IndoDefence 2025: Belarus offers new Buk-MB2K air defense system for Asian countries using outdated Soviet-era launchers.

At Indo Defence 2025, the company E-System Solutions exhibited a mock-up of the Belarusian Buk-MB2K medium-range air defense system. The Buk-MB2K has recently entered service with the Belarusian Armed Forces and is intended to intercept various airborne and surface threats under conditions involving heavy electronic warfare and coordinated attacks. Its public appearance in Southeast Asia follows the system’s official presentation at the MILEX 2025 exhibition in Minsk, held from May 21 to 24, which marked the first full-system unveiling after its earlier prototype display at ADEX 2022 in Azerbaijan.
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Each launcher vehicle carries four surface-to-air missiles and can be made combat-ready in up to five minutes, allowing rapid repositioning and reducing exposure to counter-attacks. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

After a series of live-fire tests conducted in December 2024 near the Ukrainian border, the Buk-MB2K is now officially integrated into Belarus’s national air defense network as part of a program aimed at reinforcing domestic missile production capabilities and reducing dependency on foreign suppliers. It is developed around the 9M318 missile and remains interoperable with all types of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) previously fielded with the Buk Air Defense Missile System (ADMS), specifically including the 9M38MB, 9M317, and 9M318 series missiles.

The Buk-MB2K surface-to-air missile system, officially designated as 9K37MB2K, is composed of multiple integrated subsystems. The 9A310MB2K self-propelled fire mount functions as the main engagement platform, while the 9A39MB2K launcher-loader carries spare missiles and reloads the launcher. The 9S470MB2K combat control post serves as the command unit, coordinating detection, tracking, and fire assignments. The 9S150MB target acquisition radar conducts long-range airspace surveillance. These components are supported by dedicated maintenance and repair facilities, intended to ensure system longevity and operational availability. The system can operate using previously fielded Buk-family missiles, such as the 9M38MB and 9M317, but is optimized to employ the 9M318 missile. Connectivity between subsystems is enabled through radio or cable links extending up to 10 kilometers, and optionally through optical fiber lines up to 120 kilometers. This allows flexible integration into national or regional air defense structures.

The system is mounted on a wheeled chassis powered by a 500-horsepower diesel engine, enabling a maximum road speed of 60 kilometers per hour and an operational range of 700 kilometers. Its radar can detect fighter-sized targets at a range of 130 kilometers and track them at 110 kilometers when flying at 3,000 meters. Helicopters hovering at 30 meters altitude can be detected at 8 kilometers. The optoelectronic target acquisition system allows passive detection of head-on targets up to 40 kilometers, supporting emission-free operations in contested electromagnetic environments. The overall detection range of the system reaches up to 200 kilometers, depending on the radar mode. The engagement range of the system spans from 3 to 70 kilometers, and the engagement altitude ranges from 15 meters to 25,000 meters. These parameters allow for interception of low-flying and high-altitude threats, including cruise missiles, UAVs, manned aircraft, air-launched munitions, and tactical ballistic missiles.

Each launcher vehicle carries four surface-to-air missiles and can be made combat-ready in up to five minutes, allowing rapid repositioning and reducing exposure to counter-attacks. The Buk-MB2K is capable of engaging targets flying at speeds up to 1,200 meters per second. It features multi-channel engagement capability, which enables the system to track and simultaneously engage several targets. This functionality is important for countering saturation attacks involving multiple incoming threats. The fire control and target distribution functions are managed by the combat control post. The system includes updated software interfaces and digital subsystems, making it interoperable with earlier Buk versions while also allowing integration into modernized networked environments. The radar and tracking components of the system are developed within the Belarusian industry, and the system is marketed as an upgrade pathway for operators of older Buk platforms who may no longer have access to Russian systems.

The 9M318 missile, developed specifically for the Buk-MB2 and Buk-MB3 systems, was created in the 2010s following the discontinuation of 9M38 deliveries from Russia. The missile weighs 815 kilograms and is designed to engage a broad spectrum of targets, including fixed-wing aircraft, hovering helicopters, cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, air-launched guided weapons, and surface or radar-contrast ground targets. It features an active radar seeker, allowing autonomous terminal-phase target acquisition and freeing the engagement radar for subsequent targets after launch. The missile is capable of intercepting threats traveling at speeds up to 1,350 meters per second and can withstand maneuver loads up to 25g. Its engagement envelope ranges from 3 to 70 kilometers and covers altitudes from 15 meters to 25,000 meters. The flight profile includes an initial boost phase, mid-course guidance supported by datalink corrections, and terminal homing. The airframe, guidance software, and seeker are developed in Belarus, while the solid-fuel propulsion system and some internal subsystems are produced by Chinese entities.

Belarus has pursued expansion of its missile production over the last decade, aiming to reduce reliance on Soviet-era stockpiles and external suppliers while also fulfilling supply commitments to Russia and participating in joint ventures with China. The country produces two identified missile categories: the 9M318 for Buk-MB series systems and rockets for the Polonez multiple launch rocket system, though the latter’s full-scale production has not been officially confirmed. Belarus is reportedly involved in component production for Russian missile systems such as the Iskander and the S-300/S-400, though details on production volumes or contracts have not been disclosed. A representative from BELPOL has estimated that domestic missile production across all types could reach 300,000 units annually by 2027 or 2028. The current approach reflects a model observed in Chinese defense industrial development, wherein gradual expansion of in-country production capabilities is used to increase long-term strategic autonomy in missile manufacturing and supply chain management.

Despite the focus on self-sufficiency, Belarus continues to maintain extensive military cooperation with Russia, particularly in the areas of strategic missile deployment, training, and logistics. Belarus hosts Russian S-400 and Iskander systems and is reportedly preparing to accommodate Russian-made Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Joint live-fire exercises involving Tochka-U and other missile systems are conducted at training ranges near the Ukrainian border. Belarus has also allowed the stationing of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, furthering bilateral integration. The development of the Buk-MB2K and the 9M318 does not signify separation from Russian defense policy but rather serves as a risk mitigation strategy. It allows Belarus to maintain domestic production in areas where Russian deliveries have stopped or where access may be politically constrained. While the relationship remains asymmetric, with Russia providing strategic deterrence capabilities, Belarus contributes operational depth along NATO’s eastern perimeter and preserves national continuity in key air defense systems.