Unexpected surveillance range of Vietnam's SNR-125-2TM radar

Belonging to the S-125 air defense system produced by the Soviet Union, but after being upgraded, the target surveillance range of the SNR-125-2TM radar is really surprising.

Due to its design based on technology from the 1960s, the S-125 system is somewhat outdated compared to modern warfare. In order to strengthen the system to ensure national defense, Vietnam has cooperated with Tetraedr Company (Belarus) to implement a program to upgrade the S-125 system to the S-125-2TM standard.

The S-125-2TM is designed to counter air attacks with high-tech weapons in an environment of strong electronic jamming. The system allows destroying low-altitude targets and targets with a small radar cross section (RCS).

SNR-125-2TM radar station.

The upgrade program focuses mainly on improving the SNR-125 fire control radar system. Accordingly, the SNR-125-2TM control station has a radar cross section (RCS) target acquisition range of 0.02m2 at a distance of 100km (before the upgrade it was only 80km). The time to lock on a dangerous target in the detected target group takes only 3 seconds.

In particular, the radar is capable of tracking two targets at the same time, guiding the destruction of both targets with two missiles or one target with two missiles. In addition, the SNR-125-2TM station is equipped with an optical-electronic aiming system that allows detecting fighter-sized targets at a distance of 40km.

Regarding the system's firepower, the S-125-2TM is equipped with 4 fixed launchers 5P73-2TM, equipped with 4 5V27 missiles. The upgraded 5V27 missiles allow destroying targets at a range of up to 35km, an altitude of 25km (18km without upgrading), and intercepting targets moving at a speed of 900m/s.

The S-125 Pechora medium-range air defense missile system (NATO designation SA-3) is considered very effective against short-range, low-flying targets and highly mobile targets. In particular, it has a stronger resistance to electronic interference than its predecessor, the S-75 Dvina system. The S-125 Pechora can shoot down targets at a maximum distance of 35km and an altitude of 18km.

The first S-125 systems were delivered to Vietnam in the last months of 1972 in the context of the US Air Force using B-52s to fiercely bomb major cities in the North.

Unfortunately, the S-125 could not be deployed in time to "fight side by side" with the S-75 to fight the B-52s in the 12-day and night Dien Bien Phu air campaign in late 1972. Today, the upgraded version of the S-125 continues to fight side by side with the S-75 and the state-of-the-art long-range air defense system S-300, creating an effective air defense network to destroy any target that invades the Fatherland's sky.

According to Baodatviet