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Russia's Poliment-Redut Air Defense System to Fire Long Range Antiaircraft Missiles

Russian warships will be able to down cruise and ballistic missiles at hundreds of kilometers. Poliment-Redut shipborne antiaircraft weapon will soon get a guided long-range missile. Experts believe it will strengthen naval air defense and increase combat capabilities to defend strategic facilities, the Izvestia daily writes.

The Admiral Gorshkov guided missile frigate of the Russian Navy. Picture: Russian MoD

The Defense Ministry told the newspaper a new long-range guided missile is designed for shipborne Poliment-Redut. The trials of the new projectile are expected next year. Project 22350 frigates, project 20380 corvettes and other prospective warships carrying Poliment-Redut will be armed with them.

The new missile uses the technological experience of 40N6 missile and the family of 9M96 and 9M100 missiles. The exact tactical and technical characteristics are unknown so far, but the missile is likely to destroy aerodynamic targets at a distance of 400 km and an altitude of 35 km.

Launch of the "Redut" SAM missile during tests from Corvette "Sobystvitelny" Project 20380. Picture via militaryrussia.ru

The new Poliment-Redut missile will help warships create a safe zone around sea and ground facilities with a radius of several hundred kilometers. No cruise or ballistic missile or drone will be able to break through.
Poliment-Redut is the latest shipborne air defense weapon.

It currently has three types of vertically-launched antiaircraft missiles: short-range 9M100, medium range 9M96E and long-range (120 km) 9M96D. Modern technical solutions provide a high effectiveness, in particular, the combined aiming system (initially the missile is guided by a radar and then the homing warhead switches on). It provides the optimal flight trajectory and precision aiming also at maneuvering targets.

From bottom to top: 9M96E2, 9M96E and 9M100E surface to air missiles

In contrast to previous-generation shipborne air defense weapons, Poliment-Redut has a much higher hit probability and fire capability (the number of simultaneously launched missiles). The weapon is small in size and can be easily carried by small ships, such as corvettes.

Shipborne guided air defense missiles are technically sophisticated products as they operate in a different environment than ground analogues, expert Dmitry Kornev said. "Warships fire from vertical container launchers installed under the deck," he said. "It calls for a number of conditions to operate the air defense. There is a different munitions storing regime in humidity and temperature indicators. The launch regime is often changed. The transportation-launch containers of shipborne guided air defense missiles have changes in construction and the launcher. The control and aiming system also differs from ground analogues," he said.

The new missile will strengthen naval air defense, expert Prokhor Tebin said. Warships will get a multilayered air defense and long-range missiles will operate at distant approaches. If hostile missiles or aircraft break through, they will be downed in close combat by other weapons. Even the latest antiship missiles rarely have a range of over 400 km. Their carriers can thus be destroyed during the attack or at approaches, the Izvestia said.