Up-to-date S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to defend Moscow's air space

The system is capable of hitting a 56 km distant target

Up-to-date anti-aircraft weaponry is attracted to defend the air space of Moscow and the center of Russia. “S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems are almost completed. State tests are underway, and I think we will receive one system in the nearest future, probably next year,” Colonel-General Yury Solovyov told Interfax on Wednesday. “In addition, we have developed our S-300PM anti-aircraft emplacements – they are prepared to operate on ballistic trajectories,” the commander of special-purpose troops said.

Test fires have been performed on the Alushuk range ground on such trajectories. The Russian missile proved to be less detectable for radars as opposed to other analogues. “Imagine a missile two meters long, 220 mm in diameter. The missile flies at the speed of 800 meters per second. The effective surface to repulse the missile is 0.01 square meters. The missile flies 60 km up and starts attacking the target from this height,” Yury Solovyov explained.

”Scientific institutes and the Almaz-Antey concern are currently developing the missile capable of operating in near space,” the colonel said. Solovyov reminded the special-purpose troops command pursues the objective to set up the leading part of the air and space defense.

According to Solovyov, the unit defending Moscow has performed test fires this year. “All targets have been destroyed, including ballistic targets and cruise missiles,” Solovyov said. The colonel added targets had been hit at distances between 500 meters and 56 kilometers. The military official also pointed out several problems the special-purpose troops experienced. The colonel-general pointed out the need of capital repairs for the military hardware and the lack of fuel to train pilots.