MOSCOW: Russia has completed the delivery of the first regimental set of the air defence system S-400 to China. A third ship carrying missing support equipment has arrived at its port of destination. China will begin acceptance procedures at the end of May, a military-diplomatic source told TASS.

"The last batch of military equipment for the first regimental set of S-400 systems has been delivered by sea from Ust-Luga, the Leningrad Region, to China," the source said. "The ship has brought the equipment not damaged during a December storm in the English Channel and the damaged equipment after repairs."

A regimental set of S-400 systems was dispatched to China by three ships. Russia’s federal service for military-technical cooperation said last January that during a heavy storm in the English channel support equipment on board one of the three ships was affected. The transport ship had to return to the port of departure for re-examination of the affected components for defects. At the beginning of April it was announced that the first two ships carrying the bulk of the equipment had arrived in China.

According to the source, now that the third ship has arrived, the full regimental set of S-400 systems is in China. It includes the command center, radars, launchers, guided air defence missiles, power supply equipment and other items. Russian specialists will begin the handover of the military equipment to China at the end of May. The whole procedure will take about two months.

The federal service for military-technical cooperation has refrained from comment.

S-400 For China

The conclusion of a contract with China for the supply of S-400 systems was announced in November 2014. Presidential aide for military-technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin confirmed the conclusion of the contract in November 2015. China is the first foreign customer of these air defence systems. It is to obtain two regimental sets of S-400.

The air defence system S-400 Triumf is Russia’s long- and intermediate range system meant for hitting air attack weapons (including stealth aircraft) and other targets amid heavy fire and radio-electronic resistance.