Russian media quoted sources from the Ministry of National Defense, the new S-500 “Prometheus” long-range air defence system developed by the Russian Almaz Anty Company has completed all the research and development plans and is expected to officially start mass production at the end of this year. The Air and Space Army has signed a procurement contract with Antai Company, and the company will formally deliver the first batch of S-500 air defence missile systems to the Air and Space Army early next year. Although as early as 2019, Almaz Anty Company stated that it has started the production of the S-500 air defence missile system, but the Russian Aerospace Army believes that such a product that has not yet completed all the test work is not perfect and is not suitable for formal equipment. They need Higher-standard products, therefore, will continue to postpone equipment and follow-up research and development plans.
S-500 air defence missile system, but its appearance has a style of the S-400 air defence missile system. This design is mainly to facilitate flexibility and manoeuvrability during combat and to facilitate the procurement of production materials. You must know that the S-500 air defence missile system is not an independent air defence missile. It will neither replace the A-135 anti-intercontinental ballistic missile system that Russia has equipped since the Soviet era nor will it replace the S-400 long-range air defence missile. The system, but to integrate its combat system into the entire defence system. In addition to docking with the above two air defence missile systems, it can also dock with weapon systems such as strategic bombers, stealth fighters, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and satellites, realizing a true connection to the entire system without dead ends.
At present, what can be known from the photos released by Russia is that the S-500 air defence missile system consists of two launch vehicles, a radar search vehicle and a command vehicle. Only two missile vertical launch systems are installed on the launch vehicle. Compared with the launch vehicle of the S-300 air defence missile system and the S-400 air defence missile system, the missile launcher of the S-500 air defence missile system is significantly larger, mainly because the long-range missiles it carries can reach a range of up to 600 kilometres. , And the S-300 and S-400 air defence missiles have a range of only 250 kilometres or 300 kilometres, which completely meets the operational needs of the Russian Aerospace Forces in terms of range. Because there is currently no anti-aircraft missile in the world with a range of more than 600 kilometres, even the latest US standard-3 anti-missile interceptor is only 400 kilometres. Therefore, the S-500 air defence missile system is well-deserved No.1.
In Greek mythology, “Prometheus” is the hero who stole the sacred fire and the contributor who opened the golden age of mankind. The S-500 air defence missile system named “Prometheus” is its combat effectiveness. Have great expectations. Antai company executives stated that the S-500 air defence missile system has a very wide range of operations, whether it is a low-flying drone or gunship, or a high-flying jet fighter and supersonic bomber, or an intercontinental ballistic flying inside and outside the atmosphere. Missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles and low-Earth orbit satellites, the S-500 air defence missile system can be intercepted. It is no exaggeration to say that the S-500 air defence missile system is unmatched by any other similar system in the world, not only because With a range of more than 600 kilometres and an altitude of more than 185 kilometres, it is truly the world’s first outer space defence system.
In the previous live ammunition test conducted by the Russian company Antai, the S-500 air defence missile system successfully hit the “simulated” missile within a range of 480 kilometres, which is currently the longest interception distance among the active air defence missile systems in the world. It is worth noting that when intercepting this simulated missile with a speed exceeding Mach 10, the S-500 air defence missile system successfully locked the target in only 3-4 seconds, and then guided its interceptor to the predetermined area. Intercept. Compared with the active-duty S-400 air defence missile system, the response time of 9-10 seconds is half shorter. Moreover, the S-500 air defence missile system can simultaneously intercept 10 hypersonic target aircraft with a speed exceeding Mach 9 and the maximum interception speed can even reach Mach 15. There is no dead angle in the real sense of defence. It is precise because the performance is too advanced, it will not be exported to any country after 10 years, including China and India, to ensure that Russia’s dominant position in this field will not be shaken.