Russia deploys most advanced S-400 missiles around Moscow (set to export in 2009)

New Kerala ^ | 08/06/07

[TigerLikesRooster]

Russia deploys most advanced S-400 missiles around Moscow

Moscow, Aug 6 : Russia today deployed the most advanced S-400 air missile defence system, in the town of Elektrostal, about 50 km east of Moscow.

The ceremony in Elektrostal was attended by Russian Air Force coammander Col.-Gen. Alexander Zelin and Almaz Research and Production Association general director Igor Ashurbeili.

With the deployment of the first battalion, a division of S-400 Triumph and a command post will protect the air of Moscow and its region.

The units with S-400 (NATO version SA-21 Growler) and machinery arrived at the place of permanent dislocation in the Moscow region on July 24, straight from the training ground in the Astrakhan region.

The S-400 Triumph air defence missile system is designed to destroy aircraft made with the use of the Stealth technology, small cruise and tactical missiles, as well as warheads flying at a speed of up to 4.8 kilometres per second at a range of up to 400 kilometres (twice the range of the US MIM-104 Patriot) and is capable of replacing three S-300 systems.

''The corresponding military-technical base has been created in the body of troops that adopted the S-400 system for service and the personnel has been correspondingly trained,'' Air Force spokesman Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky told Itar-Tass today.

''It is planned to use the Triumph system in the interests of the missile defence and for shielding major industrial centres of Russia,'' Drobyshevsky said.

''The regiment personnel passed examinations and had a successful drill at the Defence Ministry’s training range on July 12-13,'' he said, adding the servicemen returned to their permanent location and started to prepare for the new mission.

[TigerLikesRooster]

S-400

Russia to export S-400 air defense system from 2009 - producer-1

12:23 | 06/ 08/ 2007

(Recasts lead, adds Ashurbeili comments, background in paras 3-9)

ELEKTROSTAL (Moscow Region), August 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia could start producing the S-400 Triumf (NATO codename SA-21 Growler) air defense complex for export from 2009, the head of the Almaz central design bureau said Monday.

"Within two years, our forces will test this system to ensure that there are no problems with it [on the market]... and then we will start producing them for export from 2009," Igor Ashurbeili said.

He said the first S-400 complexes will be deployed at an air defense missile regiment in the town of Elektrostal, about 50 km to the east of Moscow, adding that under the state arms program, several dozen regiments are to be equipped with new systems.

He said this may not be enough to cover Russia's entire territory, but was sufficient to protect the main cities and strategic installations.

The S-400 Triumf is a new air defense missile system developed by Almaz as an upgrade to the S-300 family.

It has been designed to intercept and destroy airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles), or twice the range of the MIM-104 Patriot, and 2.5 times that of the S-300PMU-2.

In April, Colonel-General Yury Solovyov, commander of the Air Defense Forces Special Command (former Moscow Military District Air Defense Command), said the system could also be used for limited purposes in missile and space defense, but that it is not intended to destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles.

However, he said the system is capable of destroying stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with an effective range of up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and a speed of up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second.

The Russian Air Defense Forces, which are part of the Air Force, currently deploy more than 30 regiments equipped with S-300 missile complexes, which will be gradually replaced with S-400 systems.

Source link: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070806/70416533.html

[SevenofNine]

Damn Russians are getting ready

[CutePuppy]

Damn Russians are getting ready

Yep, I guess our much talked about plans of a sneak attack on Moscow is now out of the question. We'll just have to place our missile defense systems in Poland and Czech Republic and hope that Russian missile defense system will not develop the mind of its own and suddenly attack them.

[Thunder90]

I bet that those interceptors are nuclear tipped.

[Siobhan]

Russia is the real enemy... always has been, always will be.

[RayChuang88]

Why does this system sound like the supplement for the A-135 ABM system that defends Moscow?

[VeniVidiVici]

PVO ping.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.

[Southack]

Stenciled in red on the sides of those launch tubes is “FAVORITE”?!

[ought-six]

Yup, they’re getting ready to export the things...to Iran. Russia needs the money, but Iran doesn’t need the weapons system because neither the US nor Israel is going to attack Iran. Well, not under the present leadership of both countries, anyway.

[CutePuppy]

Russia Deploys New Air - Defense Missiles
August 6, 2007

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia on Monday deployed new air defense systems capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, and the air force chief said the weapon could be used to protect 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Col.-Gen. Alexander Zelin said he already had made an official proposal to use the S-400 missile defense system to provide security for the games.

‘’The organizing committee will prepare the city for the Olympics, while we will prepare air-defense systems and ensure the security of the games,’’ Zelin was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

The S-400 is capable of hitting aerial targets at ranges of up to 250 miles and altitude of up to 99,000 feet, far exceeding its predecessor, the S-300, Russian news reports said. The first S-400 units — which each include a missile launcher, a radar and a control vehicle — were put on combat duty Monday near Moscow.

Zelin and other officials boasted of the new system’s ability to engage difficult targets, such as ballistic missiles’ warheads and stealth aircraft.

Asked whether the S-400 could also be used in a proposed joint missile defense system with European nations, Zelin said ‘’the issue should be considered in detail.’’

‘’If relevant directives and orders are received, we’ll take up this task and work on it,’’ Zelin was quoted as saying.

Russian military officials have proposed using the S-300 and the S-400 as part of a prospective joint European missile defense that Russia has discussed with NATO nations.

These discussions have not yielded any practical results, and prospects of a deal looked bleak amid Russia’s increasingly strained ties with the West.

Russia has strongly opposed U.S. plans to deploy missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. President Vladimir Putin shrugged off U.S. claims that they are directed against potential missile threats from Iran and said they threatened Russia’s security.

[Lexinom]

Russia = know-how

China = means

Russia + China = _________

[Lexinom]

You’re right - phonetically sounding out the Cyrillic. Well spotted!

[Constantine XI Palaeologus]

The S-300PMU-2 was named “Favorit” and the S-400 started as a derivative of it IIRC, so that might be why. Who knows, they might even use the same launcher/tubes.

[RusIvan]

Yep, I guess our much talked about plans of a sneak attack on Moscow is now out of the question. ==

Indeed:).

[RusIvan]

Russia is the real enemy... always has been, always will be.==

How so? It is the defensive weaponry not offensive:). Think about ABM in same way.

[Lexinom]

No problem with developing defense for your large cities. The question is, who does MOCBA view as threat?

[RusIvan]

No problem with developing defense for your large cities. The question is, who does MOCBA view as threat?==

Anyone who has the capabilities to attack is the threat.

[Lexinom]

I don't know what to think of Russia today. Communism and its dehumanizing doctrines is gone. Putin has a light and dark side. He has fixed crime to large degree but in process has (re)created a police state. Economically, it is unclear where Russia stands.

The U.S. has no logical reason to attack Moscow or start a thermonuclear war. Russia is like a very bright and talented friend, but a friend with a sneaky side that we don't entirely trust. Much of that is based on history, but the defensive measure, while certainly reasonable for a sovereign nation, raises the question I asked: Who does Moscow fear, and why? What message is Moscow trying to send, and why does it feel threatened?

I grew up as a child in the 1980's having nightmares about nuclear war, about being sought by KGB agents and dogs, trying to hide around Red Square. This was especially true after the downing of Flight 007. Many American children shared similar experiences.

It would be helpful to hear the Russian side, if you care to share it.

[ryan71]

I’m not sure Russia truly feels threatened by us. I think they’re making us into the “boogie man” to expand and perpetuate their arms market to foreign countries.

They’ll sell this thing to Iran, Syria, and others, promising it is capable of downing stealth aircraft, but will it? I think not.