MOSCOW – S-400 Triumf is one of the world’s most advanced air defencesystems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects — all kindsof aircraft, missiles and UAVs — in a radius of a few hundred kilometresand launch appropriate missiles to neutralise them. It is now bang in themiddle of the ongoing stand-off between Russia and Western nations. Amongthe countries under pressure from the U.S. not to buy this weapon is India.The system is a large complex of radars, control systems and differenttypes of missiles.
The highly automated S-400 has radars that can pick up an incoming objectup to a 1,000 kilometres away, track several dozen incoming objectssimultaneously, distribute the targets to appropriate missile systems andensure a high success rate. The command post detects, tracks and identifiesthe target. Then the tracked object is taken over by manned anti-aircraftmissile systems of the complex, which launch the counter attack.
The development of S-400 (NATO name SA-21 Growler) was started towards theend of the Soviet Union in the 1980s and was disrupted by the collapse ofthe Communist bloc in 1991. The system is specifically designed to detectand destroy an array of targets — strategic bombers; aircraft used forelectronic warfare, early warning, and reconnaissance; fighter jets such asF-16 and F-22; and incoming missiles such as Tomahawk.
Russian forces have deployed at least half-a-dozen S-400 regiments, atleast two of them are for the protection of Moscow. Russia has alsodeployed at least two S-400 systems in Syria, much to the concern ofobservers who fear the system could contribute to a global conflictbreaking out in Syria. A single unit, consisting of eight launchers, 112missiles and command and support vehicles, costs at least $400 million(₹2,500 crore).
S-400 traces its origins to the desperation of the Cold War period to finda credible counter to the threat from missiles and incoming enemy aircraft.S-400 is a dramatic improvement from its predecessor S-300, which was themainstay of Soviet Union’s air defence during the Cold War, when nuclearmissile threat was at its peak.
S-300 was initially developed against incoming cruise missiles andaircraft, but the latter versions could also intercept ballistic missiles.They were deployed in the 1970s across Soviet Union for protecting keyindustrial complexes, cities, and other strategic assets.
Today, the S-400 uses four different types of missiles and can track andshoot down incoming objects as far away as 400 kilometres, while it alsohas shorter-range missiles to track and shoot down objects that are closer.