Russia’s new air defenses to be based on S-300 and S-400 systems

14:06|02/ 03/ 2007

TVER, March 2 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s fifth-generation air defense
missile system will be developed on the basis of existing S-300 and
S-400 air defense complexes, the Air Force commander said Friday.

"The system will undoubtedly inherit the best features of the S-300
and S-400 systems, but will be designed using advanced technology,"
Army General Vladimir Mikhailov said.

The new missile system will combine elements of air, missile and space
defenses, and will be developed by the Almaz-Antei air defense
consortium.

Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, who has been
charged with supervising the country’s defense industry, said earlier
that priority should now be given to the development of a
fifth-generation air-defense system capable of staving off
commensurate threats.

"It must be an integrated system combining weapons, information and
fire control elements," he said, addressing the participants of a
meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.

Almaz-Antei, one of Russia’s largest defense-industry holdings,
specializes in the development of air defense missile systems and is
famous for its S-300, S-400, Pechora-2A, Buk-M1 and Tor-M1
ground-to-air missile systems.

The S-300 (SA-10 Grumble) anti-aircraft missile system was designed to
protect military and industrial facilities from massive air strikes.

A missile launched from the system can travel at a speed of 2,000
meters (6,000 feet) per second, and is capable of hitting a target at
a distance of 150 kilometers (93 miles), flying at an altitude of up
to 30 kilometers (19 miles) and at a speed of up to 10,000 kilometers
per hour (6,215 miles per hour).

According to Alexander Lemansky, chief designer at Almaz-Antei, the
S-400 Triumf air defense complex is considerably superior to the S-300
system because of its effective firing range, firing capacity and
other parameters.

The Air Force commander said Friday the first air defense regiment
equipped with S-400 ground-to-air missile systems will be put on
combat duty in the Moscow Region in July 2007.

Mikhailov reiterated that the Russian Air Force currently deployed
more than 30 regiments equipped with S-300 missile complexes, which
will be gradually replaced with S-400 systems.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress