The Russian Armed Forces are on the verge of forming their first regiment of ‘cutting edge’ S-500 ‘Prometheus’ Air Defense System.

The announcement was made by General Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, during a briefing for military attachés of foreign states on December 18.

Geraismov said that the new S-500 system is capable of addressing strategic missile defense challenges, underscoring its importance in Russia’s broader defense strategy. 

“The formation of the first regiment equipped with the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system, capable of solving the tasks of strategic missile defense, is being completed,” he said. 

This development is a major milestone in the rollout of Russia’s latest mobile air and missile defense system, which has been in development for several years. 

The S-500 system, also known as Prometheus, is designed to target a wide range of threats, including intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), early warning aircraft, and satellites operating in low Earth orbit. It can also intercept hypersonic targets, a capability that Russia has been keen to develop in response to emerging global threats.

Earlier this year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the highly anticipated S-500 systems would be delivered to the Russian Armed Forces by the end of 2024. 

The system is being delivered in two configurations. This includes long-range air defense missile systems and anti-missile defense complexes. However, Gerasimov did not provide details on the number of S-500 units delivered so far. 

In addition to discussing the S-500, General Gerasimov also highlighted the increasing NATO activity near Russia’s borders. He revealed that the number of NATO military exercises in the region has surged to 40 per year. 

Gerasimov noted that NATO’s growing presence near Russian territory is accompanied by the permanent deployment of military contingents and the expansion of the alliance’s membership, with Finland and Sweden recently becoming full members.

This NATO expansion, coupled with large-scale military exercises like the Steadfast Defender operation, has fueled concerns within Russia. 

Gerasimov pointed to the alliance’s anti-Russian rhetoric and its continued military build-up in Europe, especially in light of NATO’s “open door” policy, which has facilitated the inclusion of new members from Eastern Europe. 

S-500 Prometheus Air Defense System

The S-500 system has been touted as one of the most advanced air defense systems capable of engaging multiple targets at unprecedented ranges. This advanced air defense technology addresses the increasing complexity of modern aerial threats, serving as a theater ballistic missile defense system.

A key feature of the S-500, like its predecessors, is its adaptability. The system is capable of launching different types of missiles tailored to specific threats and mission needs, making it highly versatile and effective in countering a broad range of airborne dangers.

The S-500 employs the new 77N6 family of interceptors, which are designed to target ballistic missiles with greater efficiency. 

These interceptors use a kinetic energy hit-to-kill mechanism to offer a better defense against ballistic missiles compared to the blast-fragmentation warheads used by the older S-400 and S-300 systems. 

Equipped with some of the world’s most advanced radar and targeting systems, the S-500 can engage targets at distances of up to 600 kilometers. 

It is particularly known for its reported ability to target a diverse range of objects, including stealth aircraft, hypersonic missiles, and low-Earth orbit satellites, significantly boosting Russia’s defense capabilities. 

The radar complex is made up of four radar vehicles per battery, which include the 91N6E(M) S-band acquisition radar, the 96L6-TsP C-band acquisition radar, the 76T6 multi-mode engagement radar, and the 77T6 anti-ballistic missile engagement radar. 

These radar systems allow the S-500 to track both ballistic and airborne targets at remarkable distances—up to 2,000 kilometers for ballistic targets and 800 kilometers for airborne threats. 

A retired Indian Air Force Air Marshal, Anil Chopra, pointed out, “By using multiple radar frequencies and sophisticated signal processing, the S-500 can identify and track stealth aircraft, reducing their effectiveness in penetrating defended airspace. Thus, the S-500 poses a potential threat to American F-22 Raptor and F-35 stealth fighter aircraft.”

The S-500 can engage up to 10 targets at once and has a rapid response time of just three to four seconds, which is faster than its predecessor, the S-400. Its more powerful, jamming-resistant radar also has the ability to detect objects in “near space.” 

These upgrades in radar technology give the S-500 a tactical edge to detect and track targets before they even reach its engagement zone. 

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