Hi Bernd!

Of course you are right about a "trics" and propaganda in the SU. But Drozdov,s book was written in 1999 and couldn't serve to propaganda purposes. On the other hand, in the times of A-35 creation, the level of secrecy was so high that even a developers might not know all information about it.

By the way, there was another "little trick". Actually A-35M system was on duty... without any missles at all! There was only a electromechanicall missile equivalents on the launch pads. All missiles and their warheads was stored separately at the technicall bases. It took about several hours to transport and install them to their positions. Our militaries thought that it is too dangerous to keep armed thermonuclear missites (2-3MT) near Moscow.
I don't know the situation with modern long-range missiles from A-135, but I hope, it is the same. I don't really want to see a thermonuclear blast in the sky in a case of some error or system malfunction...

Of course A-135 system can (I hope ) protect Moscow from severall missiles launched by Ben Laden or some other guy. But Russia is not only Moscow. I think that the only way to make complex, reliable ABM system in present moment, is to join efforts of USA, Europe and Russia in single international project. Now, after the end of the cold war, it is quite possible.


PS: Here another good pictures of Galosh.