The proportion of advanced air defense missile systems and radars in service with Central Military District air defense (AD) forces exceeds 70%, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press office said. "As of today, the Central Military District’s air and air defense army operates S-400 Triumf [NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler] air defense missile systems. In 2020, two air defense missile regiments stationed in the Sverdlovsk Region [in the Urals] and the Samara Region [in the Volga area] will receive another four sets of the S-400 system," the press office said.

S-350 Vityaz air defense system (Picture source: Army Recognition)

"The servicemen of the regiment based in the Urals have already undergone a conversion training course at a special training center. Air defense missile regiments based in Khakassia [in south Siberia] and the Krasnoyarsk Territory [in East Siberia] are expected to get advanced S-350 Vityaz air defense missile systems in the medium term," the press office added.

The S-400 Triumf is a Russian-made long- and medium-range air defense missile system. It can hit aerodynamic targets at a range of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles) and tactical ballistic targets flying at a speed of 4.8 km/s (3 mi/s) at a distance of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles). Such targets include cruise missiles, tactical and strategic aircraft and ballistic missile warheads. The system’s radars detect aerial targets at a distance of up to 600 kilometers (373 miles). The system’s 48N6E3 surface-to-air missiles can hit aerodynamic targets at altitudes of 10,000-27,000 meters and ballistic threats at altitudes of 2,000-25,000 meters.

The S-350 Vityaz air defense missile system is designed to defend strategic administrative and military facilities from air-launched weapons. The complex can operate automatically and the crew has only to deploy it and monitor its operations. It can operate both autonomously and as part of air defense/ballistic missile defense forces armed with S-300 (SA-10 Grumble), S-400, S-500 and some other advanced and perspective surface-to-air missile systems. The S-350 comprises a 50K6E command post, 50N6E multifunctional radars and 50P6E launchers armed with 12 9M96E2 guided missiles each. The system can hit a maximum of 16 aerodynamic targets or 12 ballistic targets at a time. The maximum range is 60 kilometers (37 miles) and the altitude is 30 kilometers (19 miles). The deployment time is five minutes. The system’s crew comprises three men.

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