Starting To Enter Russian Military Service, The Russian S-500 Missile Is Capable Of Hitting Ballistic To Supersonic Missiles

The S-500 is capable of hitting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles. (Russian Ministry of Defense Press Office)

JAKARTA - Russian authorities have announced that they have completed the test launch of the S-500 surface-to-air missile system, which has begun to be supplied to the Russian armed forces and potentially sold to friendly countries.

Quoting the RIA Novosti News Agency on Thursday, September 16, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said there were still modifications related to the order specifications for the S-500 missile system, which had been undergoing testing since last year.

"And it's still not in the full range that Almaz-Antey has to make at the customer's request. This is a complex configuration of the agreed composition," he said, without elaborating on the modifications being carried out.

Meanwhile, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said that the military plans to receive the first air defense system in 2021, and serial deliveries will begin in 2025.

It is planned that the S-500 missile system, which has finished undergoing trials and a full cycle of inspections, will be commissioned as an anti-air missile defense system in the Moscow region.

Test firing of the Russian S-500. (Russian Ministry of Defense Press Office)

In July, the department announced that after the completion of trials of the S-500. full cycle of inspections, the system will be transferred to the Moscow region air defense missile defense association.

The S-500 Prometheus (ROC Triumfator-M) is a next-generation ground-to-air air defense system. This missile is capable of preventing at long ranges and altitudes, so it can hit targets such as planes, helicopters, cruise missiles to ballistic missiles.

With a target range of 600 kilometers, the missile can also detect and simultaneously destroy up to ten supersonic ballistic targets at speeds of up to seven kilometers per second. The missile can also shoot down the warhead of a hypersonic missile.

In terms of characteristics, the S-500 will significantly outperform the S-400 and its American competitor Patriot Advanced Capability-3.

Regarding overseas exports, Yuri Borisov said, India may be the first buyer of the S-500 missile system. After delivery to the army, permission from the President of Russia will be required for the supply of the system abroad, subject to the availability of the appropriate application.

"Potentially, yes. But, there is no agreement on a practical plan. And this is a common practice, until we meet the needs of our Armed Forces, we do not sell abroad. I don't think so for the next few years," Borisov said.

He added that the S-500 missile systems supplied for export would be different from those used by the Russian army.

"As a rule, the characteristics of weapons supplied for export should not exceed those of Russia," he concluded.