Russia is set to deploy the deadly Vityaz S-350 anti-aircraft missile system in the Leningrad Region, according to reports. The Vityaz S-350 with a striking range of 60 km is expected to bolster the defence of Russian armed forces and ward off threats from NATO ships and aircraft.
The first S-350 surface-to-air missile system will arrive at its permanent deployment site in the Leningrad Region according to reports. The S-350 was first test-fired in the southern Astrakhan Region in January earlier this year. According to Lieutenant General Alexander Gorkov, the S-350 will replace the S-300PS, which have exhausted Russian resources.
The Vitzay S-350 is intended to combat advanced standoff weapons threats, such as cruise missiles, manned (including stealth) aircraft, medium and heavy unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as tactical ballistic missiles.
The S-350 is mounted on wheels thus making it highly mobile and can be deployed in a combat position in just five minutes. At the same time, launchers, radars and a control centre can be located at a distance of several kilometres from each other.
The maximum firing distance is listed as only 60 km but according to experts, the distance could be as much as 120kms. One S-350 division includes 12 launchers, each of which has 12 missiles. That is, their total number in the salvo reaches 144 pieces.
The S-350 can fire several types of interceptors: the active radar-seeking 9M96E/9M96M (40-kilometer firing distance, 20 km target altitude) and 9М96Е2 (120 km firing distance, 30 km target altitude) as well as the infrared-guided 9M100 (firing distance up to 10 km).
Additionally, if the Vitzay S-350 is deployed along with the Pantsir-S1 SAM/anti-aircraft artillery system, they can establish a nearly impenetrable air-defence zone for incoming aerial vehicles, including low-sized and low-altitude assets.
The addition of Vitzay S-350 will provide more cover for Russian forces in case of belligerence by enemy forces. 12 new S-350 divisions are expected to enter service between 2021 and 2027 as per reports by the Russian Ministry of Defence.
