The missile system is SARH , means the missile has a small phased array antenna in the nose, with the required electronics to work as passive radar.
A phased array antenna would be pointless on what is basically a SARH antenna...
Due to the radar equitation it work interestingly.
Say the main phased array radar is 2x2meter, the missile has 0.2x0.2m receiver.
So, the missile hundred times less sensitive for the emission than the radar.
So, if the radar can detect an F-35 from 70 km, then the missile can detect it from 7km.
The reduced detection range is because the energy is redirected in all directions except the direction it came from, which means if you direct a beam of radar waves at a target and launch a missile on a high trajectory to maximise missile range, the radar antenna in the missile will be viewing the target from a different angle than the radar emitter so the fact that the radar emitter can barely see the reflections has nothing to do with what the missile sees... it should be able to see the target from much greater ranges...
So, if the F-35 is 200km away, then the Flap Lid radar can't see it, but if it receive the coordinates from a big bird/nebo-m then it can steer command the missile toward the target.
If the radar illuminate the target ,then the missile seeker will see it in the last 2.5 km, means if the NEBO-M can pinpoint the target into a km big box then the missile can found its target with the illumination of the flap lid.
The Flap lid can receive the data from the missile, and its can lead the other missiles to the precise position.
If the missile has active seeker, then it can see the target from 20km ( if everything is equal).
Means it can feed back the data to other missiles, back to the main radar, or can illuminate the target for other missiles/radars.
Your logic is flawed because you are treating the radar receiver in the missile nose and the transmitting radar on the ground as being the same as an ARH system located where the transmitting radar actually is located.
In fact the TVM creates what is called a bistatic radar where the transmitting radar and receiving radar are separate but the receiving radar is moving closer and closer to the target during the interception.
The Missile does not need to detect reflections from the target on launch... it can be command guided to the near vicinity of the target using passive radar sources as well as long wave radar sources and only guide for the last few kms using the target illuminated with a radar beam...
and clearly this is not Phased array or sort of it.
Of course it is not... a dish type assembly is all it needs to look for the emitted radar signal reflected from the target...
There is no need to scan with an active signal to find the target... just move the dish until you get a strong return and that is where the target is.
IMHO Russia's best interest is in coordination crude prices with KSA and eventually let them invest in infrastructural projects (they cannot shut or take away highways or railroads)
Totally agree there...
Obviously because the Russian AF never used it to seal the air space.
If the Chinese use S-400 to shoot down Indian aircraft, that would be an act of war...
The radar antenna in the missiles is most likely not an array... passive or active.