Vladimir Putin: Russia Successfully Completes S-500 Missile Test, Prepares Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile

President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with the Defense Ministry and Russian defense industry companies. (Sergei Ilyin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS)

JAKARTA - Russia is entering a new round of air defense system competition, as President Vladimir Putin announces the successful test of the Red Bear Country's newest weapons system.

No kidding, the defense weapons system in question is the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system, which is said to have completed the test and will be delivered to Russian military missile units. This is a development of the dreaded Russian S-400 that only took service starting in 2007.

"The test of the latest S-500 anti-aircraft missile system was successfully completed and the next system will be supplied to the forces," Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with the heads of the Defense Ministry and defense companies on Tuesday local time, tass reported, Wednesday, May 26.

"More than 70 percent of the Air Force's surface-to-air missile regiment has been re-armed with advanced S-400 systems. The S-500 system that successfully approaches the next settlement will be sent to the troops," Putin continued.

President Putin said Russia continues to strengthen its weapons systems with the latest technology intensively for the Army and Navy.

The potential of the nuclear triad has been substantially strengthened. Meanwhile, the Navy has expanded its combat capabilities, especially with warships carrying Kalibr cruise missiles.

S-400 Triumf air defense system. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Not only that, President Putin called Tsirkon's cross-ship hypersonic missile system in the final stages of a test run in June, with the firing of Frigate Admiral Gorshkov, who last year successfully fired three Tsirkon hypersonic missile tests.

"Let me note, defense companies and the Ministry of Defense have established effective interactions in the delivery and maintenance of weaponry and hardware, from serial development and production to maintenance and repair," he concluded.

For the record, Russia's most advanced missile system today is the S-400 Triumf that America, Israel and other allies fear. Visiting The National Interest, the S-400 is equipped with anti-ECM (electronic antidote) tools to reform the tracking system to face stealth combat technology.

The S-400 is also capable of striking 36 targets at the same time, dropping enemy warplanes and drones from a distance of 400 kilometers, as well as ballistic missiles from a distance of 60 kilometers. The system was developed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureu in both mobile and land installation versions.

No wonder that Turkey, Qatar and India interested in buying the S-400 get warnings and objections from the United States, because this system poses a threat to the defense and weapons of the United States and its allies.