Russia to Equip S-400 with New Missiles
August 11, 2006 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
The Russian Air Force plans to equip its S-400 (SA-20 Triumf) surface-to-air missile systems with new interceptor missiles by the end of 2006, reports RIA-Novosti. In his announcement, Vladimir Mikhaylov, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, did not offer any information other than that “the missile is at the moment undergoing tests.” The S-400 is believed to have a range of up to 400 kilometers, giving it approximately 2.5 times the range of the S-300P and twice the range of the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system. Once operational, the S-400 will be able to target and destroy aircraft, cruise missiles, and short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Belarusian Missile Crews Test S-300 in Southern Russia
August 10, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
This morning, Belarusian missile crews took part in a military exercise at the Ashuluk range in southern Russia that included tests of the S-300 air/missile defense system, reports the Belarusian news agency Belapan. During the operational and tactical exercise, crews from the 115th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade used S-300 systems to engage 15 target simulators imitating an attack by cruise missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and supersonic aircraft. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
Jane’s M&R on S-400 Deployments
February 6, 2006 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
The Russian Air Force is training its first air-defense missile regiment on the new S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system, reports Jane’s Missiles and Rockets. The regiment is expected to become combat ready later in 2006 at a location near Moscow. Eventually, all 35 regiments will be equipped with the new system, which will be used to protect large population centers, as well as military and industrial complexes. The S-400 is Russia’s most advanced SAM system, capable of destroying aircraft, cruise missiles, and short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at ranges of up to 400 kilometers. (Link)
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» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Russian S-400 To Go Online at 35 Locations
January 17, 2006 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Russian air defense regiments in the Moscow region will be equipped with S-400 surface-to-air missiles in 2006, reports RIA Novosti. Vladimir Mikhailov, commander of the Russian Air Force, added that all 35 air defense regiments will be re-equipped with the S-400 in the future. The S-400 (NATO designation SA-20 Triumf) is an advanced surface-to-air missile system designed to destroy aircraft, cruise missiles, and short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at ranges of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles). (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Russia-Belarus Air Defense to be Integrated as One
October 20, 2005 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that his department would be submitting a document to the government for the creation of a single regional air defense system between Russia and Belarus Union, reported RIA-Novosti on October 19. “The document, which specifies how the system will function, is passing through bureaucratic procedures,” said Ivanov, adding that Russia would soon be supplying Belarus with S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to build up the common regional air defense system.
On October 13, the Belarusian Defense Ministry told Interfax that the Belarusian military already receives data from the Russian radar situated in Hantsavichy in Brest Region, information sharing which is critical to the launch of interceptors against an aircraft or missile attack:
“The radar is designed to provide a missile attack early warning and monitor missile launches, possibly threatening Belarus. That is why data fed by the Russian radar is of paramount importance to Belarus,” an official said.
According to him, information support is one of the conditions for Russian military facilities’ presence in Belarus.
Among other conditions, Belarusian air defense units have been granted the right to conduct live firing exercises at Russian firing ranges. Belarusian units conduct such exercises on a regular basis at the Ashuluk firing range in Astrakhan Region, and other Russian proving grounds. Up to 10 battalions conduct live firing exercises on an annual basis. The Russian side provides systems, firing ranges and targets to this end.
At the present time Belarus accommodates the Uzel Baranavichy early warning radar in Hantsavichy, and the Russian navy command and control post, situated near the town of Vileyka.
(Article, Link)
» Interfax on Belarus-Russian Data sharing for joint air defenses
» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)
Troops to Get S-400 Missiles in Early 2006
October 19, 2005 :: Interfax :: News
Interfax-Military news agency reports that Russian servicemen will have the new S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile interceptor system by early 2006, quoting a source in the Defense Ministry.
“Servicemen will take theoretical training in control over the system before the end of the year, while practical exercises will begin in the first quarter of 2006, when the S-400 enters the inventory,” the source said.
A regiment of the first corps of the Special-Purpose Command hosted a rally on Monday that marked the beginning of the retraining process. Personnel of the regiment will be trained by teachers of the Tver-based Konstantin Zhukov Air Defense Academy and defense industry experts, the source noted.
The rally was attended by Col-Gen Boris Cheltsov, air force chief of staff, and Col-Gen Yuriy Solovyev, commander of the Special-Purpose Command, as well as defense industry representatives.
(Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)
Russia Tests Target Missile Based on S-25
October 17, 2005 :: News
Interfax reports that Russia has completed a three month period of testing for a “new” target missile called “Strizh-4,” which is said to be built on the basis of the older S-25 (SA-1 “Guild”) anti-aircraft/missile defense interceptor. The purpose for which the Strizh-4 would serve as a target was not given. Presumably, it could serve as a testing target for Russia S-300 or S-400 air and missile defense interceptors. There are apparently two versions of the missile, for both low and high altitudes.
“The tests were conducted for three months at one of the ranges. The tests fully confirmed the missile’s declared specifications, and this was noted in the act drawn up after the tests,” a source in the defence industry complex told Interfax-AVN on Monday [17 October].
Now that the state tests have been completed successfully, a series production of the target missile can be launched and it can be used to test new anti-aircraft missile systems and air-defense artillery systems, the source said.
According to the source, “four launches were made during the state tests - two launches of the target missile designed to fly at high altitudes and two launches of the low-altitude version of the target missile”.
The Strizh-4 target missile is fitted with onboard equipment which includes a radar system designed to establish the parameters of engagement with an anti-aircraft guided missile, photosensitive elements to determine ammunition activation time, and fragmentation sensors. All data is transmitted to the ground and then deciphered.
(Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: S-25 (SA-1 Guild)
Russian Defense Air Defense Spending to Double in 2006
August 23, 2005 :: RIA-Novosti :: News
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said that spending on air defense and the Air Force will double in 2006 as compared to 2005, because “the government is giving priority to this area of the military.”
Russia’s 2006 budget will allocate 668.3 billion rubles ($24 billion) for overall national defense, a nearly 22 percent increase over defense spending this year. (Article, Link)
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Baluyevsky on U.S.-Russian BMD Cooperation
August 8, 2005 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The head of the Russian armed forces’ General Staff, General Yuriy Baluyevsky, recently addressed the subject of Russian-U.S. cooperation in strategic missile defense to an audience of journalists, during his visit to the United States. Missile defense discussions were said to be one of the important reasons for his visit, according to Itar Tass. Buluyevsky said that such cooperation is possible but laid out certain conditions.
So far Russian-American cooperation in the field of missile defense has been confined mainly to the fight against [shorter-range] tactical missiles. But we understand now that the U.S. has seceded from the ABM Treaty, the question of non-strategic missile defense is no longer as acute as it used to be. Our approach towards cooperation in the field of missile defence is on the whole quite simple: it must be based not on the ‘your ideas, our money’ principle, but on the ‘joint ideas, joint money, joint results’ principle.
“All these problems can be solved,” he added. But the United States should approach with care the subject of cooperation with Russia on “strategic missile defense,” a euphemism for defenses against advanced long-range ICBMs and SLBMs such as the sort maintained by Russia and China, our strategic competitors. Russia long opposed the United States’ pursuit of ballistic missile defenses for the very reason that it would negate their offensive nuclear missile forces. The agreements signed in 1997 by the Clinton administration which allowed for very limited missile defenses against “theater”—i.e., short range missiles—were an accommodation to a growing missile threat which was far short of permitting more substantial missile defenses. Full withdrawal from the ABM Treaty was necessary for that. Unfortunately, the United States has not yet ambitiously enough pursued the very opportunities permitted by that withdrawal. But the United States should not expect that cooperation with Russia on missile defense will change Russia’s opposition to the negation of its offensive nuclear forces. The Russian “solution” to various problems may therefore not be the solution which will provide the United States with a strategic defense. (Article, Link)
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Russian A-135 System to Receive Upgrades
May 10, 2005 :: Itar-Tass :: News
Itar Tass reports that Russia’s missile defenses which protect central Russia will be increased in size and capacity in the coming year. Lieutenant General Sergey Kurushkin, a commander of the Russian Space Troops, told the Russian news agency that “measures to improve a number of components in the A-135 system, which provides antimissile defense for the central region of Russia, will soon be completed.” “Last year tests were completed on the modernized active parts of the system—the interceptor missiles, and the training-combat launch of one of these was successfully carried out at the southern Sary Shagan range,” he is quoted as saying, as well as that Russia has “in prospect the deployment of promising radar equipment in the system for warning of a missile attack, and also the acquisition of new specialized equipment for monitoring space…We are talking about new technology and high-quality features which rival the best foreign models.”
A-135 is the name for the missile defense system which still surrounds Moscow. The recent test at Sary Shagan to which Kurushkin referred may have been the November 29, 2004 test of the Gazelle interceptor, which was successful. (Article, Link)
» Nov. 29, 2004: Russian test of Gazelle interceptor successful
» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses
» Missile system details for: System A-135, Gazelle (SH-08/ABM-3)
