The S-500 "Samoderzhets" ("czar") is a Russian surface-to-air missile system, currently under development by the Almaz-Antey company. It is also known as 55R6M "Triumfator-M"[1]
The S-500 is a new generation surface-to-air missile system, designed for intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles and for defense against Airborne Early Warning and Control, Airborne Warning and Control System, and jamming aircraft. It is not an upgraded version of the S-400[2]. With a planned range of 600 km (373 mi), the S-500 would be able to detect and simultaneously engage up to 10 ballistic supersonic targets flying at a speed of 7 km/s[3][4] and will have a flight ceiling of 40 km.
As of 2009, the system is currently under design stage development at Almaz-Antey, and is planned to be completed in 2012.[5] In February 2011, it was announced that the first S-500 systems should be in serial production by 2014.[6] Under the State Armament Programme 2020 (GPV-2020), it is planned to purchase 10 S-500 battalions for the Russian Aerospace Defense (VKO).[7]
In 2011 it was announced that the S-500 program was at least two years behind schedule, with the planned date of introduction to service now set to 2017. Production of prototypes and the testing programme are expected to be completed in 2015.[8]
The main components of the S-500 will be:[9]
There is also a version of the system called S-1000, but it is not known what the difference between the two versions is.[1]
Although sharing a similar designation, the relationship between this new S-500 and the S-500U project of the 1960s is unclear. The S-500U multichannel antiaircraft system was a 1968 initiative by the Soviet Air Defence Forces, Soviet Navy, Ministry of the Radio Industry (Ministerstvo Radio Promyshlennosti SSSR), and Ministry of the Shipbuilding Industry to create a unified complex for the National Air Defense Troops, Navy and Ground Troops. Missiles of the S-500U complex were supposed to engage enemy aircraft at a range up to 100 km. The S-500U SAM complex project was rejected by the Soviet Army, which had a requirement to engage not only enemy aircraft, but also short range ballistic missiles. Consequently the S-300 family (SA-10 and SA-12) was developed instead. Russia is developing two plants to produce the S-500 in 2015 but some say the earliest will be 2017[10]