Revealing information about Russia's new generation of medium-range air defense missiles

On November 30, TASS news agency quoted the CEO of Almaz-Antey Corporation, Yan Novikov, as saying that a new generation of medium-range air defense missiles for the Russian Army is being developed.

The new generation of air defense missiles will not be a deeply upgraded version of the Buk-M3 complex, but will be developed completely new with features "completely superior to current medium-range air defense missiles in the world".

According to Mr. Y. Novikov, the new generation of air defense missiles will have significantly higher automation and maneuverability than its “predecessor”. In particular, it ensures the ability to counter threats from future missile lines, hypersonic targets and integrate with network-centric combat methods in the unified command network of the Russian Air and Space Defense Forces. This is also the superiority of the new air defense missile complex compared to the Buk-M3.

The CEO of Almaz-Antey Corporation added that the development of a new generation of air defense missiles is currently underway very urgently to be put into service in the early 2020s. However, specific information about the technical and tactical characteristics of the new missile complex was not disclosed.

Illustration photo / Rian.

Along with developing a new generation of medium-range air defense missiles, Almaz-Antey Corporation is completing and preparing to transfer the first Buk-M3 complexes to the Russian Army in 2016. They will gradually replace the Buk-M and M2 versions that have been in service since the early 1990s.

According to public sources, the Buk-M3 with new missiles and a digital control system can simultaneously track 36 targets flying at speeds of up to 3,000 m/s. The firing range of the complex is from 2.5 km to 70 km. The probability of shooting down the target of the complex is 95% for aircraft and 75% for enemy missiles. In addition, each Buk-M3 launcher will carry 6 missiles in a sealed compartment instead of 4 like the current M2 version.

With Russia developing a new generation of air defense missiles, it is likely that the Buk-M3 will soon have an export version.

According to qdnd.vn