Interception in the near space: how the S-500 anti-aircraft system can strengthen Russian air defense

The first deputy general designer of the VKO Almaz-Antey concern, Sergei Druzin, stated that the newest Prometheus S-500 anti-aircraft missile system (ZRS) is capable of intercepting all types of ballistic targets.

“The C-500 has a broader type of targets. The system can also be used to combat ballistic targets of all types. This required both an increase in the energy potential of the location means and the creation of new missiles that can work outside the atmosphere where aerodynamic control is impossible, ”Druzin told RIA Novosti in an interview.

According to the top manager, the designers of Almaz-Antey were able to solve several complex tasks. In particular, the production of modern locators was established on the basis of active phased antenna arrays (AFAR), which are superior to passive samples in range, reliability and efficiency.

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• © Alexey Danichev

“Active phased arrays also allow to obtain more significant characteristics of the radiated power and the width of the spectrum of the signals used. Significantly higher and antenna performance. Today, the manufacturing technology of AFAR at the concern's enterprises has been fully mastered, ”said Drusin.

"Impact defeat"

The S-500 is a new-generation mobile anti-aircraft missile system that is capable of hitting all types of targets at a range of up to 480–600 km and at an altitude of up to 200 km. As Russian President Vladimir Putin noted, “Prometheus” can “work on targets at superlarge heights, including near space.”

In addition to ballistic missiles and their combat units, the S-500 is designed to intercept fifth-generation invisible fighters, strategic bombers, and airborne early warning and control aircraft.

Another advantage of the C-500 is the ability to form a single information network with other air defense systems. In fact, Prometheus is a combat control system that automatically distributes targets between different anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM).

The closest foreign analogue of Prometheus is the American THAAD missile defense system. However, the domestic system significantly exceeds the overseas model in range, the number of accompanied and hit targets and other key tactical and technical characteristics.

The Russian equivalent of "Prometheus" is the C-400 "Triumph". Every year, within the framework of the State Defense Order, Russian VKS receive about two to five regimental sets of this air defense system. The Triumph divisions cover the main military facilities of the Russian Federation - air and naval bases, command posts. The complex is also very popular abroad.

“The S-500 will noticeably surpass the combat capabilities of the S-400. But the main feature of this system is its ability to intercept ballistic missiles of medium range and combat units of ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles. - RT ). Putting such systems on combat duty will seriously enhance the power of the Russian missile defense, ”said Sergey Denissentsev, an expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, in an interview with RT.

In April 2017, in an interview with the magazine National Defense, Pavel Sozinov, General Designer of Almaz-Antey, stated that the C-500 will be able to intercept hypersonic targets. According to him, the relevant tests ZRS pass successfully. Military personnel and specialists of the concern check the effectiveness of the latest radar equipment and anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM).

“The S-500 contains in its composition a large number of radar facilities for various purposes and, accordingly, anti-aircraft guided missiles. This is not just a single complex, but a system that solves a whole set of tasks for both air defense and missile defense, including strategic missile defense, ”explained Sozinov.

The General Designer Almaz-Antea also stressed that the S-500 surpasses all existing analogues in its “basic characteristics”. "Prometheus" was developed on a completely new element base, without using the Soviet reserve.

“We made a forecast for the next 25 years on the development of aerospace attack weapons. Our system should be able to deal with those tools that are still missing today, but may appear. It is about intercepting in the thin layers of the atmosphere, including in the upper layers of the atmosphere, a hundred kilometers from the earth, ”Sozinov added.

• Layout launcher ZRK S-500
• © Almaz-Antey / militaryrussia.ru

The S-500 arsenal consists of three types of missiles: a super-long-range 40N6 missile with a conventional warhead and 77N6-H and 77N6-H1 munitions, which use kinetic energy to intercept. The speed of anti-aircraft missiles can reach 7 km / s (about 20 Machs).

According to the data presented by the Almaz-Antey Concern at the Army-2018 Forum, 40N6 is intended for hitting targets at a range from 5 to 380 km, flying at speeds of up to 4.8 km / s (about 14 Machs). The launch mass of the missile defense system is 1893 kg, preparation for launch does not exceed 15 s.

In 2018, state tests 40N6 were completed at the Kapustin Yar test site of the Astrakhan region. In the RT comment, Dmitry Kornev, the founder of the Military Russia portal, suggested that this missile defense system was developed based on the long-range S-300V missile.

“40N6 is capable of striking all types of targets, including ballistic targets at a range of up to 20–40 km. The rocket will join the arsenal of the C-500, C-400 and the latest modifications of the C-300. Other missiles 77N6-H and 77N6-H1 will intercept targets by direct hit at hypersonic speed. This is the so-called hit to kill principle, ”said Kornev.

Absolutely new system

Dmitry Kornev noted that while there is not so much information about the C-500, however, an analysis of the available data suggests that the development of the system started in the first half of the 2000s in the framework of the research works “The Lord” and “Autocrat”. The AFAR and ZUR models were made in 2009-2010.

“Initially it was supposed to place the C-500 on the chassis of the Bryansk Automobile Plant. But in the end, as I understand it, the choice was made in favor of the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. The S-500 will be located, presumably, on the MZKT-792911 chassis, ”said Kornev.

In 2013, Almaz-Antey completed the assembly of the component parts of Prometheus. Missile tests are held in 2014 at the site Kapustin Yar. In 2017, the concern began preparations for serial production of the C-500.

“It should be understood that the development of any missile defense system is an extremely difficult technological task. The enemy’s missiles are struck by launching the missile defense to the pre-empt point. That is, the ZRS should have phenomenal computing power. The development of the S-500 has been somewhat delayed, but this is a natural process, ”stressed Kornev.

• Launch of anti-aircraft guided missiles during exercises "Combat Commonwealth"
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• © Mikhail Mokrushin

Sergey Denisentsev believes that the large-scale production of the S-500 will unfold in the mid-2020s. According to him, the stage of pilot military operation will take several years. On combat duty, the S-500 will most likely get closer to 2025.

“The S-500 will be a more complex and expensive system compared to the S-400. The development of "Prometheus" in the army and the establishment of production will take a lot of time. True, the solution of such problems is somewhat simplified, since the S-500 is unified with the Triumph in most units and systems. I think that much in the "Prometheus" military will be familiar. And yet the system is completely new, there may be a lot of natural difficulties during trial operation and the establishment of cooperation, ”explained Denissensev.

According to the expert, the S-500 should strengthen the Moscow missile defense system, cover the most important industrial enterprises of the Russian Federation, the main naval bases (Murmansk and Kaliningrad regions, Crimea, the Far East), areas of combat duty of mobile strategic missile systems and ICBM missile launchers.

Also, as Denissev expects, the C-500 can be exported to countries that expect to strengthen the national missile defense system. He recalled that since 2017, Ankara has shown interest in Prometheus. In particular, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly declared the country's readiness to cooperate with Almaz-Antey on the S-500 project.

“I think that such large solvent countries as India, China, Saudi Arabia can act as buyers of the S-500. However, Prometheus is a weapon that is primarily necessary for our country. Without the S-500, the strengthening of the Russian anti-missile shield is unthinkable, ”Denisensev summarized.