Russia completed 40N6E long-range air defense missile testing.

Russia has completed testing of a long-range missile for the S-400 air defense system. A source told TASS this week that "the state trials for the 40N6E long-range missile for the S-400 system have been completed at the Kapustin Yar practice range. The inter-departmental commission has recognized them as successful and the corresponding certificate has been signed. The missile may be accepted for service before the end of summer."

Regiment AA complex consisting of S-400 Triumph systems is delivered to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Picture source: Russian MoD)

The source's comments suggest that the Russian military is indeed moving forward with plans to produce the long-range missile for the S-400. No official confirmation from Almaz-Antey, the manufacturer, could be obtained.

The 40N6E is believed to have a range of 400 kilometers, extending the present range of 250 kilometers, with the ability to hit targets at a maximum altitude of 185 kilometers. TASS noted that a pre-production batch had been produced in 2013 and testing has been ongoing since. Besides use with the S-400, Russian military analysts told RIA Novosti that the 40N6E missile could also be used for the S-500, a new-generation surface-to-air missile system currently under development.