by Aayush

India and Russia on Saturday signed three major defence deals on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Goa. The net worth of the agreement is $10 billion. One of the key imports will be the S-400 Triumph air defence system.

State of the art S-400 (NATO Nomenclature SA-21 Growler) is designed by Russian Almaz-Antey Central Design Bureau is one of the most advanced 4th generation long-range air defence missile systems in the world.

Each S-400 system includes the following:

1. A command Post
2. A 3-dimensional phased array acquisition radar
3. Optical tracking radar
4. Firing units with associated multi-mode engagement radar
5. Various kinds of missiles

S-400 Uses three different missiles to cover its entire performance envelope:

• Extremely Long Range 40N6 missile – 400Km
• Long Range 48N6 missiles – 200Km
• Medium Range 9M96 – 120Km

Composition:

Each S-400 system can compose up to 8 divisions (battalions) which can control up to 72 launchers with a maximum of 384 missiles. This implies that one battalion of S-400 can have up to 9 launchers with one control system, one radar & 16 missiles as reload.

Interesting Facts:

1. Mobility & Deployment Time: Mounted on a truck it can be moved to the area of operation on a very short notice. Once moved to a new location the system takes less than 10 minutes for deployment.

2. Operating Altitude: The missiles fired from an S-400 system can fly from a distance of a few feet up to a distance of 10,000 feet.

3. Accuracy: These systems are so accurate and precise that it can shoot a soccer ball flying at supersonic speeds.

4. Operational Versatility: The S-400 air defence systems can be used to shoot down enemy jets, bombers, missiles, UAV’s with its 3-D phased array detection radar some experts’ claim that it can shoot down the American F-35’s out of the sky. So, the chance of survival of a dud J-20 is minimal.

5. Speed: The missiles have a target speed of 4.8Km/s, a missile with this speed can paralyse the movements of the Pakistani air force within their own country. For example: With this speed at a behest from the headquarters of the northern command a unit of S-400 can do the following:

• Shoot an F-16 flying over Islamabad in 27.5 seconds.
• Shoot a JF-17 flying over Rawalpindi in less than 30 seconds.
• Shoot a drone or any suspicious aircraft or a missile flying over Lahore in 1.52 seconds.

The acquisition of S-400 will make the Indian skies a lot safer. This deal will cost India Rs.39,000 Crores and this deal has the potential to revive the rather dwindling relationship between the two old allies. Two more agreements one of Ka 226T helicopters and another for Talwar class stealth frigates were signed during the BRICS summit.

This article is written by Aayush Sinha, former defence technology reporter for Indian Military Review. The writer is also doing research on India's Nuclear Doctrine for an India-based think tank. Views expressed are his own