Hypersonic Satellite Hunter; New Information Emerges on Russia’s New S-500 Air Defence System

As Russia’s air defence forces prepare to induct their first units of S-500 air defence systems, a hypersonic surface to air missile system which sets new records for precision, speed, altitude and range of engagement, new details have emerged regarding the platform’s specifications. First Deputy General Director of defence manufacturer Almaz Antey, Sergei Druzin, stated that the new missile system was designed with the capability of “working outside the atmosphere where aerodynamic control is impossible.” The platform would field a variety of munitions designed to neutralise “ballistic missiles of all types,” and would also retain secondary anti aircraft and anti satellite capabilities. With a 600km engagement range, the S-500’s induction will mark a significant improvement in the reach of the Russian Air Defence Forces over its predecessor the S-400 - which when deploying 40N6E hypersonic missiles could strike targets up to 400km away. The platform will thus considerably expand the aerial anti access area denial zone particularly targeting high value heavy support aircraft from the Western Bloc such as KC-135 tankers, E-3 Sentry AWACS platforms and E-8 Joint STARS command and control and surveillance aircraft.

Western sources have widely reported that the S-500 has been designed to neutralise advanced American stealth aircraft such as the upcoming B-21 Raider and sixth generation Air Dominance Fighter and Penetrating Counter Air Fighter, the platform appears to be focused on neutralising high value heavy targets such as ballistic missiles and satellites - with the S-400 and S-300V4 assigned the role of countering stealth fighters. It remains uncertain whether S-500 technologies will be integrated onto systems designed to neutralise enemy fighter jets, although this remains a considerable possibility. Induction of the S-500 system appears imminent, with initial production of the system already having begun and crews currently being trained to operate the platform. Lieutenant Genenral Vladimir Lyaporov, chief of the Zhukov Air and Space Defence Academy, stated in March 2019 regarding progress towards the system’s induction: "I will point out that 2019 will see the graduation of the first officers from the academy under the training program for the S-500 complex, which has not yet been introduced into the forces, but which we expect in the near future.” With the U.S. placing a growing emphasis on space warfare, with growing investments in both hypersonic space planes and new military satellites, the induction of the S-500 by the Russian Air Defence Forces will be a critical and timely development.