Russian Air Defence Forces to Receive S-500 Hypersonic Systems Ahead of Schedule - What Are Their Targets?

Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Alexei Krivoruchko has announced that the country’s air defence forces are to receive S-500 surface to air missile batteries ahead of schedule - with the platforms having been scheduled for entry into service by the end of 2020. The S-500 began production in 2018, with some prototypes already in limited service, and is designed to intercept high value targets including hypersonic missiles, stealth bombers and satellites at extreme ranges. Its engagement range against enemy aircraft is reportedly approximately 600km - extending the previous 400km record set by the S-400 system’s 40N6E missile. The S-500 program nevertheless remains behind its original schedule, and was previously set for entry into service before 2019. Delays have been attributed to the complexity of the design and the difficulties of developing new next generation technologies to meet the ambitious performance standards. The need for the system is particularly urgent in light of U.S. attempts to develop hypersonic missiles, hypersonic bomber and surveillance drones and new B-21 stealth bombers - all systems the S-500 will be ideal for countering.