The Russian Don-2N radar, known to NATO as the “Pill Box,” is a critical pillar of Moscow’s strategic missile defence network, designed to counter ballistic missile threats.
Distinguished by its imposing presence and unique four-sided truncated pyramid shape, the Don-2N features four massive radar arrays, each measuring 59 feet in diameter and operating in the super high frequency (SHF) band. Together, they provide seamless 360-degree coverage for missile detection and tracking.
Alongside each circular search and tracking array sits a square antenna array measuring 33 feet across, separated by vertical shielding structures. These arrays guide interceptor missiles through data link channels, enhancing engagement precision.
The radar is reportedly capable of detecting even small objects as tiny as 5 centimetres across at distances of up to 1,243 miles and altitudes reaching 24,855 miles—making it one of the most powerful and sophisticated missile defence radars in the world.
