Russian air defense. Impenetrable air defense: what will be the new anti-aircraft missile systems of the Russian Federation. SAM MD-PS increased secrecy of functioning

25.10.2019

To write this article, I was largely inspired by the excessive jingoistic moods of a significant part of the visitors of the Military Review website, which I respect, as well as the cunning of the domestic media, which regularly publish materials about the strengthening of our military power, unprecedented since Soviet times, including the Air Force and Air Defense.

For example, in a number of media outlets, including on "VO", in the section "" not so long ago an article was published entitled: "Two air defense divisions began to protect the airspace of Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region."

It says: “Assistant Commander of the Central Military District, Colonel Yaroslav Roshchupkin, said that two air defense divisions took up combat duty, starting to protect the airspace of Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region.

“The duty forces of two air defense divisions have taken up combat duty to cover administrative, industrial and military facilities in the Volga region, the Urals and Siberia. New formations were formed on the basis of the Novosibirsk and Samara aerospace defense brigades, ”RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.

Combat crews equipped with S-300PS anti-aircraft missile systems will cover the airspace over the territory of 29 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, which are part of the CVO's area of responsibility.

After such news, an inexperienced reader may get the impression that our air defense anti-aircraft missile units have received qualitative and quantitative reinforcement with new anti-aircraft systems.

In practice, in this case, no quantitative, much less qualitative strengthening of our air defense has happened. It all comes down to just changing the organizational structure. New equipment did not enter the troops.

The S-300PS anti-aircraft missile system mentioned in the publication, with all its advantages, cannot be considered new in any way.

S-300PS with 5V55R missiles was put into service back in 1983. That is, more than 30 years have passed since the adoption of this system. But at present, in the anti-aircraft missile units of air defense, more than half of the long-range S-300P air defense systems belong to this modification.

In the near future (two or three years), most of the S-300PS will either have to be written off or overhauled. However, it is not known which option is economically preferable, the modernization of old or the construction of new anti-aircraft systems.

The earlier towed version of the S-300PT has either been decommissioned or transferred "for storage" without any chance of returning to the troops.

The most "fresh" complex from the "three hundredth" S-300PM family was delivered to the Russian army in the mid-90s. Most of the anti-aircraft missiles currently in service were produced at the same time.

The new, widely advertised S-400 anti-aircraft missile system has just begun to enter service. In total, as of 2014, 10 regimental kits were delivered to the troops. Taking into account the upcoming mass write-off of military equipment that has exhausted its resource, this amount is absolutely not enough.

Of course, experts, of whom there are many on the site, can reasonably object that the S-400 is significantly superior in its capabilities to the systems it is replacing. However, one should not forget that the means of air attack of the main "potential partner" are constantly being improved qualitatively. In addition, as follows from "open sources", mass production of promising 9M96E and 9M96E2 missiles and 40N6E ultra-long-range missiles has not yet been established. Currently, the S-400 uses 48N6E, 48N6E2, 48N6E3 SAM S-300PM missiles, as well as 48N6DM missiles modified for the S-400.

In total, according to "open sources", in our country there are about 1500 launchers of the S-300 family of air defense systems - this, apparently, taking into account the air defense units of the ground forces that are "in storage" and in service.

Today, Russian air defense forces (those that are part of the Air Force and Air Defense) have 34 regiments with S-300PS, S-300PM and S-400 air defense systems. In addition, not so long ago, several anti-aircraft missile brigades, converted into regiments, were transferred to the Air Force and Air Defense from the air defense of the ground forces - two 2-divisional S-300V and Buk brigades and one mixed (two S-300V divisions , one Buk division). Thus, in the troops we have 38 regiments, including 105 divisions.

However, these forces are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the country, Moscow is best protected, around which there are ten regiments of S-300P air defense systems (two of them have two S-400 divisions each).

Satellite image of Google Earth. The layout of the positions of air defense systems around Moscow. Colored triangles and squares - positions and areas of basing of active air defense systems, blue rhombuses and circles - surveillance radars, white ones - currently liquidated air defense systems and radars

The northern capital, St. Petersburg, is well covered. The sky above it is protected by two regiments of S-300PS and two regiments of S-300PM.

Satellite image of Google Earth. Scheme of placement of air defense systems around St. Petersburg

The Northern Fleet bases in Murmansk, Severomorsk and Polyarny are covered by three S-300PS and S-300PM regiments, at the Pacific Fleet near Vladivostok and Nakhodka - two S-300PS regiments, and the Nakhodka regiment received two S-400 divisions. Avacha Bay in Kamchatka, where SSBNs are based, is covered by one S-300PS regiment.

Satellite image of Google Earth. ZRS S-400 in the vicinity of Nakhodka

The Kaliningrad region and the BF base in Baltiysk are protected from air attack by the S-300PS/S-400 mixed regiment.

Satellite image of Google Earth. S-400 air defense system in the Kaliningrad region at the former positions of the S-200 air defense system

Recently, there has been an increase in the anti-aircraft cover of the Black Sea Fleet. Prior to the well-known events related to Ukraine, a mixed regiment with S-300PM and S-400 divisions was deployed in the Novorossiysk region.

At present, there is a significant strengthening of the air defense of the main naval base of the Black Sea Fleet - Sevastopol. It is reported that in November the peninsula's air defense group was replenished with S-300PM air defense systems. Taking into account the fact that complexes of this type are currently not produced by industry for their own needs, most likely they were transferred from another region of the country.

In terms of air defense cover, the central region of our country resembles a "patchwork quilt" in which there are more holes than patches. There is one S-300PS regiment each in the Novgorod region, near Voronezh, Samara and Saratov. The Rostov region is covered by one regiment of S-300PM and Buk.

In the Urals, near Yekaterinburg, there are positions of an anti-aircraft missile regiment armed with S-300PS. Beyond the Urals, in Siberia, only three regiments are deployed on a gigantic territory, one S-300PS regiment each near Novosibirsk, in Irkutsk and Achinsk. In Buryatia, not far from the Dzhida station, one regiment of the Buk air defense system is deployed.

Satellite image of Google Earth. ZRS S-300PS near Irkutsk

In addition to anti-aircraft systems protecting the fleet bases in Primorye and Kamchatka, in the Far East there are two more S-300PS regiments covering Khabarovsk (Knyaz-Volkonskoye) and Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Lian), respectively, one S-300PS regiment is deployed in the vicinity of Birobidzhan. 300V.

That is, the entire vast Far Eastern Federal District is protected by: one regiment of mixed S-300PS / S-400, four regiments of S-300PS, one regiment of S-300V. This is all that remains of the once powerful 11th Air Defense Army.

The "holes" between the air defense facilities in the east of the country are several thousand kilometers long, anyone and anything can fly into them. However, not only in Siberia and the Far East, but throughout the country, a huge number of critical industrial and infrastructure facilities are not covered by any air defense systems.

In a significant part of the country's territory, nuclear and hydroelectric power plants remain unprotected, air strikes on which can lead to catastrophic consequences. Vulnerability from air attack means of deployment of Russian strategic nuclear forces provokes “potential partners” to attempt a “disarming strike” with high-precision means of destroying non-nuclear equipment.

In addition, long-range anti-aircraft systems themselves need protection. They need to be covered from the air with short-range air defense systems. Today, regiments with the S-400 receive the Pantsir-S air defense missile systems for this (2 per division), but the S-300P and B are not covered by anything, except, of course, for effective protection of anti-aircraft machine gun installations of 12.7 mm caliber.

"Pantsir-S"

The situation with the lighting of the air situation is no better. This should be done by radio engineering troops, their functional duty is to issue early information about the beginning of an enemy air attack, provide target designation for anti-aircraft missile forces and air defense aviation, as well as information for controlling air defense formations, units and subunits.

During the years of “reforms”, the continuous radar field formed during the Soviet era was partially, and in some places completely lost.
At present, there is practically no possibility of controlling the air situation over the polar latitudes.

Until recently, our political and former military leadership appears to have been preoccupied with other more pressing issues, such as downsizing the military and selling off "surplus" military property and real estate.

Only recently, at the end of 2014, the Minister of Defense, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, announced measures that should help correct the existing situation in this area.

As part of the expansion of our military presence in the Arctic, it is planned to build and reconstruct existing facilities on the New Siberian Islands and Franz Josef Land, reconstruct airfields and deploy modern radar stations in Tiksi, Naryan-Mar, Alykel, Vorkuta, Anadyr and Rogachevo. The creation of a continuous radar field over the territory of Russia should be completed by 2018. At the same time, it is planned to upgrade radar stations and data processing and transmission facilities by 30%.

Separate mention deserves fighter aviation, designed to deal with enemy air attack weapons and carry out tasks to gain air superiority. Currently, the Russian Air Force formally has (taking into account those in "storage") about 900 fighters, of which: Su-27 of all modifications - more than 300, Su-30 of all modifications - about 50, Su-35S - 34, MiG -29 of all modifications - about 250, MiG-31 of all modifications - about 250.

It should be borne in mind that a significant part of the Russian fighter fleet is only nominally in the Air Force. Many aircraft produced in the late 80s and early 90s require major repairs and modernization. In addition, due to problems with the supply of spare parts and the replacement of failed avionics units, some of the upgraded fighters are in fact, as the aviators put it, "doves of peace." They can still take to the air, but they can no longer fully complete a combat mission.

The past year 2014 was notable for the volumes of deliveries of aviation equipment to the Russian armed forces that were unprecedented since the times of the USSR.

In 2014, our Air Force received 24 Su-35S multifunctional fighters manufactured by the Yu.A. Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (branch of Sukhoi Company OJSC):

Twenty of them became part of the reconstructed 23rd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 303rd Guards Mixed Aviation Division of the 3rd Air Force and Air Defense Command of Russia at the Dzemgi airfield (Khabarovsk Territory), which is joint with the plant.

All these fighters were built under a contract dated August 2009 with the Russian Ministry of Defense for the construction of 48 Su-35S fighters. Thus, the total number of vehicles manufactured under this contract by the beginning of 2015 reached 34.

The production of Su-30SM fighters for the Russian Air Force is carried out by the Irkut Corporation under two contracts for 30 aircraft each, concluded with the Russian Ministry of Defense in March and December 2012. After the delivery of 18 vehicles in 2014, the total number of Su-30SMs delivered to the Russian Air Force reached 34 units.

Eight more Su-30M2 fighters were produced by the Yu.A. Gagarin in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

Three fighters of this type entered the newly formed 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 27th Mixed Aviation Division of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Command of Russia at the Belbek airfield (Crimea).

The Su-30M2 aircraft were built under a contract dated December 2012 for the supply of 16 Su-30M2 fighters, bringing the total number of aircraft built under this contract to 12, and the total number of Su-30M2 in the Russian Air Force to 16.

However, this significant amount by today's standards is absolutely not enough to replace in the fighter regiments written off due to the complete physical deterioration of the aircraft.

Even if the current pace of deliveries of aircraft to the troops is maintained, according to forecasts, in five years the fighter fleet of the Russian Air Force will be reduced to about 600 aircraft.

During the next five years, about 400 Russian fighters will probably be written off - up to 40% of the current payroll.

This is primarily due to the upcoming decommissioning of the old-built MiG-29s (about 200 units) in the very near future. Due to problems with the airframe, about 100 aircraft have already been rejected.

The non-modernized Su-27s, whose flight life is ending in the near future, will also be decommissioned. The number of MiG-31 interceptors will be reduced by more than half. As part of the Air Force, it is planned to leave 30-40 MiG-31s in DZ and BS modifications, another 60 MiG-31s will be upgraded to the BM version. The remaining MiG-31s (about 150 units) are planned to be written off.

Partially, the shortage of long-range interceptors should be resolved after the start of mass deliveries of the PAK FA. It was announced that it is planned to purchase up to 60 PAK FA units by 2020, but so far these are only plans that are likely to undergo significant adjustments.

The Russian Air Force has 15 AWACS A-50 aircraft (another 4 are in “storage”), recently they were supplemented by 3 modernized A-50U.
The first A-50U was delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2011.

As a result of the work carried out as part of the modernization, the functionality of the airborne early warning and control complex has significantly increased. The number of simultaneously tracked targets and simultaneously guided fighters has been increased, the detection range of various aircraft has been increased.

The A-50 should be replaced by the A-100 AWACS aircraft based on the Il-76MD-90A with the PS-90A-76 engine. The antenna complex is built on the basis of an antenna with an active phased array.

At the end of November 2014 TANTK them. G. M. Beriev received the first Il-76MD-90A aircraft for conversion into A-100 AWACS aircraft. Deliveries to the Russian Air Force are scheduled to begin in 2016.

All domestic AWACS aircraft are based on a permanent basis in the European part of the country. Beyond the Urals, they appear quite rarely, for the most part during large-scale exercises.

Unfortunately, loud statements from high tribunes about the revival of our Air Force and Air Defense often have little in common with reality. Absolute irresponsibility for the promises made by high-ranking civil and military officials has become an unpleasant tradition in the “new” Russia.

As part of the state armaments program, it was supposed to have twenty-eight 2-divisional S-400 regiments and up to ten divisions of the latest S-500 air defense system (the latter should perform the tasks of not only air defense and tactical missile defense, but also strategic missile defense) by 2020. Now there is no doubt that these plans will be thwarted. The same fully applies to plans for the production of PAK FA.

However, no one, as usual, will be seriously punished for disrupting the state program. After all, we “do not hand over our own”, and “we are not in our 37th year”, right?

P. S. All the information provided in the article regarding the Russian Air Force and Air Defense is taken from open public sources, the list of which is given. The same applies to possible inaccuracies and errors.

Information sources:
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru
http://bmpd.livejournal.com
http://geimint.blogspot.ru
Satellite imagery courtesy of Google Earth

November 30, 1914 can be considered the starting point for the existence of air defense forces in Russia. On this day, the commander-in-chief of the 6th Army, which guarded Petrograd, Adjutant General Konstantin Van der Fleet, by his order, announced a special "Instruction for aeronautics in the area of the 6th Army." According to the document, for the first time in Russia, "air defense" of the capital and its environs was organized.

After more than a century of history, in the summer of 2015, a new branch of the Armed Forces, the Aerospace Forces, was created. It was created by merging the Air Force and the Aerospace Defense Forces. More than a year has passed since then. The main task of the largest organizational event in recent years in the Armed Forces was to be the creation of a unified system of aerospace defense.

However, in Russia, as it turned out, there is still no key component of such a system - a unified air defense (air defense) of the country.

Reforms and Serdyukov

Air defense troops as a separate branch of the armed forces existed in Russia until 1998, when Russian President Boris Yeltsin demanded immediate structural reforms of the army - primarily a sharp reduction in the combat and numerical strength of the armed forces. Then it was decided to unite the Air Defense Forces and the Air Force into one structure with a simultaneous sharp reduction. However, at that time, the relative centralization of management was still preserved.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, the General Staff, the main commands of various troops and military scientific organizations of the Ministry of Defense began to actively develop options for building a unified system of Aerospace Defense (VKO), but then they did not dare to make the necessary structural changes.

A new wave of transformations in this area began in 2010 after joining.

A campaign was launched to form the so-called unified approaches to building the aerospace defense and creating the necessary groupings of troops in four strategic directions: "West", "East", "Center" and "South", to which the main groupings of all types of the Armed Forces and types of troops.

The so-called operational-strategic commands were established (in fact, with the exception of signs, they are not much different from military districts). The Air Force and Air Defense armies were withdrawn from the direct subordination of the Air Force High Command and transferred to the operational subordination of the "local" commands.

Marshal Ogarkov's experiment

There was nothing fundamentally new in this decision, Colonel-General, ex-Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces, explained to Gazeta.Ru.

“Exactly the same subordination was already carried out in 1975,” recalls Litvinov. - It happened on the initiative of the then head of Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov. The border separate air defense armies in the western direction were transferred on an experimental basis to the Baltic, Belarusian and Carpathian military districts. The course of the experiment was repeatedly checked by various commissions. The assessments were very different. Most experts were against these innovations. But the general conclusions were presented only in the way the author of the idea wanted - ".

Those who spoke out against it started having problems, and those who admired Ogarkov's initiatives were rapidly promoted, the military leader clarifies.

According to the results of the experiment in 1980, all border air defense formations were given to military districts. Thus, the unified air defense system of the country and the Armed Forces was fragmented, says Litvinov.

In 1985, individual air defense armies, after unsuccessful attempts to prove to the USSR Minister of Defense the ability of the commanders of military districts to effectively manage subordinate air defense formations, were again returned to their original state, to the 1975 level. As a result, only personnel, financial and material losses remained from Ogarkov's experiment.

The state of affairs shocked

After the abolition of the Air Defense Forces as a branch of the Armed Forces in 1998, and after another 13 years and the transfer of the relevant associations to the military districts, the unified system built over the years fell apart again, says Lieutenant General Vladimir Ruvimov, ex-Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force for armaments.

“The head section of the aerospace defense system (the Moscow Air Defense District in the old days) went to the leaders of the Space Forces, who had never dealt with the problems of organizing air defense before,” recalls Ruvimov. - By and large, their competence in these complex problems was not much different from the awareness and literacy in matters of air defense (aerospace defense) of signalmen, sappers, submariners or rear workers.

And immediately, without really understanding anything, having neither the appropriate education nor service experience for this, they bravely set about building an updated air defense system (VKO) of the country.

When the problem of reforming the air defense (VKO) was once again raised at the General Staff, the opinion of experts in this area was still requested, but never taken into account, Gazeta.Ru interlocutors who are familiar with the reform process assure.

As a result, the combat control of the Russian Air Force and Air Defense armies came under the leadership of the commanders of the four districts and the Northern Fleet.

“What kind of direct control in this case is carried out by the High Command of the Aerospace Forces is still unclear. In fact, it performs the function of combat control only of the 1st air defense-missile defense (special purpose) army, ”

- complained in an interview with Gazeta.Ru a high-ranking source in the leadership of the VKS.

According to him, the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces exercises direct control only of the Aerospace Defense Forces allocated to him from the districts as part of combat duty and only in peacetime. The commanders of the five armies of the Air Force and Air Defense of the military districts are not even present at the regular Military Councils held in the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces.

“What unified system of the country’s aerospace defense for wartime can we talk about in these conditions?” - says the interlocutor of "Gazeta.Ru".

As usual, all the shortcomings in the organization and structure of the troops were revealed during the fighting.

On the eve of the armed conflict with Georgia in August 2008, the entire leadership of the Air Force was represented exclusively by pilots, which led them to underestimate the role of other branches of the armed forces - reconnaissance, electronic warfare, air defense - in armed confrontation in the air.

The consequences turned out to be the saddest - absolutely unjustified losses in aviation in the first days of the conflict.

This state of affairs even shocked the Air Force command in the first day of the conflict, recalls the former commander of the 4th separate air defense army, Colonel General Anatoly Hyupenen.

“Things could have gone according to a much worse scenario in those days, if not for the urgent transfer of the S-300PS anti-aircraft missile regiment from the Moscow region (at that time from the operational-strategic command of the aerospace defense) to Abkhazia,” says the military leader.

Unforgotten old

In recent years, the Aerospace Forces have seen clear progress in rearmament issues. In 2015, military aviation received about 200 aircraft. The same number of combat vehicles is planned to be transferred to pilots in 2016. A lot of work is underway to improve the entire air defense infrastructure.

New over-the-horizon detection stations are being put into operation, the launch of new military and dual-purpose spacecraft is being actively carried out, the troops continue to receive the latest S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems and Pantsir-S1 air defense systems, a new fleet of radars, automated control and communication systems. The quality of operational and combat training of personnel is also growing.

In all this, there is a great merit of the current leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the command of the Aerospace Forces, however, the logistics of air defense formations after subordination to their districts has deteriorated significantly, Gazeta.Ru's interlocutors emphasize.

The relevant structures of the districts are primarily engaged in providing the Ground Forces.

Air defense regiments and divisions are still “alien” for them and stand in line for allowances at best second, or even third, and most often last, says a Gazeta.Ru source close to the leadership of one of the air defense armies .

In 2014, when it was decided to send an additional contingent of troops to the Republic of Crimea to ensure security during the referendum, Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft with personnel began to make continuous flights to the airfields of the peninsula. Ukrainian planes tried to interfere with the Russian ones by simulating military attacks, says Colonel General Hupenen.

“It was necessary to tightly close the sky of Crimea. And again, in the shortest possible time, the S-300PM anti-aircraft missile regiment from the Moscow region from the air defense-missile defense command is being transferred to the territory of the republic.

From the moment the regiment took up combat duty, all provocations in the air immediately ceased. No one had a desire to enter the zone of destruction of a modern anti-aircraft missile system. But one can only imagine what the consequences of provocations against our aircraft would have been if an appropriate order had been received from Kyiv,” the general explains.

According to him, the role of air defense systems in the Syrian conflict was also noticeable. Already at the initial stage of the campaign, it was known that in the areas of combat use of Russian aviation, aircraft of the air forces of the countries of the coalition led by the United States were flying. There were warnings from Ankara that if our planes violate Turkish airspace, there will be an extremely unfriendly reaction. However, until the Russian Su-24 was shot down, no measures were taken to cover strike aircraft from the ground.

“In just a day, the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system was delivered by air to Latakia and deployed in a new position area,” says Hüpenen.

Nevertheless, according to the interlocutors of Gazeta.Ru, proper conclusions are not being made about the results of the reforms of the last decades. The modern leaders of the Aerospace Forces still lack the understanding that, in addition to their relatives and close branches of the armed forces, there are others in the new branch of the Armed Forces that are no less significant and very effective in combat. Moreover, a systematic increase in the combat capabilities of air defense groupings in strategic directions due to new types of weapons is not the solution to all problems.

“Today, the creation of a unified system of the country's aerospace defense in the Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces is not even out of the question, apparently everyone is satisfied with the current state of affairs. Nobody wants to come up with an alternative point of view that contradicts the position of the leadership of the military districts, and even more so the General Staff, ”explained the interlocutor of Gazeta.Ru, who is close to the leadership of the VKS.

The creation at one time under the leadership of Marshal Pavel Batitsky of a unified command and control system for the air defense forces of the country was the first and, most importantly, a successful example of the implementation of the idea of forming strategic associations in the areas of armed struggle, the former chief of the Main Staff of the Air Defense Forces Colonel-General of Aviation states.

“Subsequently, this was also implemented in the corresponding automated control systems, and for each element of the created structure, starting from the High Command of the country's air defense, air defense formations and ending with formations, units and subdivisions - up to and including individual companies,” emphasizes Maltsev.

According to him, the extensive experience of large-scale exercises conducted to repel massive air strikes confirmed the success of this system in different conditions, and this finally convinced the air defense leadership that with the outbreak of hostilities, no restructuring of the troops would be required.

The success of the system also consisted in the fact that, depending on the situation, it provided both centralized combat command and control of the air defense forces and decentralized, moreover, in each link of the system in accordance with the assigned combat missions.

Svyatoslav Petrov

Russia celebrated the Day of Military Air Defense on Tuesday. Control over the sky is one of the most urgent tasks for ensuring the security of the country. Air defense units of the Russian Federation are replenished with the latest radar and anti-aircraft systems, some of which have no analogues in the world. As the Ministry of Defense expects, the current pace of rearmament will allow by 2020 to significantly increase the combat capabilities of the units. Due to what Russia has become one of the leaders in the field of air defense, RT understood.

The calculation of the self-propelled firing system alerts the Buk-M1-2 air defense system
Kirill Braga / RIA Novosti

On December 26, Russia celebrates Military Air Defense Day. The formation of this type of troops began with the decree of Nicholas II, signed exactly 102 years ago. Then the emperor ordered to send an automobile battery to the front in the Warsaw region, designed to destroy enemy aircraft. The first air defense system in Russia was created on the basis of the chassis of the Russo-Balt T truck, on which a 76-mm Lender-Tarnovsky anti-aircraft gun was installed.

Now the Russian air defense forces are divided into military air defense, whose units are part of the ground forces, airborne forces and navy, as well as object air defense / missile defense, parts of which belong to the aerospace forces.

Military air defense is responsible for covering military infrastructure, groupings of troops at permanent deployment points and during various maneuvers. Objective air defense / missile defense performs strategic tasks related to protecting Russia's borders from air attack and covering some of the most important objects.

The military air defense is armed with medium and short-range complexes, a military expert, director of the air defense museum in Balashikha, Yuri Knutov, said in an interview with RT. At the same time, the site air defense/missile defense systems are provided with systems that allow monitoring airspace and hitting targets at long distances.

“Military air defense should have high mobility and cross-country ability, fast deployment time, enhanced survivability and the ability to work as autonomously as possible. Objective air defense is included in the overall defense control system and can detect and hit the enemy at long distances, ”Knutov said.

According to the expert, the experience of local conflicts of recent decades, including the Syrian operation, demonstrates the urgent need to cover ground forces from air threats. Airspace control is critical in a theater of operations (theatre).

So, in Syria, the Russian military deployed the S-300V4 anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) (military air defense weapon) to protect the naval support point in Tartus, and the S-400 Triumph system (refers to the object air defense / missile defense system) is responsible for the air defense of the Khmeimim airbase. ).

Self-propelled launcher ZRS S-300V
Evgeny Biyatov / RIA Novosti

“Who owns the sky wins the battle on earth. Without air defense systems, ground equipment becomes an easy target for aviation. Examples are the military defeats of Saddam Hussein's army in Iraq, the Serbian army in the Balkans, terrorists in Iraq and Syria," Knutov explained.

In his opinion, the lag in the aviation sector from the United States became an incentive for the rapid development of anti-aircraft technology in the USSR. The Soviet government accelerated the development of air defense systems and radar stations (RLS) in order to neutralize the superiority of the Americans.

“We were forced to defend ourselves against threats from the air. However, this historical lag has led to the fact that our country has been creating the best air defense systems in the world for the last 50-60 years, which have no equal, ”the expert emphasized.

far frontier

On December 26, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that at present the military air defense is at the stage of rearmament. The military department expects that the arrival of the latest air defense systems will allow by 2020 to significantly increase the combat capabilities of the air defense forces. Earlier, plans were announced to increase the share of modern equipment in military air defense to 70% in 2020.

“This year, the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District received the Buk-MZ medium-range anti-aircraft missile system, and the anti-aircraft missile regiments of the combined arms formations received the Tor-M2 short-range anti-aircraft missile systems, the air defense units of the combined arms formations received the latest anti-aircraft missile systems.” Willow,” the Ministry of Defense noted.

The main developers of air defense systems in Russia are NPO Almaz-Antey and the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering. Air defense systems are divided among themselves according to a number of characteristics, one of the main ones is the range of interception of an air target. There are complexes of long-range, medium and small ranges.

In military air defense, the S-300 air defense system is responsible for the long line of defense. The system was developed in the USSR in the 1980s, but has undergone many upgrades, which improved its combat effectiveness.

The most modern version of the complex is the S-300V4. The air defense system is armed with three types of guided hypersonic two-stage solid-propellant missiles: light (9M83M), medium (9M82M) and heavy (9M82MD).

C-300B4 provides simultaneous destruction of 16 ballistic missiles and 24 aerodynamic targets (aircraft and drones) at ranges up to 400 km (heavy missile), 200 km (medium missile) or 150 km (light missile), at an altitude of up to 40 km. This air defense system is capable of hitting targets whose speed can reach up to 4500 m/s.

The S-300V4 includes launchers (9A83 / 9A843M), radar systems for software (9S19M2 "Ginger") and all-round visibility (9S15M "Obzor-3"). All machines have tracked chassis and therefore are all-terrain vehicles. The S-300V4 is capable of long-term combat duty in the most extreme natural and climatic conditions.

The C-300V4 entered service in 2014. The Western Military District was the first to receive this missile system. The latest anti-aircraft missile systems were used to protect the Olympic facilities in Sochi in 2014, and later the air defense system was deployed to cover Tartus. In the future, the C-300V4 will replace all long-range military systems.

“The S-300V4 is capable of fighting both aircraft and missiles. The main problem of our time in the field of air defense is the fight against hypersonic missiles. Due to the dual homing system and high flight performance, S-300V4 air defense missiles are capable of hitting almost all types of modern ballistic, tactical and cruise missiles, ”said Knutov.

According to the expert, the United States was hunting for S-300 technologies - and at the turn of the 1980-1990s they managed to get several Soviet air defense systems. On the basis of these complexes, the United States developed the THAAD air defense / missile defense system and improved the characteristics of the Patriot air defense system, but the Americans could not completely repeat the success of Soviet specialists.

"Shoot and forget"

In 2016, the Buk-M3 medium-range anti-aircraft missile system entered service with the military air defense. This is the fourth generation of the Buk air defense system created in the 1970s. It is designed to destroy maneuvering aerodynamic, radio-contrast ground and surface targets.

The air defense system provides simultaneous shelling of up to 36 air targets flying from any direction at a speed of up to 3 km / s, at a distance of 2.5 km to 70 km and an altitude of 15 m to 35 km. The launcher can carry both six (9K317M) and 12 (9A316M) missiles in transport and launch containers.

The Buk-M3 is equipped with 9M317M two-stage solid-propellant anti-aircraft guided missiles, which are capable of hitting a target in conditions of active radio suppression by the enemy. To do this, the 9M317M design provides for two homing modes at the end points of the route.

The maximum flight speed of the Buk-M3 rocket is 1700 m/s. This allows it to hit almost all types of operational-tactical ballistic and aeroballistic missiles.

The Buk-M3 divisional set consists of an air defense system command post (9S510M), three detection and target designation stations (9S18M1), an illumination and guidance radar (9S36M), at least two launchers, and also transport-loading vehicles (9T243M). All military medium-range air defense systems are planned to be replaced by Buk-M2 and Buk-M3.

“In this complex, a unique rocket with an active warhead has been implemented. It allows you to implement the "fire and forget" principle, since the missile has the ability to homing on a target, which is especially important in conditions of radio suppression by the enemy. Moreover, the updated Buk complex is capable of tracking and firing at several targets at the same time, which significantly increases its effectiveness, ”said Knutov.

fire on the march

Since 2015, the Tor-M2 short-range air defense systems began to enter the Russian army. There are two versions of this technique - "Tor-M2U" for Russia on caterpillar tracks and export "Tor-M2E" on a wheeled chassis.

The complex is designed to protect motorized rifle and tank formations from air-to-ground missiles, corrected and guided bombs, anti-radar missiles and other new generation high-precision weapons.

"Tor-M2" can hit targets at a distance of 1 km to 15 km, at an altitude of 10 m to 10 km, flying at speeds up to 700 m/s. The capture and tracking of the target in this case occur in automatic mode with the ability to conduct almost continuous fire at several targets in turn. In addition, the unique air defense system has increased noise immunity.

According to Knutov, the Tor-M2 and the Pantsir anti-aircraft gun-missile system are the only vehicles in the world capable of firing on the march. Along with this, Thor has implemented a number of measures to automate and protect the complex from interference, which greatly facilitates the crew's combat mission.

“The machine itself selects the most suitable targets, while people can only give a command to open fire. The complex can partly solve the issues of combating cruise missiles, although it is most effective against enemy attack aircraft, helicopters and drones, ”the RT interlocutor emphasized.

Technology of the future

Yuri Knutov believes that Russian air defense systems will continue to improve, taking into account the latest trends in the development of aviation and missile technology. SAM systems of the future generation will become more versatile, will be able to recognize subtle targets and hit hypersonic missiles.

The expert drew attention to the fact that the role of automation has increased significantly in military air defense. It not only allows you to unload the crew of combat vehicles, but also insures against possible errors. In addition, the Air Defense Forces implement the principle of network-centrism, that is, interspecific interaction in the theater of operations within the framework of a single information field.

“The most effective means of air defense will manifest themselves when a common network of interaction and control appears. This will bring the combat capabilities of vehicles to a completely different level - both in joint operations as part of a joint link, and in the presence of a global intelligence and information space. The efficiency and awareness of the command will increase, as well as the overall coherence of the formations, ”explained Knutov.

Along with this, he noted that air defense systems are often used as an effective weapon against ground targets. In particular, the Shilka anti-aircraft artillery system proved to be excellent in the fight against the armored vehicles of terrorists in Syria. Military air defense units, according to Knutov, may in the future receive a more universal purpose and be used in the protection of strategic facilities.

Air defense is a special set of measures that are aimed at repelling any air threat. As a rule, this is an air attack of the enemy. The Russian air defense system is divided into the following types:

Military air defense. This is a special kind of NE of Russia. The air defense troops of the Russian ground forces are the most numerous type of air defense in Russia;
Objective air defense, which since 1998 became part of the Russian Air Force, and since 2009-2010 are aerospace defense brigades;
Shipborne air defense or air defense system of the navy. Air defense missiles, which are armed with ship-based air defense systems (for example, the Storm air defense system), are capable of not only protecting ships from enemy air attacks, but also hitting surface ships.

Air Defense Day was introduced in the USSR on February 20, 1975, as a special holiday for the military, who were related to the country's air defense. Then the day of air defense was celebrated on April 11. Since 1980, Air Defense Day in the USSR has been celebrated every second Sunday in April.

In 2006, by a special Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 31, Air Defense Day was officially declared a memorable day. The holiday is also celebrated every second Sunday in April.

The history of the emergence of air defense forces in Russia

The need for the appearance of anti-aircraft artillery was recognized at the end of the 19th century. In 1891, the first firing at air targets took place, which were used as balloons and balloons. Artillery showed that it could quite successfully deal with stationary air targets, although firing at moving targets was unsuccessful.

In 1908-1909, experimental firing at moving targets took place, as a result of which it was decided that in order to successfully combat aviation, it was necessary to create a special gun designed to fire at moving air targets.

In 1914, the Putilov Plant manufactured four 76 mm guns, which were intended to fight enemy aircraft. These guns were moved on special trucks. Despite this, before the start of the First World War, Russia was completely unprepared for combat with an air enemy. Already in the autumn of 1914, the command had to urgently form special artillery units, the main task of which was to fight enemy aircraft.

In the USSR, the first air defense units, consisting of searchlight companies and machine gun installations, took part for the first time in a military parade on May 1, 1929. By the parade of 1930, the air defense forces were replenished with anti-aircraft artillery, which moved in cars:

Anti-aircraft guns of 76 mm caliber;
Machine gun installations;
Projector installations;
Soundproof installations.

Air Defense Forces during World War II

The Second World War demonstrated how important aviation is. The ability to deliver swift air strikes has become one of the keys to the success of military operations. The state of the USSR air defense before the start of the Second World War was far from perfect and was completely unsuitable for repelling massive German air raids. Although before the start of the Second World War, the Soviet command devoted a lot of time and money to the development of air defense systems, these troops were completely unprepared to repel modern German aircraft.

The entire first half of the Second World War is characterized by huge losses of Soviet troops precisely because of enemy air raids. The ground forces of the USSR did not have the necessary air defense system at all. The defense of the corps from air attacks was carried out by the regular number of air defense systems, which were represented by the following fire weapons per 1 km of the front:

2 anti-aircraft guns;
1 heavy machine gun;
3 anti-aircraft quadruple installations.

In addition to the fact that these guns were clearly not enough, there was a huge need for fighter aircraft at the front. The air surveillance, warning and communications system was in its infancy, and did not cope with the tasks assigned to them at all. For a long time, the troops did not even have their own means of this type. To carry out these functions, it was planned to strengthen the army with VNOS radio companies. These companies did not at all correspond to the technical development of German aviation, since they could only detect enemy aircraft visually. Such detection was possible only at a distance of 10-12 km, and modern German aircraft covered such a distance in 1-2 minutes.

The domestic theory of the development of air defense troops before the start of the Second World War did not make any serious emphasis on the development of this group of troops. Based on the dogmas of this theory, the air defense forces, no matter how highly developed they are, are not able to provide full protection of the front from enemy air raids. In any case, small groups of the enemy will still be able to fly and destroy the target. That is why the command of the USSR did not pay serious attention to the air defense forces, and the construction of air defense was based on the fact that air defense systems would distract the enemy, enabling aviation to join the battle.

In any case, the fighter aviation of the USSR in the first years of the war was not able to give any serious rebuff to enemy aircraft, which is why German pilots in those years staged a real entertaining "hunt" for ground targets.

Realizing their mistakes, the Soviet command concentrated its efforts on the development of air defense systems, placing special emphasis on improving fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery.

The development of air defense after the end of the Second World War

In 1946, a new era began in the development of the air defense forces - a new department was created, whose task was to test anti-aircraft missiles. During the 1947-1950s, this department, which was located at the Kapustin Yar training ground, tested German anti-aircraft missiles, while supervising the development of Soviet-made anti-aircraft missiles. Until 1957, this committee was engaged in testing domestically developed anti-aircraft unguided missiles.

In 1951, tests of anti-aircraft missiles became so large-scale that it was necessary to create a special range for testing anti-aircraft missiles. This test site was formed on June 6, 1951. Rocket testers from all over the country were sent to this test site as personnel.

The first launch of a guided anti-aircraft missile took place at this test site in 1951. In 1955, the first in the USSR anti-aircraft missile system S-25 "Berkut" was adopted by the Air Defense Forces, which remained in service until the 90s.

In the period from 1957 to 1961, a new S-75 mobile anti-aircraft missile system was developed and put into service. This air defense system for 30 years remained the main weapon of the Soviet air defense forces. In the future, the S-75 air defense system received many modifications and was supplied as military assistance to friendly countries. It was the S-75 anti-aircraft missile system that shot down the American U-2 aircraft in 1960 near Sverdlovsk. During the Vietnam War, the S-75 air defense system, which was supplied as military aid to Vietnam, shot down many American aircraft. According to the most rough estimates, this air defense system destroyed more than 1,300 units of American aircraft of various systems.

In 1961, the new S-125 short-range anti-aircraft missile system was adopted. This air defense system proved to be so effective that it is still in service with Russian air defense. During the Arab-Israeli wars, the S-125 complex was able to destroy several dozen supersonic aircraft belonging to the United States and Israel.

The Great Patriotic War showed that air defense systems have great prospects. The development of air defense in the second half of the 20th century was carried out in the right direction, which was repeatedly proved in the course of numerous Arab-Israeli conflicts. The tactics of using air defense systems were now based on completely different principles. New air defense systems had the following characteristics:

Mobility of anti-aircraft missile systems;
The suddenness of their use, for which they carefully disguised themselves;
General survivability and maintainability of air defense systems.

To date, the basis of anti-aircraft weapons of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation are the following complexes and systems:

S-300V. This system is capable of effectively protecting troops not only from enemy aircraft, but also from ballistic missiles. This system could fire two types of missiles, one of which was ground-to-ground;
"Buk-M1". This complex was developed in the 90s, and it was put into service in 1998;
"Tor-M1". This system is able to independently control the designated airspace;
OSA-AKM. This SAM system is very mobile;
"Tunguska-M1", which was put into service in 2003.

All these systems are developments of well-known Russian designers and not only incorporate all the best qualities of their predecessors, but are also equipped with modern electronics. These complexes effectively protect troops from all types of air attacks, thereby providing reliable cover for the army.

At various military exhibitions, domestic anti-aircraft missile systems not only are not inferior to foreign counterparts, but also surpass them in a number of parameters, ranging from range to power.

The main prospects for the modern development of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces

The main areas in which the development of modern air defense forces is directed are:

Change and reorganization of all structures, one way or another connected with air defense. The main task of the reorganization is the maximum use of all the resources and combat power of the missile weapons that are now entering service. Another task of paramount importance is to establish the maximum interaction of the air defense forces with other groups of troops of the Russian army;
Development of weapons and military equipment of a new generation, which will be able to fight not only with existing means of air attack, but also with the latest developments in the field of hypersonic technologies;
Change and improvement of the personnel training system. Particular attention should be paid to changing the training program, because it has not changed for many years, although new air defense systems have long been adopted.

The priority is still the planned development of the latest air defense models, the modernization of older models and the complete replacement of obsolete air defense systems. In general, the modern air defense system is developing in accordance with the words of the famous Marshal Zhukov, who said that only a powerful military air defense system is able to repel sudden enemy attacks, thereby enabling the Armed Forces to engage in a full-scale battle.

Modern air defense systems and air defense systems in the Russian air defense forces

One of the main air defense systems that are in service with the air defense forces is the S-300V system. This system is capable of hitting air targets at a distance of up to 100 km. Already in 2014, the S-300V air defense systems began to be gradually replaced by a new system, which was called the S-300V4. The new system has been improved in all respects, it is an improved modification of the S-300V, differing from it in an increased range, a more reliable design, which is distinguished by improved protection against radio interference. The new system is able to deal more effectively with all types of air targets that appear within its range.

The next most popular complex is the Buk air defense system. Since 2008, a modification of the complex, called the Buk-M2, has been in service with the air defense forces. This air defense system can simultaneously hit up to 24 targets, and the range of hitting targets reaches 200 km. Since 2016, the Buk-M3 complex has been adopted, which is a model made on the basis of the Buk-M2 and seriously modified.

Another popular air defense system is the TOR complex. In 2011, a new modification of the air defense system, called the TOR-M2U, began to enter service. This modification has the following differences from the base model:

She can conduct reconnaissance on the move;
Fire at 4 air targets at once, thereby providing an all-round defeat.

The latest modification is called "Tor-2". Unlike previous models of the TOR family, this modification has a 2-fold increase in ammunition and is capable of firing on the move, ensuring the complete safety of troops on the march.

In addition, Russian air defense systems also have man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. The ease of training and use of this type of weapon makes it a serious problem for enemy air forces. Since 2014, new MANPADS "Verba" began to enter the air defense units of the Ground Forces. Their use is justified when you have to operate in conditions of powerful optical interference, which hinder the operation of powerful automatic air defense systems.

At present, the share of modern air defense systems in the air defense forces is about 40 percent. The latest Russian air defense systems have no analogues in the world, and are capable of providing complete protection against sudden air attacks.

air defense. Problems and successes of Russia. "Stealth" lose their meaning?

Pictures with the 40N6E anti-aircraft missile appeared on the Army-2018 forum. And this is increasingly leading to confidence that a significant announcement will finally be made that it will be adopted. And the S-400 complex will finally become universal, as it was originally intended. Moreover, another event may also indicate that he finally covers all ranges- short to long range. And coupled with interesting information about the development of new radar systems. it may turn out that "stealth" is already on the verge of losing its meaning. In principle, they were not "invisible" anyway, just most of the radars in the world (which, by the way, are far from new) saw them simply at a shorter range than conventional aircraft - that is, there was no talk of invisibility as such. Therefore, "stealth" could build their flight on avoiding radars that could detect them. And now it may turn out that as a signal of a radar capture and an indication of the approach of a missile, it may turn out to be an extremely unpleasant surprise for the pilots of "stealth" aircraft, especially Western ones. More on this and more below:

It seems to be a marker of the readiness of this missile, which TASS infographics lists as being in service since 1999, are two other air defense systems - the naval "Polyment-Redut" and the intermediate "sharpened" for the tasks of the missile defense system "Vityaz". Moreover, it was called that it was problems with the air defense system that kept the fleet of the lead frigate of the series "Admiral of the Fleet of the USSR Gorshkov", moreover, for several years. However, the situation with the Vityaz air defense system is no better - they promised to complete the tests at the beginning of 2015 and even begin production. It would seem that add detection and guidance means to the missile that has been around for a long time and have a "profit". But nevertheless, almost three years have passed since the demonstration of the assembled air defense system to Putin at the plant (the air defense system itself was shown at MAKS-2013), but the result of state tests has not been documented, nor was the demonstration of the assembled complex at the Army 2018 forum. On the other hand, the frigate was finally handed over to the fleet in July 2018, which suggests that the complex is more combat-ready than not. And I would venture to say that we will finally see the 9M96 as part of the S-400. Why do I consider this an important factor? If only because the 9M96 missile is optimal for hitting cruise missiles and is much larger than the more expensive and bulky (almost two tons in weight or almost five times more than 9M96) 48N6. In other words, destroying a cruise missile with the help of 48N6 is like destroying a tank by throwing another tank on top of it, or at least an infantry fighting vehicle. Therefore, the concept of the Vityaz air defense system (S-350) appeared, which should provide missile defense of important areas - rather industrial, but as an IMHO option and areas of concentration of troops in the depths of the territory. However, there is a good article that expresses doubts about the readiness of new air defense systems at the moment. What to decide in view of the existing lack of information about the state of de is already up to everyone. I am for optimism.

Launcher S-350.

Stealth. Or not?

Now about "stealth". The fact is that in Russia, China and the United States, work is in full swing to create a new type of radar stations based on radio photonics. And the real results of the theories that the new radars will become many times more compact and powerful are already quite expected. And the recent focus for the Chinese radar that detected the F-22 "stealth" is important over Korea (we are talking at least 300 km.) With a maximum detection range of 500 km. it may turn out to be quite an everyday routine, when "any dog" with a new radar, and not only with such a large one as in the picture below, will be able to consider the "stealth" as an ordinary aircraft and aim missiles at it.

Therefore, against the background of the intelligence received about the work on the new generation of radars abroad, as well as the calculations of our scientists, a decision may be made on the fate of the Su-57, especially since we did not have time to get involved in a "stealth" race for real- that is, to get serial combat vehicles. And therefore it is our happiness that we have the opportunity to decide whether to build the Su-57 or not. In any case, we will have 10-15 years before the moment when new types of radars begin to become too common for "stealth" to use its qualities for its intended purpose. And then the risks will increase. Therefore, I would not be surprised that the suspension of the order for the Su-57 is connected not so much with money, but also with the factor determining the role of the Su-57 in the Aerospace Forces, which, in connection with with a possible increase in the ability of the enemy to detect it will transform and decline. How things are with radio-photon radar in the USA can be clarified by comrades fluent in English who can find articles on the topic.

In general, there was a good interview on Aftershock about radio photonics.

Last month, the RTI concern reported on serious progress in the construction of new radar stations. Thus, not only KRET is working on the topic! By the way, we are talking not only about compact radars for aircraft and UAVs - but obviously many more compact radar seekers (homing heads) of both air-to-air and ground-to-air missiles, as well as about a new generation of cruise missiles for strikes along the surface.

I also recommend this article on the topic. A good mixture of sober assessments and exciting prospects.

It is pointless to count on a quick breakthrough. Although I would like the state to realize the prospects of the topic and, if this is not a fraud, would invest real money in this topic. After all, if the research can still be brought to life, then this can turn the "overpower" of the Yankees with hundreds of expensive (and even maintenance!) "stealths" built into ordinary aircraft, moreover, less useful than "non-stealths". Estimate the magnitude of a possible "bummer" of epic proportions for one country from the other hemisphere of the planet!

Zvezda correspondent filmed simultaneous launch of 12 S-400 missiles

F-117 stealth aircraft. Scanner. How stealth was shot down over Yugoslavia.

Russian air defense systems in action

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