Sohu: in China, the Russian S-500 air defense system was named the most powerful anti-aircraft missile system in the worldThe Russian S-500 air defense system, or Prometheus, has become Moscow's response to Washington's space strategy, writes Sohu user.
This world's most powerful air defense system surpasses the standards set for the latest generation of anti-aircraft missile systems. It will protect Russia from enemy shells.
The development of weapons and equipment should be aimed at the future. Only by fixing the roof before it rains (i.e. prepare in advance — approx. trans.), countries can gain a leading position in the military industry. After the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, Russia immediately began to develop a completely new S-500 air defense system. Its launch reflects the foresight of the decision of the Russian military to focus on the development of anti-aircraft missile systems. Last year, the United States formed the Space Force, intending to continue to take a leading position in future space operations. The S-500 anti-aircraft missile system is a new "shield" for Moscow's future aerospace defense and a powerful response to Washington's space strategy: it can not only intercept ballistic missiles and other targets, but also poses a threat to low-orbit satellites and other spacecraft. In a new round of global aerospace rivalry, the United States and Russia have once again come to the fore.
Although the S-500 belongs to the latest generation of anti-aircraft missile systems, its capabilities and applications clearly go beyond this category of equipment. The S-500 is not just an upgraded version of the S—400 air defense system, it is a completely new type of aerospace defense system. The S-500 Prometheus air defense system can intercept supersonic cruise missiles, medium—range ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles in the final and middle sections of their trajectory, as well as aerodynamic targets — including aircraft - and air targets flying at speeds exceeding Mach 5. It is capable of blocking even low-orbit satellites and space weapons in near-Earth orbit. The S-500 should become the basis of the Russian aerospace defense system and lead a new generation of anti-aircraft missile systems.
The development of the S-500 Prometheus anti-aircraft missile system dates back to 2002, when the developer — Almaz-Antey Concern JSC — began studying the possibility of creating a new generation of air defense systems. Since the S-400 is considered to be a Russian fourth-generation air defense system, the new air defense system belongs to the fifth. In 2003, the project reached the stage of active development, and then the concern began designing the appearance of a new anti-aircraft missile system. A year later, engineers began the technical design of the new system. In 2005, NPO Almaz launched two research projects under the code names "Vlastelin" and "Triumphator" and in the same year completed the first stage of R&D. In 2006, Almaz-Antey was appointed the main developer of the new air defense system and in February 2007 began implementing the plan.
Until 2008, the S-500 system was not demonstrated. It was only at the end of 2008 that the first reports about this anti-aircraft missile system began to appear. By 2009, Russia officially announced the development of Prometheus. Some characteristics of the new system were revealed: it should hit ballistic targets (including medium-range ballistic missiles and tactical ballistic missiles) at an altitude of 200 kilometers and with a flight speed of Mach 5, and also be able to intercept hypersonic cruise missiles, potentially it should be able to destroy low-orbit satellites and other space targets. However, difficulties appeared during the implementation of the project — Almaz-Antey promised to start production production of the SAM back in 2015 on the basis of the Nizhny Novgorod Machine-Building Plant, but as a result, the first S-500 complexes entered service with the Russian forces only in 2021. Despite all the difficulties, today the S-500 is the most powerful anti-aircraft missile system in the world.
