An air defense missile unit of the Russian Eastern Military District’s air and air defense large unit has received advanced S-400 (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) surface-to-air defense missile systems, the district’s press office said.
Mobile TEL Transporter Erector Launcher of S-400 air defense missile system at MAKS AirShow in Moscow, August 2017. (Picture source Army Recognition)
The Russian soldiers are currently learning to operate the state-of-the-art systems at a training range in the Astrakhan Region in south Russia, the press office added.
"The air defense units are currently mastering the advanced military hardware at the Ashuluk training range in the Astrakhan Region where a tactical live-firing exercise is planned to take place in April 2018," the press office said.
"The crews of S-400 air defense systems have already performed simulated missile launches. After the familiarization training, the systems will be dispatched to the permanent base," the press office added.
Now, several Eastern Military District air defense missile units will operate S-400 systems to provide air defense.
The S-400 Triumf is a Russian-made long- and medium-range air defense missile system. The system is designed to eliminate all advanced and perspective air-launched weapons.
The system 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.
