Object 100
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Object 100 | |
|---|---|
Oбъект 100 | |
| Sevastopol | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Coastal fortification |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator | Russian Navy |
| Controlled by | Black Sea Fleet |
| Condition | Operational |
| Location | |
  Object 100 Location within Crimea | |
| Coordinates | 44°27′05″N 33°39′09″E / 44.4514°N 33.6525°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1954 |
| Built by | Soviet Union |
The Object-100 (Oбъект 100) is a Russian Navy coastal defense underground complex armed with anti-ship missiles built in 1954 by the Soviet Union to protect Sevastopol and surrounding maritime approaches. It was modernized several times over the years before being abandoned after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Following the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation it was reactivated in 2016, being mostly used for training purposes, though it reportedly was used to launch attacks on Ukrainian ground targets during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Built in the mountains of Balaklava, Sevastopol in 1954, it was designed to protect the nearby waters from NATO naval assaults. Codenamed Project 100 underground complex consists of two identical anti-ship cruise missile launch sites located 6.0 km (3.7 mi) from each other and buried under thick layers of concrete to provide protection against a nuclear attack. It also features command posts, missile storage depots, workshops to prepare and refuel the missiles, diesel generators, filtration and ventilation units, and supply depots with fuel, food, and water.[1]
It was initially armed with Sopka anti-ship missiles, but over the years it was modernized to launch P-35B Utes (NATO reporting name: SS-N-3B Sepal) and 3M44 Progress missiles. While the aging 3M44 missile has been largely replaced in Russian service by the 3K60 Bal (NATO reporting name: SSC-6 Sennight) and the K-300P Bastion-P (NATO reporting name: SS-C-5 Stooge), the complex is still used by the Russian Navy to launch target drones and test anti-aircraft defense systems during live-fire exercises.[2]
In 2016, NPO Mashinostroyeniya announced plans of building a fixed anti-ship missile launcher capable of firing 3M22 Zircon missiles in Crimea based on the Bastion system. In the same year, plans on deploying modernized Bastion systems on the Object 100 complex were also unveiled.[3]