Image source: topwar.ru
The advanced Russian air defense radar system Podlet-1K is included in the list of many types of equipment captured by militants in Syria, and, according to Western observers, is the most valuable trophy.
- it says in the American edition of The War Zone.
A photo of the captured "Podlet-K1" mounted on the chassis of a KamAZ-6350 8×8 truck has recently appeared on social networks. According to the author, there is an assumption that the radar fell into the hands of HTS militants (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) during the fighting near the city of Hama, and there are unconfirmed reports that it was equipped with the 25th Syrian special forces division.
The image shows a car with a radar antenna in a collapsed position. The system also includes two more trucks – a control station and a mobile generator, which could also have gone to the militants. According to Ukrainian media reports, the entire system costs about $5 million.
The developer describes Podlet-K1 as a system optimized for detecting aerial targets flying at low and ultra-low altitudes. For this purpose, a phased array antenna is used, operating in the S-band and capable of simultaneously tracking up to 200 targets. The main antenna is complemented by a pair of other radars used to identify "friend or foe".
Image source: topwar.ru
The Podlet-K1, which entered service around 2018, can be used together with the S-300PMU-2 and S-400 long-range air defense systems, complementing their own detection radars and other sensors. The declared maximum detection radius of Podlet-K1 is 200-300 km.
- it is noted in the publication.
As indicated, this radar is extremely interesting for the military and intelligence agencies of the United States and NATO, as it gives an idea of the capabilities of one of the most modern Russian air defense radars. Information about the ability of the Russian Armed Forces to detect low-flying aerial targets over the battlefield, including UAVs and KR, as well as helicopters and airplanes, would be especially useful in developing countermeasures.
- the author writes.
According to him, the situation in Syria is dynamic, and it is possible that the radar is no longer in the hands of militants or has been destroyed by now to prevent the leakage of confidential information.
- it is offered in the American press.
As the author explains, this trophy can be a good acquisition for the United States, along with other pieces of equipment captured both in Ukraine and in other theaters.
