S-500 Target Acquisition Radar (L) and the missile transporter erector launcher (TEL)

Russian advanced S-500 Prometey (Prometheus)  also known as 55R6M "Triumfator-M" air defence system belongs to the new generation of surface-to-air missile defence systems. It is a universal long-range and high-altitude interceptor system with an increased missile defence capability and is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. The prospective system is capable of hitting not only ballistic, but also aerodynamic targets (planes, helicopters, other air targets), as well as cruise missiles.

The S-500 is an anti-space weapon. The complex can neutralize targets at an altitude of almost 200 kilometres and at a range of up to 600 km.

The S-500 capabilities allow ballistic missiles to be intercepted on any part of the trajectory, including on the most complex, space, where the target flies at a speed of several kilometres per second. According to the colonel, with the advent of Prometheus, it will be possible to talk about missile defence of entire territories. And with the increase in output and improvement of the system - about the missile defence of the country as a whole.

S-500 "Triumfator-M" air defence system will not replace the S-400 and other complexes of previous generations, but will complement them. Its main task will be to destroy both ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Prometheus also has the ability to take satellites out of orbit. The S-500 is not a modernised version of the existing S-400 system, it is a completely new development. In its characteristics, it will be in many ways superior to its predecessor the S-400.

The S-500 will use both S-400 arsenal missiles - for example, 40N6M with a confirmed combat range of 380 kilometres - and new ones that have not been used in other systems. For example, the anti-missile 77N6-N is designed for the atmospheric interception of ballistic missiles at an altitude of up to 165 kilometres. To destroy satellites in low orbits, the S-500 has a 77N6-H1 missile with a nuclear warhead of low power, writes military expert of the National Radio of China Shao Yonglin. The translation of the article was published by Ino-media.

In the future, the S-500 will form the basis of Russia's unified missile defence system. The S-500 complex is planned to be merged with Russia's only A-135 Amur missile defence system, which protects Moscow and part of the central region of the country. The S-500 will form the basis of the unified national air and missile defence system being created in Russia.


In the near future, the Russian air defence system will have a more concise and clear structure, the expert believes. Now there are several types of weapons for each combat mission and area of responsibility, which creates confusion. In the future, the task of air and missile defence of the country will be mainly assigned to three anti-aircraft systems: S-350, S-400 and S-500.

"I believe that Prometheus will be placed far from the borders. This is a long-range air defence system (up to 3500 kilometres) and it makes no sense to deploy it on the front line. I think Moscow will be the first base of the S-500," writes Shao Yunlin.

According to the expert, the S-500 will change the anti-missile balance between Russia and the United States. However, this process will be imperceptible, as put the S-500 on combat duty will gradually.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said when the S-500 Prometheus air defence system will be ready for delivery to the Russian army. This is stated in the journal "Radio-Electronic Technologies."

"In 2019, the air defence forces tested the newest S-500 Prometheus air defence missile system with launches of new missiles unparalleled in the world. There is confidence that the new complex will be ready for deliveries to the troops in 2020," the deputy minister said.

Krivoruchko explained that the main task of this system is to combat the combat equipment of medium-range ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles on the final section of the trajectory, and in some cases - in the middle area.

In November 2019, it was reported that the work on the commissioning of the S-500 is completed on time.

S-500 will be able to intercept targets hundreds of kilometres from Earth, said Pavel Sozinov, general designer of Almaz-Antey concern.

"The interception in the upper atmosphere is real. It's hundreds of miles from Earth... It is a system that solves a whole range of tasks in both air and missile defence. To date, we are working out the elements of the system with the maximum savings allocated for testing," Sozinov said in an interview.

According to the general designer, the S-500 is unparalleled in the world and solves a whole range of problems of both air and missile defence. Now the developers are working out the elements of the system with maximum savings allocated for testing.

"We have tried to make a forecast for the next 25 years on the development of air and space attack capabilities and believe that it will be very reliable in terms of the characteristics that a potential adversary can achieve during this period of time. Accordingly, our system should be able to fight against those means that are not yet available, but may appear in five, seven or ten years," Sozinov added.

In early February, Deputy Defence Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko announced that in 2020 the complex would be ready for deliveries to the Armed Forces.

As Krivoruchko explained, the main task of the S-500 is to combat the combat equipment of medium-range ballistic missiles (independent interception with a range of up to 3.5 thousand kilometres) and intercontinental ballistic missiles on the final section of the trajectory, and in some cases - on the middle ground.

Tests of certain elements of the next-generation S-500 surface-to-air missile system are being completed in Russia, said Vladimir Dolbenkov, Director General of the Special Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (part of the Almaz-Antey group).

In June 2019, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said that increased tests of various elements of the S-500 surface-to-air missile system are being conducted with launches of new missiles which are unparalleled in the world. Later, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko stated that preliminary tests of the entire system were planned to begin in 2020.

Prometheus will occupy a niche between the S-400 and the strategic A-135. Triumphs will take up the usual targets, and specialized S-500 radars will help the long-range "Amur" to quickly understand the situation.

The Russian Armed Forces plan to receive the first systems of the S-500 surface-to-air missile system next year, Deputy Defence Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko told the National Defence magazine, whose May issue will be released in the coming days.

According to him, the conclusion of the state contract for the purchase of S-500 is scheduled for 2021 with delivery in 2025.

The delivery of this air defence system has been repeatedly delayed in the past few years.

According to Pavel Sozinov, general designer of Almaz-Antey development group, the S-500 will be able to intercept targets hundreds of kilometres from Earth.

The S-500 Prometheus belongs to the new generation of ground-air missile defences. It is a universal long-range and high-altitude interception complex with increased missile defence capability. The prospective system is capable of destroying not only ballistic, but also aerodynamic targets (planes, helicopters), as well as cruise missiles.

The S-500 intercept radius is about 600 kilometres. In addition, the system will be able to detect and simultaneously hit up to ten ballistic supersonic targets flying at speeds of up to seven kilometres per second, as well as combat units of hypersonic missiles.

The S-500 will be significantly superior to the S-400 and its American rival, the Patriot Advanced Capability-3.

Many U.S. military officials are concerned that even stealth fighters such as the F-22 and F-35 may have problems, and it is possible that they will not be able to bypass the S-500 systems.

Almaz-Antey Air Defence Concern has been working on the S-500 Prometheus complex since 2010. (Translated from the Russian)

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