S-400 Air Defence Missile System

About S-400 Air Defence Missile System:

• The S-400 Triumf (NATO: SA-21 Growler) is a mobile, surface-to-air missile system.
• It is one of the world’s most advanced air defence systems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects.
• It was developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau of Russia.
• The system entered service in April 2007, and the first S-400 was deployed in combat in August 2007.
• India signed a US$ 5.5 billion deal with Russia in October 2018 to acquire five S-400 systems.
• Features:
  • It is equipped with four different missiles that can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, the medium-range 120 km and the short-range 40 km.
  • The system can simultaneously engage 36 targets.
  • The system is a large complex of radars, control systems and different types of missiles.
  • The highly automated S-400 has radars that can pick up an incoming object up to 1,000 kilometres away, track several dozen incoming objects simultaneously and distribute the targets to appropriate missile systems.
  • The command post detects, tracks and identifies the target. Then, the tracked object is taken over by manned anti-aircraft missile systems of the complex, which launch the counterattack.

Q1) What is a Ballistic Missile?

A ballistic missile is a type of guided missile that follows a ballistic trajectory when it is launched. This trajectory consists of three main phases: the boost phase, the midcourse phase, and the terminal phase. Ballistic missiles are designed to carry warheads and are primarily used for military purposes, including the delivery of nuclear, conventional, chemical, or biological payloads to distant targets.

Source: Ukraine claims destroyed powerful Russian missile system in Crimea

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