The Eastern Military District will receive the Tor-M2 air defense system — one of the most effective short-range air defense systems in the world. They shoot down planes, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, and even small quadrocopters. The new product will radically increase the capabilities of military air defense in the Far East. The complex is fully automated: the calculation is enough to detect a target on the radar and press a button. Then "Thor" will do everything himself. Therefore, the unique air defense system of the military received the nickname"automatic". The decision to deploy the Tori is relevant because of plans to deploy American missiles in Japan, experts say.
The Eastern Military District will receive the Tor-M2 air defense system — one of the most effective short-range air defense systems in the world. They shoot down planes, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, and even small quadrocopters. The new product will radically increase the capabilities of military air defense in the Far East. The complex is fully automated: the calculation is enough to detect a target on the radar and press a button. Then "Thor" will do everything himself. Therefore, the unique air defense system of the military received the nickname"automatic". The decision to deploy the Tori is relevant because of plans to deploy American missiles in Japan, experts say.
Far Eastern Frontier
A fundamental decision was made to equip the anti-aircraft units of the Eastern Military District (VVO) with the latest Tor-M2 air defense systems, sources in the Ministry of Defense told Izvestia. The new machines will expand the capabilities of the previous-generation complexes currently available to the VVO.
The head of the military air defense of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, has already announced the signing of the largest contract for the supply of Tor-M2 to the troops. Until 2027, about 100 billion rubles have been allocated for their purchase.
In December last year, at a board meeting in the Ministry of Defense, the commander of the Eastern Military District, Gennady Zhidko, announced the strengthening of air defense in his region and the deployment of long-range S-300V4 complexes on the Kuril Islands.
As reported by Izvestia, the creation of a unified air defense system is being completed in Primorye. On Sakhalin and in the mainland, five of the six regiments have been re-equipped with S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition to the S-300V4, Tor-M1-2U complexes are located in the Kuril Islands.
Last year, the US president's special representative for arms control, Marshall Billingsley, said that Washington is considering the possibility of deploying medium-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region in the future, in particular in Japan. The Pentagon has reported testing a version of the Tomahawk land-based cruise missile. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that such a move could threaten regional security.
"The strengthening of air defense in the Far East reflects the overall priority of air defense in Russian weapons programs, "military expert Vasily Kashin told Izvestia. — All units of the Ground Forces should eventually receive the latest systems of all classes. More recently, modern long-range S-300V4 and S-400 systems have already been sent to the Far Eastern islands. The strengthening of the eastern borders can be considered a reaction to the growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. In any case, this is a timely and important step, especially relevant against the background of statements about the possible deployment of American missiles in Japan. Although it is still unclear whether these plans are being implemented. The Japanese understand that it will cost them dearly in terms of relations with China and with Russia.
"Thor" squared
As Viktor Yeletsky, the chief designer of the Vympel State Design Bureau, told Izvestia in an interview, the main difference between the Tor-M2 and the previous generation variants was the new 9M338K anti-aircraft missile. The developers managed to greatly facilitate and simplify it. As a result, the combat vehicle was able to place not eight, but sixteen pieces. The range of damage increased to 16 km, the height — up to 10 km. It became possible to shoot down small actively maneuvering targets, firing at four of them at the same time.
Last year, the developers also reported on a deep modernization of the combat vehicle's communication facilities. It received the ability to connect broadband to higher-level command posts. At a distance of up to 10 km, the machine is able to receive all information about the air situation via radio communication channels. The target is now visible to the crew long before it gets within 32 km of it — the maximum detection range of Thor's own radar.
With an external source of information, an anti-aircraft missile system can be on duty even with the radar turned off, activating it only for a sudden strike. This allows the "Thors"to organize ambushes on aircraft and remain invulnerable to missiles aimed at radar radiation.
The modular design of the combat vehicle made it possible to develop versions of the "Thor" on a variety of chassis and in the future make it interspecific. Since November 2018, the Arctic versions based on the two-link all-terrain vehicles "Vityaz" enter service with the motorized infantry of the Northern Fleet. They are already equipped with the new 9M338K missiles.
It has already been stated that a wheeled version of the SAM is being developed for the Ground Forces. Unlike the variants currently in service, it will be able to cross water barriers by swimming.
The independent combat module "Thor" was tested even on a warship. In 2016, it was fixed on the helipad of the frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" and conducted practical shooting at sea. According to the military, they managed to successfully hit the target missile. It was stated that this way it is possible to strengthen the anti-aircraft protection of both combat and auxiliary ships. Work on the marine version continues.
Against new threats
Like the rest of the short-range military air defense systems, the first versions of the "Tor" were created to repel attacks by enemy helicopters and aircraft. From the very beginning, they are able to hit high-precision weapons. But in modern conditions, the complexes had to face new threats.
In the autumn of last year, the few "Tor-2MK" of the Armenian army with missiles of the previous generation took part in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan. The complexes suffered losses, but proved to be the most effective means against attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of all used in the course of combat operations.
After the start of drone attacks on the Hmeimim air base in Syria in 2018, additional anti-aircraft missile systems of the Russian army, including the Tor-M2, were deployed there. Together with the "Shells", they became the basis of the air defense of the near zone and did not allow the drones and missiles of the enemy to cause damage.
According to Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, "Tor-M2" shot down more than 45 UAV militants. In the first nine months of 2019, the military also reported the destruction of 27 long-range rockets fired at the Hmeimim air base. This required 31 missiles of the Pantsir-S1 and Tor-M2 complexes.
It has already been reported that following the results of the use in Syria, the development of a new small-sized cheap missile for the "Thors"has begun. Destroying home-made and commercial models of drones with conventional ammunition is economically unprofitable.
