Abstract

The article examines the principles of operation and the structure of the Soviet administrative system of missile production on the eve of the Cuban missile crisis, which made it possible to develop advanced missile technology. Tis system had been constantly reforming. Technological progress led to the expansion of interindustry ties and involvement of industrial plants of various branches and regions, many scientists and technical experts in the area of missile production. Te reform of governing bodies of industry and construction was based on the principles of democratic centralism, which was supposed to activate the human resources of the country. Te ministries that were based on the pyramidal principle of administration were abolished, and the management of industry was entrusted to the regional economic councils (1957). However, new developments in the feld of rocketry remained under the control of the central departments. Te most important missile science and design organizations were subordinated to the State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the USSR for defense technology. In terms of cooperation, enterprises of the radio-electronic, shipbuilding, machinebuilding and other industries participated in the development projects. In 1958, the missile mass production was entrusted to the economic councils. Decentralization of the Soviet administrative system of missile production made it possible to expand production ties and to increase involvement of the human resources in the missile industry. Yet it was necessary to organize a complex supply and sales system and to establish constant control over the operations of hundreds of enterprises. An authoritative coordinating governing body was needed, and the Commission of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on military-industrial issues, which was established in December 1957, played an important role in steady coordination of the decentralized industry. Te reforms helped mobilize limited resources and, by 1962, develop advanced missiles to protect the USSR interests in international conficts (R-7 intercontinental missile, R-11 shortrange missile, R-12 and R-14 mediumrange missiles, S-75 and Dal antiaircraf missile systems, Storm and Buran intercontinental cruise missiles, antimissile defense systems etc.). Finally, the USSR became a superpower capable of defending its foreign policy interests.

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