'Guardian angel' appears to protect Vietnam's S-300 missiles

While the S-300 air defense missile focuses on fighting long-range strategic targets, the ZSU artillery and A89 missile complex will guard the S-300 at low, close range.

In the early 2000s, after receiving the S-300 air defense missile systems from Russia, the Air Defense - Air Force established the 64th Missile Battalion (September 2005) and assigned it to the 361st Air Defense Division. By 2013, the Air Defense - Air Force Command continued to further develop the 64th Battalion by merging with the 5th Battalion and the 172nd Battalion (also under the 361st Division) to form the 64th Missile Regiment. This is one of the first mixed regiments of the Air Defense - Air Force.

According to the QĐND Onlines newspaper, currently the 64th Missile Regiment is equipped with three powerful weapon systems: the S-300PMU1 air defense missile system; the ZSU-23-4 self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery and the A-89 low-altitude missile system. It can be understood that the ZSU and A-89 will be tasked with protecting the S-300PMU1 site against attacks targeting the S-300 site, which is tasked with fighting targets at medium, long-range, and high altitude. In the past, the SAM-2 sites were also protected by low-medium air defense artillery against reconnaissance UAVs and low-altitude attack aircraft of the US such as the F-111.

Although the S-300PMU1 missile's features can destroy targets at extremely low altitudes (minimum interception altitude of 10-15m, maximum of 27km) and extremely close range (minimum of 1km, maximum of 150km). However, with missiles costing up to more than 1 million USD/missile, using them to shoot down UAVs is too wasteful, instead they should be reserved for high-value targets such as stealth strategic bombers or stealth fighters, ballistic missiles, etc.

Therefore, ZSU-23-4 and A-89 are the "guardian angels" of the S-300 missile. The ZSU-23-4M self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery system was produced by the Soviet Union and provided to Vietnam since the 1980s. In general, this type of weapon is also old, if possible, we should replace it with more modern weapon systems such as Pantsir-S1 or Tunguska.

Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Newspaper

The ZSU-23-4 is built on the GM-575 tracked chassis using many components of the PT-76 amphibious tank. It has 9.2mm thick armor on the turret and 15mm thick armor on the whole body. It is operated by a crew of 4: commander; driver; gunner and radar operator.

The ZSU-23-4 Shilka was born in the 1960s and was designed to destroy low-flying tactical aircraft protecting missile sites, industrial facilities, command posts, warehouses, and yards. When necessary, it can lower its barrel to fire directly at armored targets, infantry concentrating on fire points... It is considered very effective against low-flying fighter aircraft and helicopters in all weather conditions, including low light.

ZSU-23-4M is equipped with RPK-2 Tobol target acquisition radar that can detect aircraft targets 20km away and automatically track targets at a distance of more than 7-8km. Photo source: PK-KQ Newspaper

Vietnam's ZSU-23-4M is equipped with a 23mm 2A7M water-cooled 4-barrel cannon, which can reach a combined firing rate of 3,400-4,000 rounds/minute. The maximum firing range against aerial targets is 5-7km, effective at 1.5-2.5km depending on the firing angle. The high firing rate means that the ZSU-23-4M cannon creates a dense firepower, increasing the probability of destroying aerial targets. In fact, the ZSU-23-4M is a tough opponent for low-altitude fighter jets, cruise missiles, and UAVs.

The A-89 missile is Vietnam's unique designation for the 9K35 Strela-10 self-propelled air defense missile system provided by the Soviet Union in the period 1985-1986.

Photo source: Air Defense - Air Force Museum

The Strela-10 missile complex combat vehicle has a simple structure, deployed on the MT-LB tracked multi-purpose armored vehicle chassis. The vehicle is equipped with a 9S86 reconnaissance radar station mounted between two pairs of missile containers on the launch vehicle. Inside the vehicle is a control cabin with a crew of 3 people.

Missile launcher with 4 9M37 ammunition boxes - 2.2m long, weighs 40kg with a 3.5kg warhead. The missile is equipped with a solid-fuel engine that allows it to reach speeds of nearly Mach 2, a range of 500-5,000m, and an altitude of 10-3,500m.

The 9M37 missile of the Strela 10 system uses two guidance methods: image contrast (meaning the optical-television homing head on the missile identifies the target and passively guides the missile) and infrared homing (following the high heat source emitted by the target). In the photo, between the two pairs of launch boxes is the antenna of the 9S86 radar station with a reconnaissance range of 450m to 10,000m.

After many wars, the Strela-10 missile is recognized (including by the enemy) as one of the particularly dangerous low-altitude air defense systems. High maneuverability allows the Strela-10 to launch surprise attacks on the enemy, and is also suitable as an army air defense weapon, escorting combat units to protect the battlefield airspace.

Along with that, the effective guidance method based on the infrared and image contrast seeker gives the Strela-10 complex a very high independent combat capability, without needing a lot of cumbersome support equipment like medium and long-range air defense systems.

According to Kienthuc