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Due to its design using technology from the 1960s, the S-125 system is somewhat outdated compared to modern warfare.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, targets with a small radar cross section (RCS).

Radar SNR-125-2TM.

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 to destroy 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 targets the size of fighter aircraft 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 upgrade), 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 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 against the B-52s in the 12-day and night Dien Bien Phu in the 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