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Belarus activates 96L6 radar on combat duty as part of S-400 air defense integration.
Belarus has placed the 96L6 all-altitude surveillance radar on combat duty, enabling continuous multi-target tracking out to 300 kilometers. The move strengthens the country’s air defense posture and advances its phased integration of the Russian-built S-400 Triumf system.
In a notable expansion of its integrated air defense network, Belarus has placed the Russian-made 96L6 all-altitude radar station on combat duty, marking a critical milestone in its phased transition toward full operational integration with the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system. According to the Belarusian state news agency BelTA, the 96L6 radar is now operational within the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense missile regiments, providing continuous detection and tracking of up to 100 targets simultaneously at ranges up to 300 km and delivering automated target designation data to command posts and firing units.
Belarus has brought the 96L6 all-altitude radar into combat service, giving its air defense forces continuous 300-kilometer multi-target detection as part of the ongoing S-400 Triumf rollout (Picture Source: Belta / Belarussian MoD)
Defense officials in Minsk describe the 96L6 as a force multiplier that significantly enhances the early-warning and fire-control architecture of Belarus’ air defense forces. Positioned as a high-performance surveillance and targeting sensor, the system can detect and track objects across the full altitude spectrum, from low-flying cruise missiles and drone threats to high-altitude aircraft, and automatically feeds target information directly into air defense battle management networks.
Colonel Kirill Novopoltsev, commander of an air defense missile regiment involved in the deployment, emphasized the dramatic leap in operational capability the new radar brings. “Reconnaissance capabilities of our air defense missile regiment have been multiplied by several times,” he said in an official briefing. “This system is almost fully automated compared with its predecessors. Our operators have completed intensive training and can operate the radar in both manual and fully automatic modes.”
Technical experts highlight that the 96L6 radar fills a critical role as the primary high-performance sensor for the S-400 system when deployed independently or as part of a wider radar network. Its ability to maintain persistent target tracking and rapidly relay precise coordinates enhances engagement timelines, giving air defense units more time to detect, identify and respond to threats.
While the exact number of S-400 systems Belarus intends to field remains classified, the integration of the 96L6 underscores Minsk’s trajectory toward a more advanced, multilayered air defense posture and reflects deeper strategic alignment with Russia’s layered air defense doctrine.
This development appears to be part of Belarus’ broader response to increased NATO reconnaissance flights and drone activity along its western borders, suggesting Minsk is accelerating efforts to harden its airspace against potential future conflict scenarios. In the broader strategic picture, Belarus’ evolving air defense network not only reinforces sovereignty over national airspace but also contributes to the extension of the radar and missile umbrella of the Russia-led Union State, enhancing deterrent depth against perceived encroachment from NATO-aligned countries.
With Belarus now fielding cutting-edge radar linked to one of the most capable surface-to-air missile systems in the world, the balance of aerial surveillance and response capacity in Eastern Europe is entering a new phase. Whether viewed primarily as a domestic security upgrade or a component of broader geopolitical signaling, the 96L6 radar’s activation underscores a critical inflection point in Belarus’ defense modernization.