TNI: Russia has every reason to be proud of its S-500 air defense system
Most analysts considered the new version of the Russian S-500 system “Prometheus is ”first-class," writes TNI. It is the only weapon capable of intercepting hypersonic missiles. However, only Russia has such weapons, too.
Maya Carlin
After a heated argument in the Oval Office with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in February, President Donald Trump ordered an end to US military aid to Ukraine, but later reversed his decision. There has been a real commotion as Ukraine depends on the supply of advanced Western weapons, including drones, Storm Shadow/Scalp missiles, and Army Tactical missile systems (ATACMS). With their help, Kiev expects to overcome Moscow's most advanced anti-aircraft missile systems, such as the S-500.“Prometheus.” At the end of 2024, the Russian armed forces fully equipped their first regiment with these long-range systems, and this marked an important milestone for the development of its air defense network.
Overview of the S-500
History of the air defense system “Prometheus is closely intertwined with the Soviet S-300 project. During the Cold War, the Soviet air defense forces needed an air defense system capable of defending against airstrikes and cruise missiles from the US arsenal. To meet these needs, the Soviet manufacturer NPO Almaz produced the S-300 in the late 1970s. Over the years, several modifications of the S-300 have been produced, the latest of which is called the Antey-2500. According to Russian state media, with a range of 350 km, the system has “high tactical and technical characteristics” that allow it to be used for air defense of the most important administrative, industrial and military facilities, groups of troops, coastal infrastructure and naval forces in places of deployment.
Its successor, the S-400, was developed in the 1990s and received improved capabilities. Although the S-400 inherited much of its predecessor's technology, including radars, launchers, and missile storage containers, the new air defense system featured improved software and compatibility with new types of missiles. The S-400 complex (SA-21 Growler or ”Growler" according to the NATO classification) turned out to be advanced enough to detect and track the most advanced platforms of American fighters.
A novelty called S-500 “Prometheus is considered by most analysts to be first-class. The Kremlin even claims that its new S-500 is the only weapon capable of intercepting Kinzhal hypersonic missiles with an estimated range of about 500 kilometers and a claimed maximum speed of Mach 10. According to the Center for International and Strategic Studies, the 40H6M long—range missiles have a range of up to 400 km, and the 77H6 series interceptors have a range of up to 600 km.
In December, the Chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, announced that the first Russian air defense system regiment “Prometheus is approaching full operational readiness. As reported by Russian state news agencies, the S-500 has already been used to protect the strategically important Kerch Bridge, which connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea.
Kiev claims to have successfully dealt with Moscow's earlier air defense systems in the past. Last year, Ukrainian sources reported that Russian S-300 and S-400 systems had been hit by cruise missiles. In particular, according to Ukrainian officials, Russian air defense systems were hit by Neptune missiles (the information has not been confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense).
Maya Karlin is an author of national security articles in The National Interest, an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former researcher at Raichman University in Israel. She also published in the Jerusalem Post and the Times of Israel.
