Development of new Russian S-500 air defense missile system proceed as scheduled 10102171

Defense & Security News - Russia
 
Development of new Russian S-500 air defense missile system proceed as scheduled.
Works on the development of the S-500 air defense missile system proceed as scheduled, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Tuesday, January 31, 2017. The S-500 nicknamed Prometheus is a new generation of surface-to-air defense missile system.
     
Works on the development of the S-500 air defense missile system proceed as scheduled, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Tuesday, January 31, 2017. The S-500 nicknamed Prometheus is a new generation of surface-to-air defense missile system. Scale model of the new Russian-made S-500 TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) air defense missile system.
     
"Works on these systems proceed as scheduled. We did have certain technical problems linked with tests of newest-generation sea-and ground-based missiles, but now these problems have been resolved thanks to the research and technical board of the Defense Industry Commission, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Almaz-Antey Concern. So, we are moving forward," he told journalists when asked when S-500 systems would become operational.

Rogozin said experts are now analyzing the experience of the use of weapons against terrorists in Syria. "The key task now is to organize mass production of these weapons for our army at Almaz-Antey enterprises. It is yet to be decided how to organize production at the existing facilities with minimum investment instead of building new plants," he said, adding that this issue is to be resolved by late February.

Five batteries of S-500 missiles are planned to be in service by 2020. The S-500s will work with S-400s and will replace S-300 air defence missiles. The first units will be deployed around Moscow and the country's central area.

The S-500 "Prometheus" (Russian name 55R6M Triumfator-M) is the latest generation of Russian-made surface-to-air defense missile system, currently under development by the Russian Defense Company Almaz-Antey company. According to Russian sources, the S-500 is an advanced version of S-400 with dedicated components designed to intercept ballistic missiles at a height of up to 200 km.

The S-500 is expected to have an extended range of up to 600 km (over 370 miles) and simultaneously engage up to 10 targets. The system will be capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic targets.