Russia Starts Production Of Newest S-500 Prometheus Missile Defense System, Capable Of Dropping Planes To Hypersonic Missiles

Russian S-500 missile air defense system. (Source: Russian Ministry of Defense Press Office)

JAKARTA - Russia's newest S-500 Prometheus Missile Air Defense System, developed by Almaz-Antey Concern, is starting to be produced in batches, with CEO Yan Novikov saying it will be made available to the Armed Forces within the deadline set under the Russian state defense order.

"Currently, the S-500 system, which boasts of the latest achievements in domestic science and engineering, has begun to be produced by batches. Its combat capability surpasses so far that of the previously created air defense systems," he said as quoted by TASS May 6. 500 is probably better. Becomes the backbone of Russia's aerospace defense. It will be delivered to the armed forces within the deadline set under the state defense order," he continued in an interview with National Defense Magazine during the company's 20th anniversary.

Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on September 16, 2021, the S-500 missile defense system would begin to be supplied to the armed forces after completing government certification tests.

Meanwhile in July 2021, the Ministry of Defense said the S-500 had carried out a test launch at the Kapustin Yar evidentiary ground. Expected tactical and technical parameters confirmed.

Test-firing of the Russian S-500 missile defense system. (Source: Russian Ministry of Defense Press Office)

The S-500 is designed to hit all existing, as well as future aerospace attack weapons of a hypothetical enemy at a variety of altitudes and speeds.

This missile defense system was presented to replace its predecessor, the S-400 Triumf, one of the systems feared by Western countries led by the United States.

It is known, the S-500 Prometheus (ROC Triumfator-M) is a new generation of ground-to-air air defense systems. 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 ballistic supersonic targets at speeds of up to seven kilometers per second. The missile can also shoot down the warhead of a hypersonic missile.

As for the characteristics, the S-500 will significantly outperform the S-400 and the American competitor Patriot Advanced Capability-3.