In a report, Russian news agency TASS said, Russia has started serial production of the S-500 Prometey surface-to-air missile system, which is also known as the 55R6M Triumfator-M.
Jan Novikov, CEO of Almaz-Antey, the company that manufactures the S-500, confirmed the news.
According to Novikov, the S-500 ordered by the Russian Ministry of Defense will be delivered on time.
“Currently, the serial production of the S-500 system is organized with the help of the latest achievements of native science and technology. The combat capabilities of this system significantly exceed the capabilities of the previously created air defense and air defense systems. The S-500 is capable of becoming the basis of the Russian air defense system. It will be delivered to the troops within the deadline set by the state defense order,” said Novikov.
Last year, the Russian armed forces had conducted live test firings of the S-500 at the Kapustin Yar missile range, where Moscow routinely test fires its medium range and long-range missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles. Following the successful testing of the S-500, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov said, the 55R6M Triumfator-M had achieved all of its test characteristics.
About S-500 Prometey
The S-500 Prometey is Russia’s first all-Russian anti-aircraft missile system developed in its recent history. It is set to become its main air defense system and will replace the existing S-400 Triumph.
The S-500 can mitigate threats classified as hypersonic aircraft, intercontinental ballistic missiles and even satellites in orbit. The range of interception of hypersonic missiles and aircraft is 500 km.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the S-500 can intercept up to 10 ballistic hypersonic missiles simultaneously, including those flying at speeds of Mach 5.
Almaz-Antey claims the S-500 could affect enemy ICBM during the middle and end of their flight.
The system can be deployed quickly since the S-500 is highly mobile and has a response time of 4 seconds against a 10 seconds response time for the S-400.
A single S-500 battery includes a 77P6 launch vehicle, which is based on the BAZ-69096 10×10 truck, 2 55K6MA and 85Zh6-2 command posts, which are based on the BAZ-69092-12 6×6, a battle management radar, a 91N6A [M] acquisition and, a second 96L6-TsP acquisition radar, a 76T6 multimode engagement radar mounted on BAZ -6909-022 8×8 and a fourth 77T6 ABM engagement radar mounted on a BAZ-69096 10×10 vehicle.
Currently, it is not known as to what type of air defense missiles the S-500 will use.
According to experts, the missile arsenal could be the same that is already operational with the S-400 air defense system, although it is likely that a two-stage ATBM SA-12B Giant will be integrated since the 77P6 launch vehicle is designed to carry two SA-12B containers.
