deployment. Permanent sites may feature radomes for specific antennas, perimeter security fencing, access control points, and all-weather access roads.
Power Supply and Mobility
RTV radar sites use a combination of grid power (where available) and organic diesel generator plants to ensure uninterrupted operation. High-capacity generator sets and bulk fuel storage are standard features at permanent posts; mobile radars carry integral power units. Mobility of modern systems (e.g., Nebo-M, Podlet-K1, Protivnik-G) allows relocation within a region to adjust coverage or during exercises, with emplacement and march procedures supported by specialized transport and crane vehicles.
Communications and Data Links
Data and voice communications at RTV sites are provided by a mix of wired (fiber/copper) and wireless links. Radiorelay systems (e.g., R-419 family and comparable stations) are widely used in Russian forces to connect remote radar posts to regimental and higher command posts. Secure VHF/UHF channels provide local control and coordination. Where available, protected fiber-optic lines are used for high-volume radar data transmission. Communications infrastructure is designed with redundancy to sustain the recognized air picture during outages or combat damage.
Integration with Air Defense and Aviation
RTV track data is integrated with air defense command systems to support engagement decisions by SAM regiments (e.g., S-300PS/PM2, S-400) and vectoring of fighter aviation. The regiment’s command post participates in air policing, identification friend-or-foe (IFF) correlation, and handover procedures, ensuring that track-quality and timeliness meet engagement timelines. Deconfliction with civil air traffic control, where mandated, is governed by national regulations and military directives.
Operational Patterns and Training
RTV regiments operate continuously with scheduled equipment maintenance cycles and periodic calibration. Training events announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense typically include detection of low-RCS and low-altitude targets, multi-sensor cueing, electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), and rapid deployment of mobile radars. Live and simulated drills exercise the automated C2 chain from radar operator to air defense decision-makers.
Security and Support
Radar sites are controlled-access facilities with perimeter fencing, guard posts, and established safety standoff distances reflecting electromagnetic radiation hazard zones. Support elements provide vehicle maintenance, power-generation upkeep, communications maintenance, and logistical resupply (diesel fuel, spare parts, and consumables). Environmental control and meteorological instrumentation are present to maintain equipment performance and support track-quality calculations.
Interpretation of Notation in the Provided List
The listing specifies: 39th Radio-Technical Regiment (military unit 21527) and a series of entries tagged 21527-2, -3, -5, -6, -7, -8. In Russian military administrative practice, such suffixes denote separate subordinate entities under the same parent unit number for postal and organizational purposes. The "/R" notation preceding some entries can appear in internal or informal listings to indicate a subunit (e.g., company/"rota"), but without an official source document, the exact meaning of that prefix cannot be confirmed here.
Observables and OSINT Correlation
Open-source identification of RTV sites typically relies on corroborating official procurement records, court filings, recruitment notices, and Ministry of Defense press releases that mention the military unit number, combined with satellite imagery showing characteristic radar pads, masts, mobile radar vehicles, generator compounds, and secured perimeters. However, precise geographic coordinates for the 39th Radio-Technical Regiment’s sites and the equipment assignments of each 21527-x subunit are not published in official open sources and are not provided in the supplied data.
Information Gaps and Confidence Statement
This analysis is constrained to publicly verifiable facts. The unit identity (39th Radio-Technical Regiment, military unit 21527) and the existence of associated subordinate identifiers (21527-2/3/5/6/7/8) are acknowledged. Specific locations, manning levels, and exact radar types assigned to each subunit are not stated in the provided information and are not confirmed in official public documentation; therefore, they are not included. Equipment capabilities described reflect commonly documented VKS RTV systems and do not assert regiment-specific inventories.