Russian Arms Manufacturer Expects Saudi Arabia To Be Interested In S-400 Missile Defense System

Russian-made S-400 missile system. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation)

JAKARTA - The Russian S-400 medium to long-range surface-to-air missile system developed by Russian defense manufacturer Almaz-Antey is expected to arouse the interest of military specialists from Saudi Arabia with its high-performance characteristics.

"We hope that Saudi Arabia makes an objective choice, after assessing the high quality of this anti-aircraft missile system (S-400) and other items we manufacture," said Almaz-Antey CEO Yan Novikov in an interview with the National Defense magazine, on the occasion of the company's 20th anniversary, as quoted from TASS May 1.

Saudi Arabia has traditionally been the largest importer of US weapons, including air defense and non-strategic anti-ballistic missile defense systems.

So far, Saudi Arabia's armed forces do not have similar Soviet and Russian weapons. Saudi Arabian specialists received additional important information about Russian military hardware at the World Defense Exhibition held in Riyadh in March.

"Almaz-Antey took part in the forum," explained Novikov.

The Russian S-400 'Triumf' missile defense system (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the newest long and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that entered service in 2007.

The system is designed to destroy strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons and can also be used against ground installations.

Not only that, the S-400 missile system can strike targets at a distance of up to 400 km and an altitude of up to 30 km under intensive enemy fire and interference.