New Russian S-500 Prometheus air defense missile system will enter soon in service TASS 11104172

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Defense & Security News - Russia
 
New Russian S-500 Prometheus air defense missile system will enter soon in service.
The S-500 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system will enter service with the Russian Aerospace Force (RusAF) in the near future, according to Air Defense Force Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Victor Gumyonny dual-hatted as RusAF deputy commander-in-chief.
     
The S-500 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system will enter service with the Russian Aerospace Force (RusAF) in the near future, according to Air Defense Force Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Victor Gumyonny dual-hatted as RusAF deputy commander-in-chief.
Drawing of future S-500 Prometheus TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) mobile unit.
     
"The Air Defense Force is transitioning en masse to the Pantsir-S1 [NATO reporting name: SA-22 Greyhound] and S-400 [SA-21 Growler] advanced SAM systems that are known well both in Russia and abroad. Soon, we expect the service entry of the S-350 Vityaz and S-500 SAM systems and a number of sophisticated radars as well," Gumyonny said.

"Military hardware is being developed. Defense contractors and we do not stand still. The advanced S-500 system is being developed at an accelerated pace and will be delivered to the Air Defense Force in the imminent future," he added.

As Head of the Zhukov Air and Space Defense Academy Lieutenant-General Vladimir Lyaporov said earlier, servicemen have started undergoing training to learn to operate the S-500 system.

The S-500 "Prometheus" (Russian name 55R6M Triumfator-M) is the latest generation of Russian-made surface-to-air defense missile system, currently under development by the Russian Defense Company Almaz-Antey company.

According to Russian sources, the S-500 is an advanced version of S-400 with dedicated components designed to intercept ballistic missiles at a height of up to 200 km.

The S-500 is expected to have an extended range of up to 600 km (over 370 miles) and simultaneously engage up to 10 targets. The system will be capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic targets. The S-500’s interceptors will operate at an altitude higher than 185km. The system will have a response time of about three to four seconds, which is considerably shorter than the S-400 which is rated at nine to ten seconds. It also has an extended radar range compared to S-400.