The test unit of Russia's next-generation S-500 air defense system will be ready by 2020, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told Sputnik. The S-500 Prometey, also known as 55R6M Triumfator-M, is a cutting-edge anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile system currently under development in Russia.
The S-500, designed by Almaz Antei, is said to have a range of 600 kilometers. The system can simultaneously intercept up to ten ballistic and hypersonic missiles traveling at a speed of up to 7 kilometers per second.
The Prometey is capable of engaging targets at an altitude of up to 200 kilometers, including satellites outfitted with electro-optical surveillance systems.
The S-500 will be a major upgrade to the state-of-the-art S-400 complex that is already in service, and also its US counterpart – the Patriot Advanced Capability-3.
US defense officials are concerned that the S-500 missile defense system is so good that the best stealth warplanes in the Pentagon's arsenal will be unable to do anything about it.
"It is clear the S-500 is intended to serve as a high-altitude antiballistic missile system for home defense, and that its very long range could make it useful for anti-access/area denial and antisatellite tasks.
"It is also evident that it is designed to be mobile and hard to detect or hack into, so as to resist air-defense suppression strikes," Sebastien Roblin wrote for the National Interest.
The first regiment of the S-500 missile systems that are believed to have no equal in the world will defend Moscow and central Russia.
Lockheed Martin completes tests with modernized TACMS missiles
Lockheed Martin announced two rounds of successful testing with the modernized Tactical Missile System for the U.S. Army.
The trials were completed in December and early February at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, representing the third and fourth consecutive demonstrations with the weapon. The missiles were launched using a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, for … read more
