Russia is about to deploy air defense missiles with a range of 400 km

"State tests of the 40N6E long-range missile have been completed at the Kapustin Yar testing range. The inter-ministerial commission assessed the tests as successful and signed the certificate for the missile. The 40N6E series may enter service before the fall of this year,"TASSquoted an anonymous source in the Russian defense industry yesterday.

Almaz-Antey, the manufacturer, declined to comment on the information. A series of test launches have been conducted by the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces (VKS) since February, resulting in some design improvements on the missile. Almaz-Antey plans to put the 40N6E into mass production in July.

The 40N6 is a two-stage solid-fuel anti-aircraft missile capable of hitting targets beyond the S-400's tracking range. This required Russia to design a new generation of active radar homing (ARH) heads, which help the missile track and fly to its target without a guidance signal. It is said to be capable of hitting satellites operating in orbit 185 km above the ground.

"The appearance of 40N6 ammunition not only significantly expands the ability to destroy targets, but also makes missile complexes more difficult for the enemy to attack," commented General Alexander Gorkov, former commander of Russian air defense forces.

Development of the 40N6 missile began in 2007, around the same time the Russian military began fielding the S-400. The missile is designed to intercept a variety of future air threats, including hypersonic glide vehicles and ballistic missiles. The 40N6 can be fitted to both the S-400 and the under-development S-500 Prometei systems.