Since 2009, the Air Defense - Air Force has upgraded 12 air defense missile systems, increasing the capacity of hundreds of missiles.
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Vietnam National Defense Channel reported that in Da Nang, the Air Defense - Air Force just held a conference on the entire military missile industry in 2017. According to the announcement, from 2009 to now, the industry has improved and put into combat readiness 12 air defense missile complexes, increased the life of hundreds of missiles, implemented 100% of preservation and maintenance targets, increased the life of the missiles, and ensured good technical coefficients of weapons and equipment. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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In addition, factories in the service have repaired 15 missile complexes, upgraded production lines, technical battalions, and technical stations at the regimental level. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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Although the type of missile being improved and upgraded was not specified, it is likely that this is a project to upgrade the S-125 Pechora air defense missile system to the S-125-2TM Pechora-2TM standard. This is an upgrade package designed by Belarus, and directly participated in the improvement in Vietnam. After that, the Vietnamese side received technology transfer from Belarus and so far has basically carried out the improvement items domestically. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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The ability to upgrade modern air defense missile systems shows the remarkable development of our country's defense industry. According to the Soviet Union's air defense missile system, which Vietnam has organized similarly, 12 systems are equivalent to 12 missile battalions assigned to air defense regiments to protect all parts of the country. This is a very large number, not every country in the region and in the world can do it. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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According to foreign documents, the S-125-2TM upgrade program provides the ability to counter air attacks with high-tech weapons in a strong electronic jamming environment. The upgrade package mainly focuses on improving the SNR-125 fire control radar, which is capable of tracking small-sized targets, improving target locking capabilities, and enhancing target locking capabilities (guiding 2 missiles to attack 2 aircraft at the same time). Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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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 ranges up to 35km, altitudes up to 25km (18km without upgrading), and intercepting targets moving at a speed of 900m/s. The S-125-2TM system has a probability of destroying tactical aircraft targets of 85-96%, cruise missiles of 30-80%, and helicopters of 40-85%. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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Regarding the extension of the shelf life of anti-aircraft missile shells, this project is likely related to the S-125 Pechora and S-75M3 Volga 2 missile shells. The majority of the missile shells were produced by the Soviet Union and are over 20 years old. Extending the shelf life is necessary when these types of shells are no longer produced. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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More about the S-75M3 Volga 2 – this is probably the most modern version of the SA-2 that Vietnam has ever used. It is an upgrade package made by Almaz-Antey (Russia), using some digital components used for the S-300 PMU1/2 air defense system. Photo source: Air Defense – Air Force Newspaper |
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After the upgrade, the SNR-75M3 fire control station is capable of tracking targets at a distance of up to 100km; guiding 2 missiles to attack targets at the same time (before the upgrade, it could only guide one target); The time from tracking the target to being ready to launch the missile is reduced from 8 seconds to 3 seconds; Automatically tracking targets and guiding missiles in strong electronic warfare environments... Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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Regarding the missile, after upgrading, the missile is capable of shooting down targets at a range of up to 60km, an altitude of 27km (before upgrading, it was only 45km and 25km), the probability of destroying a target at a distance of 50km is from 65-98%. The missile is equipped with a 195kg fragmentation warhead, when exploded, it creates about 29,000 fragments with a range of damage up to 65m at low altitude or 250m at high altitude. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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In addition, Vietnam is gradually mastering the domestic repair of the modern S-300PMU1 air defense missile system. As is known, the S-300PMU1 has been equipped for our army for more than 10 years, after such a long time it requires major repairs and upgrades to continue using. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
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In addition, the S-300 missiles, which cost up to 1 million USD each, after so many years of use for training, also need to be maintained and have their lifespan extended. Hopefully, Vietnam has mastered this technology, because ordering from abroad would cost a lot of money. Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper |
According to Kienthuc