Belarus Considers Purchasing More Russian S-400 Missile Systems to Counter NATO

Belarus is considering acquiring further units of S-400 long range surface to air missile systems from Russia to bolster its air defences. The development comes amid deteriorating relations with the Western powers, and follows growing deployments of stealth aircraft by NATO member states. Belarus already deploys multiple S-400 units, alongside older Soviet era S-300 systems which it now intends to replace with the newer platforms. Major General Igor Golub, Chief of the Air Force and Air Defense Command of the Armed Forces of Belarus, stated regarding a potential purchase: "We are continuing the pre-contract work to re-equip our anti-aircraft missile divisions armed with the S-300 with the new S-400 and Pantsir-S systems… Meanwhile, as part of combat work we use onboard defence systems, which help with active jamming, in a test mode for now in order to protect attack aircraft and helicopters against the weapons that may be used against them.” The purchase would follow Belarus’ acquisition of a dozen Su-30SM heavyweight ‘4+ generation’ fighter jets from Russia to modernise its Air Force, which represent the heaviest fighters in Europe that are designed for air to air combat and the first new fighters the country has acquired since the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

Complementing S-400 units already in service, Belarus deploys indigenous BuK-MB3K medium range air defence systems to provide a multi layered surface to air missile network. Minsk has repeatedly cited the threat from NATO activities, including the possible deployment of tactical missile systems and plans to drastically increase the U.S. military presence in neighbouring Poland. Poland itself is set to acquire F-35A stealth fighters which would challenge older S-300 air defence systems to intercept - but which the S-400 is a potentially ideal asset to counter. Belarus’ fighter fleet faces unfavourable odds due to its relatively small size and lack of support from airborne early warning aircraft, and a reliance on advanced air defence systems provides an asymmetric means of countering potential Western threats and is considerably less costly than building up a large air force would be. The country is expected to also potentially upgrade its ballistic missile arsenal by acquiring Iskander hypersonic platforms from Russia - which would complement its air defences by allowing it to strike NATO airbases in a war’s early stages.