As part of the execution of the state defense order in 2019, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will receive a brigade set of an anti-aircraft missile system (ZRK) and divisional kits of the S-300V4, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 systems. This was reported on the official website of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. These systems are modern means of military air defense designed to cover the military infrastructure and units during maneuvers.
Speaking at an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry’s collegium on December 18, 2018, the head of the military department, Sergei Shoigu, said that the timely and rigorous execution of state defense orders would make it possible in 2019 to increase the share of modern and modernized weapons in the army from 61.5% to 67%. In the Ground Forces, this indicator should reach 50.8% (against 48.3% in 2018th).
On December 26, in an interview with the newspaper “Krasnaya Zvezda”, Lieutenant-General Alexander Leonov, head of the military air defense, said that by 2020, the combat capabilities of the air defense units could increase 1.3 times due to re-equipment on S-300V4, Buk-MZ, “ Buk-M2, Tor-M2, Tor-M2U, Tor-M2DT and Tunguska-M.
“At one of the strategic directions, it is planned to form an anti-aircraft missile brigade equipped with long-range S-300V4 missiles. In the framework of equipping modern weapons of military air defense, the re-equipment of the medium-range anti-aircraft missile brigade on the Buk-MZ air defense system was planned. - Delivery will continue in the air defense units of the short-range Tor-M2 air defense missile system, Leonov said.
- Anti-aircraft missile launch at Kapustin Yar
- © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
In extreme conditions
Deliveries of C-300V4 began in December 2014. The first brigade kit received one of the units of the Western Military District (ZVO). The system was developed by the specialists of Concern VKO Almaz-Antey JSC. According to the designers, it is designed to protect large military and government facilities, as well as ground units on the march.
C-300B4 is one of the modifications of the S-300 air defense system. The complex is responsible for the long-range air defense and is close in combat capabilities to the S-400 Triumph. Depending on customer requirements, the S-300B4 is manufactured on a tracked or wheeled chassis. The brainchild of "Almaz-Anthea" is characterized by high mobility, maneuverability and autonomy.
Basically, C-300B4 is used to perform tasks in extreme climatic conditions. For example, this air defense system maintains a military watch to protect the Navy’s logistics support station in Syrian Tartus. In the future, this system will replace all the long-range complexes of the Ground Forces.
- Long-range air defense system С-300В4
- © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
“Compared to the previous generation, the S-300B4 system has an area expanded by two to three times from air strikes and an increased distance from the boundary of the defeat zone of air targets. These parameters, in particular, provide guaranteed interception of the head parts of medium-range ballistic missiles, ”said Jan Novikov, General Director of Almaz-Antey, earlier.
The arsenal of the S-300B4 includes three types of guided two-stage missiles. 9M83M light missiles destroy air targets at a range of up to 150 km, 9M82M medium missiles at a range of up to 200 km, heavy 9M82MD missiles at a range of up to 400 km. At the same time, the S-300V4 can hit objects moving at a speed of 4500 m / s (16.2 thousand km / h) and is capable of simultaneously intercepting 16 ballistic missiles and aerodynamic targets (airplanes and UAVs).
"Has no analogues in the world"
The medium-range complex "Buk-M3" comes to the troops in 2016. According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the air defense missile system is designed to intercept maneuvering aerodynamic targets, as well as for “firing on radio-contrast ground targets and hitting surface targets.”
"Buk-M3" provides simultaneous shelling of 36 air objects flying at speeds up to 3 km / s. The main purpose of the Buk-M3 is to protect the troops from attacks by airplanes, helicopters, UAVs and cruise missiles at a range from 2.5 to 70 km and at an altitude from 5 m to 35 km. One launcher can carry up to 12 missiles.
In order to improve the combat characteristics of the Beech family, specialists from the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after Tikhomirov (Zhukovsky) created a 9M317M missile. The ammunition is equipped with an inertial control system with an active radar homing head. This allows the 9M317M to intercept targets in the conditions of electronic countermeasures, including at very low altitudes (about 5 m).
- Self-propelled unit "Buk-M3" at the exhibition site
- RIA News
- © Sergey Pivovarov
"Buk-M3" refers to the fourth generation of medium-range air defense systems. The complex has the latest electronic equipment, which allows you to automate a huge number of processes. In addition, in the “Buk-M3” the principle of “shot and forget” is implemented. This means that after the launch of the rocket, the calculation of the complex may not accompany the target and change its location in order not to fall under enemy fire.
“A feature of the Buk-MZ medium-range anti-aircraft missile system is the deployment of reconnaissance, targeting, transporting and launching anti-aircraft guided missile on a self-propelled firing unit. Such a construction of a complex in this class of anti-aircraft weapons has no analogues in the world. The incoming complex, while maintaining the same number of combat vehicles, increases the number of airborne targets simultaneously fired several times, ”explained Alexander Leonov, head of the military air defense system, in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda.
Simultaneous shelling
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation pays great attention to re-equipment on the Tor-M2 short-range air defense system. This system is designed to protect communications centers and command posts, bridges, airfields, radio equipment. The air defense missile system is capable of intercepting airplanes, helicopters, drones, rockets and air bombs at a range of up to 12-15 km and at an altitude of 10 m to 6-10 km.
The Thor ammunition set consists of 16 missiles that ensure destruction of targets flying at a speed of 2.5 thousand km / h. The complex can detect up to 48 targets and simultaneously fire at four objects. "Tor-M2" operates in fully automatic mode. The combat calculation of the air defense system is focused on monitoring the environment and decides on the launch of rockets.
Deliveries of "Tor-M2" to the troops began in 2015. The complex has installed equipment that has significantly improved the processing of radio signals. The Ministry of Defense highly values Tor-M2 for its ability to perform tasks in a complex meteorological and interfering environment, as well as for an almost guaranteed interception of "small-sized, intensively maneuvering targets."
“The enrolled short-range anti-aircraft missile system Tor-M2 provides an all-view defeat of aerial targets, including striking elements of precision weapons. The combat vehicle of the complex allows reconnaissance in motion across any terrain and simultaneous shelling of four air targets, ”said Alexander Leonov, commenting on the capabilities of Tor-M2.
On December 21, 2018, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko announced that the Defense Ministry would conclude a major contract for the supply of Tor-M2 in 2019. In particular, the Ministry of Defense intends to purchase the arctic version of this unique air defense system, the Tor-M2DT, based on the chassis of the two-link tracked tractor-all-terrain vehicle DT-30 Vityaz. The first batch of this modification “Thor” was already received by the military in November 2018.
Protection against precision weapons
In an interview with RT, military expert Yury Knutov noted that the S-300V4, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 were highly appreciated by the Ministry of Defense. These means of military air defense proved to be excellent due to the high combat effectiveness and reliability.
The S-300, Buk and Thor families have evolved in the direction of protection against high-precision weapons, which possess modern means of electronic warfare and are characterized by low radar visibility. We are talking about the latest aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles and corrected aerial bombs, ”explained Knutov.
The expert believes that the rearmament of military air defense units is proceeding as planned. According to Knutov, the Ministry of Defense will be able to achieve its goal of increasing the combat capabilities of the ground defense of the ground forces by 2020.
“After the collapse of the USSR, military air defense was going through hard times. However, in the 2000s, our design offices created a technological reserve for large-scale re-equipment. This is a timely and adequate response to the improvement of the Tomahawks, the emergence of new combat aircraft and aviation weapons of destruction, ”concluded Knutov.