Air defense systems will protect strategic objects from drones and hypersonic weapons
By the end of 2022, the eastern regions of Russia will be covered with an impenetrable anti-aircraft dome. The Ministry of Defense has adjusted the deployment schedule of the latest air defense systems. By the end of the year, the basis of the Siberian air defense system will be the modernized S-300PM2 "Favorit" complexes. They will protect the territory from Novosibirsk to Irkutsk from hypersonic and precision weapons. Also, strategic and social facilities will be secured by anti-aircraft missile and cannon "Shells", which will be part of the mobile air defense regiment. Experts note that the restoration of the country's air defense system is especially relevant against the background of reports on the development of hypersonic combat systems in the United States.
Siberian Power
The Russian Defense Ministry has approved an adjusted schedule for the modernization of the air defense system in Central and Eastern Siberia. According to sources of Izvestia in the military department, this year anti-aircraft units in the Irkutsk region were re-equipped with modernized S-300PM2 "Favorit" complexes. Their personnel underwent retraining at the training center. By the end of the year, they are scheduled to take up combat duty in the Novosibirsk area of responsibility, the sources said.
The Siberian sky is guarded by units of the 41st Air Defense Division, which is part of the 14th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense. This army covers the space from the Volga to Lake Baikal. The division headquarters is located in Novosibirsk, where there is also a regiment equipped with S-400 complexes. The remaining parts of this connection are located in Angarsk, Irkutsk region, Abakan and Krasnoyarsk Krai. They serve on the Favorit complexes.
The S-400 Triumph Air Defense System
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Malgavko
The S-300PM2 is a unique anti—aircraft missile system that is not inferior to the S-400 in its characteristics, and in some respects surpasses them. They represent a deep modernization of the "good old" S-300. The updated system is equipped with a modern radar detection station (radar), a illumination and guidance station (firing radar) and a mobile command post. The "Favorite" can work effectively even in conditions of active radio interference by the enemy. The system is capable of shooting down any type of aerial targets at a distance of up to 250 km: airplanes, ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, as well as hypersonic aircraft.
— Apparently, against the background of rising tensions, they decided to better cover strategic facilities in Siberia, — military expert Vasily Kashin told Izvestia. — Systems that have expired are being replaced. In the near future, attention will grow to air defense in all directions. There are a large number of objects in the Urals and Siberia that need to be covered from various threats.
In the future, the S-300PM2 systems will be able to cover the sky over Siberia from hypersonic weapons — when such developments appear in Western countries, believes ex-deputy head of the Air Force for the CIS Joint Air Defense System, Lieutenant General Aytech Bizhev.
"The Russian air defense system is being improved," he confirmed to Izvestia. — Old systems that have served the established deadlines are being replaced with more modern anti-aircraft missile systems. This is a planned work that is being carried out in the interests of defense capability. S-300PM2 is a reliable and efficient system. Everything that is in the arsenal of a potential enemy is all in their teeth. Including aeroballistic targets on the final leg of the flight, as well as high-speed targets. Although the probable enemy does not have hypersonic systems yet, but air defense systems are always built in such a way that there is a reserve. The means of defense are 10-15 years ahead of the capabilities of the means of aerospace attack. Such calculations are initially laid by the designers.
Upgraded S-300PM2 "Favorit" air defense system
Image Source: Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org/Vitaly V. Kuzmin
On July 18, the Pentagon announced the successful testing of hypersonic weapons manufactured by Raytheon Technologies Corp. According to the US department, it is capable of developing a speed exceeding the sound five times. This is the second successful test launch of the product. Lockheed Martin, a company competing with Raytheon, also tested its project twice, one of the launches was unsuccessful.
Shell cover
In addition to the S-300PM2 units, the latest Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and cannon systems are also being deployed in Siberia. According to Izvestia sources, this year the formation of a mobile regiment equipped with these complexes will be completed in Abakan. Thanks to the maneuverability of the machines, anti-aircraft gunners will be able to deploy an air defense system in a matter of hours in the area of the country where such a need arises.
Pantsir-SM" is the most modern short—range complex. He received a new radar with an active phased array, with which the target detection range increased to 75 km. The maximum damage distance is 40 K. The ammunition of the new "Shell" includes 12 missiles. However, it is also possible to fire warheads located on a transport-loading vehicle (TZM) from it. Each such vehicle carries 24 missiles.
— The "shells" strengthen the low—altitude field, - explained Lieutenant-General Aytech Bizhev. — A likely enemy who can break through to strike the S-300PM-2 and S-400 anti-aircraft systems will be under fire from the "Shells". All these air defense systems work comprehensively, in a single system.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, the country's unified air defense system was destroyed. Many areas of Russia turned out to be completely unprotected from air strikes. Over the past few years, the Russian Defense Ministry has been actively working to ensure that the entire territory of Russia is under radar coverage — so that no object can penetrate the country's airspace unnoticed.
The Pantsir-SM anti-aircraft missile system
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Mikhail Voskresensky
Izvestia has already written that the latest Field-21 radar complexes have been deployed in the Urals and Siberia. They will become an obstacle to satellite navigation systems, and will also prevent drone flights, cruise missile strikes and other high-precision weapons. In addition, the air defense grouping of the Urals and Siberia is reinforced with the latest Podlet-K1 radar, which are designed for reliable detection of small and low-speed targets at low altitudes. The system consists of a radar tower, a control machine and a mobile power generator. The communication equipment installed on them allows you to exchange information with other air defense systems and automatically transmit information to higher management bodies.
Roman Kretsul
