Anti-aircraft missile system S-400 "Triumph"
The fruit of the work of the united air defense holding Almaz-Antey raises many questions. The main one is what does an ultra-long-range missile look like and what is it, capable, as the Air Force command assures, of hitting targets at a distance of 400 km?
But first things first. Let's take a brief excursion into the history of the creation of the S-300 air defense system Soviet Army(this refers to air defense forces, air defense forces of the ground forces, and the navy).
The development of the S-300 universal multi-channel air defense system for the USSR Armed Forces began in 1969. The task was to unify as much as possible or even create a single air defense system for air defense, ground forces and navy (S-500U), but this was not achieved. Almost immediately, work began along the lines of two design bureaus - "Almaz" (missile developer - MKB "Fakel", Khimki) began developing the S-300P system on wheeled chassis for the country's air defense forces, and on its basis the "Reef" system for surface ships first rank of the Navy, and the creation of the S-300V air defense system with the placement of combat and auxiliary elements on tracked chassis for the ground forces was undertaken by the Antey enterprise (missile developer - Novator Design Bureau, Sverdlovsk). It immediately became clear that these systems would be completely different both in execution and in combat capabilities.
The S-300P was supposed to cover large administrative, industrial and military centers of the country from enemy aircraft and cruise missiles, and the S-300B system, in addition to these tasks, was supposed to have certain anti-missile capabilities, in particular, to cover ground forces formations from operational-tactical attacks ballistic missiles of the Lance and Pershing-1 classes, and in the future from the Pershing-2 medium-range missiles.
The S-300P system was put into service in 1979, the S-300V in full combat configuration (with 9M82 anti-missile missiles) - in 1989.
Evolution of the S-300P - "Biryusa" and "Volkhov M-6"
In this material, we will analyze the development of the S-300P air defense system regarding its weapons, that is, anti-aircraft missiles.
The basic version of the S-300P was equipped with a 5V55K missile defense system (5 transport and launch containers with missiles were placed on the towed launcher). Testing of the system's equipment at the Sary-Shagan test site began with the launch of the 5V55.2T rocket prototype No. 1. The launch took place on March 4, 1970 from a temporary launch position.
The S-300PT Biryusa was the first modification with four missiles standard for this type of air defense system (the missile range was only 47 km). Later, 5V55R missiles with a range increased to 75 km, as well as 5V55S missiles with a nuclear warhead, appeared on this air defense system. The same missiles were equipped with improved air defense systems of the S-300PT-1 and S-300PT-1A types.
The S-300PS "Volkhov M-6" air defense system on the MAZ-543M (5P85SM) chassis, which was put into service in 1983, became a deep modernization. The range of destruction of targets on this complex was increased to 90 km.
An even more advanced modification was the S-300PM Volkhov M-6M air defense system with missiles capable of hitting targets at a range of up to 150 km. On its basis was created export version S-300PMU1 "Volkhov M-6M". This option is currently the most common among the country's air defense forces. In the 80s serial production The S-300P and PT series air defense systems have reached 50 complexes and 3000 missiles per year. By 1988, the country's air defense forces had more than 150 units equipped with S-300P, PT, PS and PM air defense systems. By Western estimates, the number of launchers of this type reached 1500 units.
Let's move on to rockets. With a length of 7.25 m, the mass of the 5V55K and R missile defense systems was 1480 and 1665 kg, respectively (the difference from the amount of fuel and the mass of the warhead). According to some data, the starting thrust of the solid propellant rocket engine is 25 tf, the engine runs for 9 seconds, and during this time the missile launcher accelerates to 2000 m/s.
S-300PM and PMU-1 are equipped with more powerful 48N6 missiles, which are further development 5B55 series missiles. The weight and size characteristics of the missiles have remained virtually unchanged and are housed in the same TPKs as the 5V55 series missiles. But their performance characteristics have been significantly improved, the range of hitting targets has reached 150 km.
S-300PMU-2 "Favorit"
This complex is equipped with even more powerful 48N6E2 missiles with a firing range of up to 200 km. According to the newspaper "Red Star", important feature The Favorit air defense system is that it is easily integrated into various systems Air defense foreign countries. “Favorit” is capable of hitting air targets at ranges from 3 to 200 km in the altitude range from 0.01 to 27 km, including ballistic missiles with a launch range of up to 1,000 km by physically destroying warheads at ranges of up to 40 km. The speed of the targets hit is up to 2,800 m/sec. The air defense system is capable of simultaneously firing at up to six targets, aiming up to two missiles at each target. Rate of fire 3 – 5 sec.
8 divisions of Favorit were delivered to China.
S-400 "Triumph"
A radical modernization was the S-400 Triumph air defense system.
Its main difference from the base generation systems was the equipment with completely new anti-aircraft missiles with reduced weight and size characteristics.
The 9M96E2 type missile defense system is considered more powerful, with a firing range of 120 km and a strike height of 5 m to 30 km, and a weight of 420 kg. The time it takes to prepare a missile for launch when it is on the launcher is no more than 8 seconds. The assigned service life is 15 years. This period may be extended after technical examination of 9M96E2 at the places of their operation.
The 9M96E missile differs from the 9M96E2 in its characteristics and is practically similar to the Buk-M1 medium-range air defense missiles. The target engagement range is 40 km, the engagement height is 20 km, and the mass is 333 kg. The engine power of the 9M96E is less than that of the 9M96E2, but they are almost the same in size and weight.
9M96E and 9M96E2 are completely unified in terms of on-board equipment, combat equipment (warhead weighing 24 kg) and design.
Launchers of the S-400 Triumph air defense system are very diverse. They can be equipped with either 4 48N6 series missiles or a combination of missiles - three 48N6E missiles and four 9M9E/E2 missiles. This combination of missiles with ranges of 200, 120 and 40 km, respectively, makes it possible to create a weapon system with different echelons for intercepting targets, including both aerodynamic and ballistic ones.
A launcher was developed based on a KAMAZ vehicle with 12 missiles of the 9M96E/E2 type. Thus, the S-400 "Triumph", equipped with three different types The missile defense system is today unique in its class.
Ultra-long-range missiles for the S-400 "Triumph"
But, of course, the greatest intrigue is the equipping of this type of air defense system with a certain missile with a range of 400 km, which has been repeatedly reported in the press.
What kind of rocket is this? It is known that the self-propelled launcher of this system can accommodate four such ultra-long-range missiles. It was reported that the development of this missile is being carried out by the Fakel design bureau. The missile is designed to replace the stationary S-200D Dubna air defense systems with a range of up to 300 km. Such a huge range is achieved thanks to the use of long-range aircraft in the S-400 system. radar detection and control of the A-50 and equipping the missile defense system with an active homing head, allowing the missile to be guided beyond the visibility of ground-based radars and aviation system AWACS. The SAM index is still unknown.
In 2005, NVO reported that this missile was 82% ready, but due to financial difficulties, the creation of this missile was actually suspended. But the Air Force command assures that such a missile has been created and that its tests have been successfully carried out. The first S-400 systems should enter service with the Moscow Air Defense District (Elektrostal area) in the summer of 2007 and should complement the Moscow missile defense system, equipped with 53T6 silo-based anti-missile systems.
So far, there is no reliable information on the presence of this missile in the S-400 Triumph weapon system, just as there are no photos of the missile defense system in the open press.
"Autocrat"
The same NVO publication provides data that instead of the missile defense system being developed at the Fakel design bureau, in the S-400 system, the Air Force command plans to use an improved 9M82 missile defense system of some modification - a component of the Antey-ground air defense system that has not yet been adopted by the ground forces. 2500" (S-300VM), created on the basis of the well-known S-300V air defense system. The fact is that the unification of the Almaz and Antey organizations into a single corporation allegedly prompted their developers to create a kind of hybrid of two systems - the S-400 Triumph and Antey-2500.
The launcher based on the KRAZ-260V all-terrain vehicle is equipped with two modernized 9M82M missile defense systems. It is not known whether such powerful missiles have been tested from a car chassis, but again the Air Force command assures that this system is a reality. We have to take their word for it, since no photos were presented in the open press, at least the author of these lines does not know about it yet (see pictures and NATO classification, taken from the Australian military website http://www.ausairpower.net /APA-Grumble-Gargoyle.html).
Russian Designation |
Original Design |
Revised Design |
Notes |
S-300P/PT |
SA-10A Grumble A |
SA-10A Grumble A |
|
S-300PS |
SA-10B Grumble B |
SA-10B Grumble B |
|
S-300PMU |
SA-10C Grumble C |
SA-10C Grumble C |
|
S-300PMU-1 |
SA-10D Grumble D |
SA-20A Gargoyle A |
|
S-300PMU-2 Favorit |
SA-10E Grumble E |
SA-20B Gargoyle B |
Today, almost all military-technologically developed states are armed with air defense systems. They provide airspace security, providing protection against intrusion. Nowadays, there are various types of air defense systems:
- Air;
- Ground;
- Shipborne.
All of them were created with a single task: to recognize an enemy target before it carries out destructive or reconnaissance actions, and to eliminate it.
Reliable defense
The main air shield of economically developed countries is a modern anti-aircraft missile system. Most often it is a combination of complex engineering and technical means in unified system, designed to prevent air or space attack.
The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world with unlimited defense potential. In the near future, a modern anti-aircraft missile system, the S-500, will come to its defense. This promising Russian complex capable of surprising any potential enemy.
Features of the S-500
The first steps towards the creation of a modern anti-aircraft missile system were taken in the distant Soviet era. Then Soviet Union adopted the new long-range anti-aircraft complex S-200, created at the Grushin design bureau back in 1965.
The second stage of work was the appearance of the S-300 complex, which was adopted by the Soviet air defense in 1975. The S-300 air defense system is the brainchild of designer V.P. Efremova. The main task of this complex is the defense of particularly important administrative-territorial units, as well as industrial facilities. With its help, various targets were to be reflected, both ballistic and aerodynamic.
Creation of the newest complex
The first stage of development of the fifth generation anti-aircraft missile system started in 2010. At that time, preliminary preparatory activities had just begun, but already in 2011, designers and engineers of the Almaz-Antey research and production concern completed this work. The team planned perfectly new complex, capable of hitting not only targets at low flight altitudes, but even spaceships in earth's orbit.
By the end of 2012, the first anti-aircraft missile for the S-500 was assembled. After some time, the first prototype, for which these missiles were developed, was given the go-ahead. Successful tests confirmed the hopes of the developers.
Main tasks
The fifth generation missile system S-500 performs three main tasks:
- Security;
- Interception;
- Liquidation.
The complex copes with all these tasks perfectly. S-500 has unique characteristics:
- It is protected from guidance and radio detection systems, as well as from any system that creates for the missile and its targeting different types interference As a result, the enemy will not be able to evade interception and liquidation. This is a special pride of the developers;
- The interception of any flying objects is ensured at a distance of up to 3,500 km and at a maximum altitude of up to 50 km. For comparison: the vaunted American “Patriot” is capable of “reaching” a high-flying object only up to 24 km;
- Ensures the elimination of the most modern means of air combat. Russian developers have achieved incredible results. The S-500 air defense system can easily combat low-orbit satellites, orbital platforms, hypersonic cruise missiles, aircraft and drones.
S-500 potential
The S-500 multifunctional complex simultaneously targets up to twenty targets and is capable of simultaneously firing at up to forty, using its own guidance system and external target designation. The complex intercepts a wide variety of objects flying at speeds of more than 7 km/sec. At a distance of up to 600 km, the S-500 system simultaneously hits up to ten objects.
It takes ten minutes to transfer the traveling complex to a position of full combat readiness and launch a rocket; the terrain does not matter. The stabilization system allows the S-500 to launch a missile even with a 30-degree roll angle.
The complex is equipped with ultra-powerful portable radars that have no analogues in the world. With their help, you can detect objects at a distance of up to 1000 kilometers with a minimum height of up to 5 meters and a maximum height of up to 50 kilometers. The land complex has a system for increasing cross-country ability, as well as adapting to the harsh Russian climatic conditions.
TTX complex
The weight of the S-500 air defense system is fifty-four tons. The weight of the transported cargo in full combat readiness is thirty-three tons, and the tractor itself weighs twenty-one tons. All ten wheels of a five-axle tractor are driving, of which the front two are steering. The diesel power unit has a power of 550 l/s.
The maximum height of the curb to be overcome reaches 1.7 meters. For the first time, the mobile chassis for the S-500 was presented in 2012 at a demonstration of the Russian military equipment. It turned out to be the first mobile chassis for an air defense system with a 10x10 wheel formula. Due to the fact that the complex is not yet in service, most of it technical characteristics remain classified.
Testing of the newest air defense system
In 2014, the Russian armed forces conducted test activities on one of the S-500 prototypes. From competent sources it became known that the latest Russian anti-missile weapons have become the best on the planet. It outperformed the Patriot-3 and THAAD systems.
Reportedly Russian Ministry of Defense, the set of tests was carried out very successfully, the S-500 coped with all the tasks. Although TTX complex still classified, it is considered the best vanguard air defense system available. From a message from the Russian Ministry of Defense, military experts concluded that this fifth-generation complex can, at least for the next 10-15 years, remain the best in the world.
S-500 - a reliable shield for Russia
Currently, the state's airspace is guarded by two anti-aircraft missile systems - S-300 and S-400. The first of them, the S-300, despite many modifications, is already lagging behind modern global competitors. It is assumed that after the S-500 enters service with the troops, the “300th” will be completely removed from service. The fourth and fifth generations of this complex will remain on combat duty.
American analogue of "Patriot"
Currently, there are two anti-missile systems in the world that are relatively similar in their performance characteristics - the Russian Federation and the United States. In Russia, this is currently the S-400, and the American Patriot-3 complex is recognized by many foreign experts as the best in service in the world. It can “reach” a target at an altitude of up to twenty-four kilometers at a distance of up to five hundred kilometers. Its only known drawback is low cross-country ability.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
With the advent of guided and homing medium- and long-range anti-aircraft weapons, the so-called “air supremacy” lost its original meaning. It has become impossible to launch missile and bomb attacks on ground forces with impunity. From the 50s of the last century to the present day, the modernization of old and the construction of new generation air defense missile systems has been continuously going on.
The most recent development of Russian designers was the S-500. The strictest secrecy surrounding everything connected with it does not provide answers to the questions that interest us. We have to be content with fragmentary publications.
History of the S-500
Work on the creation of a fifth-generation air defense system began in 2002 with an engineering note indicating the necessary parameters, and NPO Almaz decided on the initial appearance of the new weapon. From 2004 to 2006, the NGO conducted research under the code designations “Lord”.
The next step was the appointment of Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern OJSC in 2006 as the main developer of the S-500 air defense system and it turned out to be logical to continue in 2008 - 2010 scientific research under the themes known as “Vlastelin” and “Vlastelin-TP”.
In 2009, they tested the 40N6 missile and received a financial advance to begin work on the production of 77N6.1.R interceptor missiles. All details are strictly classified, but the press was notified of the start of the creation of the newest air defense system without any details.
The technical projects of the 55R6M and RK 98Zh6M1 air defense systems were completed in 2010 and the possibility of creating an air defense system with the specified parameters was finally confirmed.
At the same time, we created three-dimensional products 77T6, 77N6-N, 77N6-N1, debugged combat programs and worked on mathematical modeling SAM control systems.
Anti-missiles 9M82, 9M82MD, 9M83, 9M728, 9M729, 77N6-N, MN-300, 53T6 were successfully tested in the summer of 2014. Indirect information about this event appeared two years later from the words of congratulations on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the 4th State Medical Center (Kapustin Yar) from general designer OKB “Novator” P. Kamnev.
According to Deputy Minister of Defense Yu. Borisov, it became known about the task of building the first sample of the entire complex by 2020.
Taking the developments on the Triumph (S-400) air defense system as a basis, the designers of the Almaz-Antey company created two basic versions of the air defense system:
- Triumfator-M;
- Triumphant-MR.
It is planned to build two newest enterprises. One will produce missiles, the other will produce ground parts of the complex.
Purpose of the S-500 air defense system
As it became known, the deployed S-500 consists of two or three echelons. When built in three echelons, it is planned to use medium, long and ultra-long range missiles. And with two-echelon - only large and extra-large.
Regardless of separation, the system is designed to ensure interception and destruction of:
- existing small targets flying at speeds near and above sound, including all existing ICBMs;
- any other aerodynamic purposes, including the main part of aircraft in service with the NATO Air Force, including prototypes;
- AWACS type aircraft, including those protected by electronic warfare aircraft;
- artificial earth satellites (in the future).
S-500 weapons:
The 98Zh6M1 air defense system structurally includes radar guidance and illumination systems 76T6 and 77T6, various TPU (transport launcher).
For the mobility of weapons, it is planned to use a chassis based on the BAZ-69096, AZ-6909-022, BAZ-6403.01 (tractor), BAZ-69092-012 or MZKT-792911. The rest will most likely be assembled on a chassis like MZKT-6922.
S-500 and THAAD – which is better?
The THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) long-range interception mobile anti-missile system created in the USA is very different from ours. So THAAD has only one type of missiles, designed to destroy both ballistic and aerodynamic targets.
“Omnivorousness” leads to deterioration in quality. An American anti-missile missile can shoot down a small target, such as a tactical missile with weapons of mass destruction, with a probability of only 15%, while the S-500 uses three types of missiles, one for each target. The largest has an interception range of 600 km, and TNAAD only 200 km.
The speed of the THAAD missile is about 1000 m/s. This is at least three times, but in practice it is much less than the development of the general designer A.G. Basistov. Unfortunately, the exact data is strictly classified. In addition, the 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 missiles are capable of hitting stealth combat units, which, after separation from the sustainer stage, have switched to self-control.
One more an unpleasant surprise, which THAAD does not have, is its own electronic warfare system for neutralizing anti-radar missiles, while the missiles of our complex received equipment for suppressing enemy electronic warfare.
We are not even talking about the destruction of satellites by the TNAAD system, in contrast to the promising developments of missiles of the S-500 complex.
Apart from rumors and speculation, nothing is known about the development of the next generation of the S-1000 air defense system.
For a better understanding of what all air defense is, the image of a Russian nesting doll is suitable.
The largest is the S-500. Its younger brothers and sisters are “hidden” inside: S-400, S-300VM “Antey-2500”, ZRPK “Pantsir S-1”, “Buk-M3” and others.
Equipped with communications and electronic warfare equipment, possessing the latest missiles and interacting with aviation, such a powerful national aerospace defense reliably protects the skies of Russia.
Video
Rice. Vasily Lozhkina
The Russian military continues to burn with napalm. The shameful shaking of the air by the essentially non-existent Iskander complexes has not yet subsided, and with a huge creak, swollen from petrodollars, like an alcoholic woman from water, Erefiya in two years armed two regiments with S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft complexes, as... It turned out that the S-400 is a thing of the past for North Eurasian generals. The Russian military-industrial complex is ready to amaze the whole world with a new super-weapon.
ASTRAKHAN, September 16 - RIA Novosti. The promising S-500 anti-aircraft missile system will appear in the coming years, said Colonel-General Alexander Zelin, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, on Wednesday at a meeting of the Coordination Committee of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS member states in Astrakhan. “The work is underway, science and specialists are involved. I think that this system will appear in the near future,” said the Air Force Commander-in-Chief.
The S-500 will have to replace the S-400 complexes. The target detection range will increase by 150-200 kilometers, the complex will be able to hit 10 targets (the S-400 can destroy six targets). “The S-500 anti-aircraft missile system is a promising, qualitatively new system that is not a continuation of the S-400 air defense system,” the Air Force Commander-in-Chief clarified.
The history of the vaunted, “unparalleled” S-400 is boring to the point of banality. The development of the Russian miracle weapon began back in the 80s of the last century, the first test of the rocket took place in 1999. The tests of the modernized S-300 missiles seem to have been completed at the end of 2006. True, there is no unique and ultra-long-range anti-aircraft missile yet. In 2007-2009, Erefia managed, with all its might, to convert two air defense regiments to these devices (there are about 35 regiments in the country in total). It is not difficult to calculate how long the process will take. At the same time, it is not clear how many of these unique and never seen installations are actually in the rearmed regiments. Skeptics gloat:
A closer look at the subject shows how the Russians are being fooled by the "potreots". Apparently, the S-400 is banal bullshit that has no serious military significance. This is a remake of the Soviet S-300 complex (it was developed since 1969, put into service in the first modification in 1979), and it was clearly unsuccessful. Since the main loot in the Russian military-industrial complex is made at the stage of “development” and “testing,” high-ranking bearers of the defencist consciousness have a direct interest in switching to the invention of a new “Uber-Waffe” - as always, the S-500 complex, which has no analogues. According to Vlad Shurygin, the specific thing is going to hell:
It seems to me that the S-1000 will steer. Firstly, the number is round, and secondly, the delivery date for the product can be set for 2026.
The Russian S-500 complex is still being developed by the Almaz-Antey concern. Although there is no exact information about it, we can already say that this complex will surpass in its characteristics everything known to date foreign analogues. To understand exactly what capabilities this air defense system has, you need to consider all of its predecessors.
The history of the appearance of the first air defense complex
Due to its characteristics, the S-500 system will be able to destroy even low-orbit space satellites and various weapons that can be launched from orbital platforms various types. The main task of the complex is to destroy enemy ballistic missiles within certain limits. Thus, it is possible to ensure security not only for various strategic objects, but also major cities and even entire regions.
The S-500 Triumfator-M modification is capable of hitting targets flying at a speed of 5,500 km/h. None of the air defense systems known in the world is capable of operating against such supersonic targets. In order to accomplish this, you will need a very powerful radar capable of interacting with the latest computing technology.
System developers want to introduce the highest level of automation, which will virtually eliminate human operator intervention in system control. In addition, it is planned that the S-500 will receive target indications from radar detection aircraft. The systems will be placed on powerful trucks with a 10x10 formula, which will provide them with high cross-country ability in off-road conditions.
It is planned that the first deliveries of new anti-aircraft missile systems will begin in 2019. The aerospace defense forces are already beginning to build algorithms for their work, based on the functions the latest system S-500.
More than $10 billion has been allocated for the development of the latest air defense system, according to official data alone. In fact, much more money will be spent, because the S-500 will still have to be adapted and modified. Failure in this project will lead to a serious loss of Russia's defense capability, so the S-500 simply must be finalized as soon as possible.