All air defense regiments in the Russian Armed Forces will be equipped with advanced S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S missile systems by 2020, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
“We are planning to revamp our air defense network. All air defense regiments will receive new S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S systems,” Putin told defense industry officials commenting on the state arms procurement program until 2020.
The S-400 system has a maximum range of up to 400 km at an altitude of 40,000-50,000 meters. The system uses a range of missiles, optimized for engaging ballistic and cruise missiles.
Pantsir-S is a short-to-medium range combined surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft artillery system designed to protect point and area targets.
It carries up to 12 two-stage solid-fuel surface-to-air missiles in sealed ready-to-launch containers and has two dual 30 mm automatic cannons that can engage targets at a range of up to 4 km.
earlier related report
Russia tests 2nd prototype of fifth-generation fighter
A second prototype of the Russian fifth-generation T-50 fighter successfully conducted its maiden flight on Thursday, the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer said.
The T-50 fighter is being developed by the Sukhoi design bureau and built at a plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, in Russia’s Far East. The first prototype made its maiden flight in January 2010 and has so far conducted over 40 tests.
“The second prototype of the fifth-generation fighter conducted its first flight. The aircraft spent 44 minutes in the air…It was a successful flight which met all set parameters,” Sukhoi said in a statement.
Russia has been developing its own fifth-generation fighter since the 1990s. It is designed to compete with the U.S. F-22 Raptor, so far the world’s only fifth-generation fighter, and the F-35 Lightning II.
Although T-50 specifications remain classified, fragmentary data indicates that the design incorporates the latest developments in a military fighter, including advanced stealth capability, supersonic cruising speed, and highly integrated control systems.
Russian officials have already hailed the fighter as “a unique warplane” that combines the capabilities of an air superiority fighter and attack aircraft.
The Russian Air Force plans to acquire over 60 T-50s after 2015.