After long delays in the testing program, the world's best anti-missile system is about to go into production. Russia's S-400 "Triomf" anti-missile and anti-aircraft system is going through its final trials at Kapustin Yar, and Air Force officials have promised the first customers in the United Arab Emirates that they can take delivery next year.
If I was living in this neighborhood, I'd want one too.
Reckoned to be twice as effective as the U.S. Patriot PAC-3 system, the S-400 has an over-the-horizon range of up to 250 miles. The Almaz Central Design Bureau claims the missile is effective against medium-range ballistic missiles with an incoming speed of over 3 miles per second, which means a missile with a 2,000-mile range. Thanks to advance payments by export customers, funding problems have been overcome, says Air Force chief of staff Gen. Boris Cheltsov, and it will be integrated into Moscow's own air defense system over the coming year. Designed for easy export sales, the Triomf missiles can be fitted to the popular S-300 air defense system. It comes in two versions, a 'heavy' anti-missile missile, and a lighter anti-aircraft missile based on the SAM-12 'Gladiator.'
The Russians have always had great designers of aircraft and missiles going back to the early days of aviation. Their big problem was always a shortage of money to fully develop them. If they are getting lots of cash from the oil shieks, this could change a lot of things. |