S-500 'Prometheus' and S-550 missile systems

Russia is offering both the S-500 and the S-550 to India. I have a feeling that India will probably opt for at least one of these systems if not both in order to keep parity with China's extensive SAM network.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/russia-exploring-market-for-s550-missile-system-all-eyes-on-india/articleshow/87688003.cms?from=mdr

S-550 system to have extended range, will be able to intercept any targets, Rostec vows

https://tass.com/defense/1361459

One thing to confuse even more is that an ABM for the S-500 was already tested

"Sources in the military department told Izvestia that the latest anti-missile missile for the S-500 is currently in a high degree of readiness. The ammunition was successfully tested at the Sary-Shagan training ground in Kazakhstan. After a series of launches, he confirmed the inherent characteristics, and the combat crews successfully completed the task, hitting a conditional target with a given accuracy . True, the interlocutor of the publication refused to name the index, as well as the characteristics of the novelty. According to him, in addition to Prometheus, the same product will be used in the updated stationary missile defense (ABM) system in Moscow."

https://iz.ru/1173752/anton-lavrov-anna-cherepanova/prometeiu-dobaviat-ognia-s-500-poluchit-novye-rakety-perekhvatchiki

GarryB wrote:Maybe S-550 has more affordable missiles that are better optimised to deal with manouvering hypersonic targets... like proper manouvering hypersonic targets that are intended to evade interception on their way to their targets... like Iskander and Kinzhal...

I think it's just the opposite, S-550 should have bigger expensive missiles against ICBM warheads, the launcher should be bigger.

How the S-550 missile defense system differs from the S-500 "Prometheus", by Rostislav Zubkov and Artur Priymak for VZGLYAD, 16/11/2021.

A week after Shoigu announced the existence of the S-550, the first official data on this anti-aircraft missile system appeared. It is assumed that the Russian army will receive a novelty in four years. What are the advantages of the S-550 air defense system and which foreign countries can get it in the first place?

Complexes S-550 will have a large target detection range and missile range, said on Monday the head of the state corporation "Rostec" Sergei Chemezov, speaking at the international air show Dubai Airshow 2021. "This is a work that never stops and will continue to increase both the detection range and the missile range with the ability to intercept any targets, ”he said.

A source close to the military department added in an interview with TASS that the first batch of S-550 will be delivered to our army by 2025. According to him, the S-550 has already been created in "hardware" - we are talking about a strategic missile defense system. The interlocutor emphasized that a mobile launcher with a hypersonic missile will be used, while the naval version of the complex is not envisaged.

The new S-550 anti-aircraft missile system (SAM), developed on the basis of the S-500 Prometheus, will become the world's first mobile specialized anti-missile and anti-space defense system capable of effectively destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles, two sources in the Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti on Saturday. industrial complex.

Currently, Russia and the United States have specialized missile defense systems capable of shooting down warheads of ICBMs with a high probability, but of a stationary type - anti-missiles are placed in mines.

“The new mobile system is being developed as a version of the S-500 air defense system and will specialize in anti-missile and anti-space defense tasks. Its capabilities to intercept warheads of ballistic missiles of various ranges, primarily intercontinental ones, as well as space attack weapons will be an order of magnitude higher than that of the S-400 and S-500, as well as the American missile defense systems - THAAD and Aegis with SM-3Block llB missiles ", - said one of the interlocutors of the agency. Another source confirmed this information, adding that "the development of a new system is at an advanced stage."

For the first time the existence of a C-550 last week, said Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the head, but no information about it has not resulted Minister. Probably, it will be a modification of the S-500, military expert Pavel Felgenhauer told the VZGLYAD newspaper. In his opinion, the main components of the S-500 and S-550 systems will be identical, the difference is likely to be in specialization.

“The S-500 was created against both aerodynamic and ballistic targets. The S-550 is a purely anti-missile variant that can shoot down satellites in low orbit at the same time. True, this is not a great achievement: the Americans and the Chinese can already do this, ”the source said.

“The S-550 will definitely have a different missile and, I suppose, separate batteries against different targets - aerodynamic and anti-missile. Perhaps the new complex will even be able to carry out a direct intercept - when, for example, an enemy warhead is hit by an interceptor warhead. So far, no one has done this in our country: the topic was closed in the 70s, considering direct interception impossible, ”he explained.

Felgenhauer doubts that the S-550 will become "the world's first mobile specialized missile defense and anti-missile defense system" capable of effectively destroying ICBMs, according to RIA Novosti sources . As the specialist recalled, Israel already has such a technology - the Hetz-3 anti-missile system. “These are serious mobile batteries, they are already deployed, they can move and are not in mines. One battery is located north of Tel Aviv, the second to the south. But I don't know if this system will be able to shoot down a conventional satellite. Israel simply does not have such a task, ”the expert added.

As for the timing, the S-550 may well appear in service with Russia until 2025, Felgenhauer agreed with the opinion of a TASS source . At the same time, the expert admitted that in the future, the development may be of interest to China - one of the importers of the S-400 systems and a potential buyer of the S-500. As for other clients - India, Turkey and Iran - it is still difficult to say anything unambiguous, the interlocutor admits.

“It is clear that for export we will supply a deteriorated version of the complex. If the development comes from the "cash" of the Ministry of Defense, various components are removed from it. It is clear that weapons abroad may fall into the hands of a potential enemy. The most secret cannot be sold, the General Staff simply will not allow this, ”he concluded.

Military expert Alexei Leonkov also suggests that China may be among the buyers of the S-550 - a country that wants to buy the S-500 from Russia. With the participation of Russian specialists, the People's Liberation Army of China is modernizing its warning system of a possible missile attack, he added. “This system in China has not changed for several decades. But since then, the situation in the world has seriously changed. Chinese territory is already being considered as a target for ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads, Beijing understands this well, ”Leonkov explained.

The interlocutor recalled that a deeply echeloned defense of the coastal zone, where the most densely populated provinces are located, have already been created in the Celestial Empire. “For the Chinese air defense, our S-400s have already become a real gift. The range of the S-400 missile is 250 kilometers. The Chinese, for example, already shot down a maneuvering air target that was moving at very high speeds with this missile. The appearance of the S-550 - a complex that can hit even further - would make China's air defense even more effective. Moreover, the S-550 can operate in near space, which is just manna from heaven for Beijing, ”the expert noted.

True, the expert is not sure that in Russia itself the S-550 will appear on alert by 2025. “This is still a question. True, if earlier it took about a decade to create one missile system, now this period is much shorter. Now Russian missiles are designed and manufactured much faster. At the Almaz-Antey concern, the design of missile systems has long been automated, which makes it possible to quickly take the next step on the current project. The same S-350 appeared at Almaz-Antey rather quickly - due to the fact that the concern and all its enterprises were re-equipped, ”the expert recalled.

https://m.vz.ru/society/2021/11/16/1129202.html

It's all still a bit confusing as the S-500 appears to be mobile and is claimed to be capable of shooting down ICBM.

What is clear is that the S-550 is a development from the S-500 and it is also ASAT capable system as well as being able to shoot down ICBM's.

Being developed from the S-500 means that it will be in service relatively soon as well and there is already a fully developed system under evaluation.

The S-550 is probably being developed since 2009, as S-500 ABM when the S-500 development started, they were supposed to be delivered at the same time but S-550 is delayed, that's why Borisov talked about Almaz Antey delivering a simplified version, and Russian Mod talked about S-500 being delivered in 2025, then all of sudden...2021! S-500(primarily against aerodynamic targets) is ready, S-550( ballistic missile) is not.

What I think is the dedicated Russian Strategic Missile Defense

S-500 (limited anti-ICBM capacity with 77N6N? a development of 9M82MD)



A-235.  3 Echelons

Short range missile
53T6M(silo based)

Medium Range
S-550(capabilities 1 order of magnitude greater than S-500 77N6)77N6N-1.   Also silo based


Long Range
Aerostat



Nom Strategic Missile Defense
Abakam with 9M82MD



Intercept Plan: Cities Get Missile Defense

Social facilities, infrastructure and troop locations will be covered by a non-strategic missile defense system
October 3, 2018

The Defense Ministry approved the concept of a non-strategic missile defense (NMD). The complexes that will be part of this system will cover cities, important social institutions, troop concentrations, road and industrial infrastructure. Their potential targets will be hypersonic aircraft and ballistic missiles. Now systems capable of intercepting them have been created only around key strategic objects. In the future, the NMD must ensure the safety of the entire territory of the country from missile strikes.

https://iz.ru/795323/roman-kretcul-aleksei-ramm/plan-perekhvat-goroda-poluchat-protivoraketnuiu-oboronu

Plus Nudol (Primarily anti-satellite)


I think there's a lot of confusion with the missiles and mobile launchers, I think this will be close to the truth.

It´s S-500 that was delayed. 10 years ago the designer claimed that it should be ready in 2015. I guess the delay had to do with the achievments in hypersonic missile development. The MoD wanted the S-500 to be able to shot down hypersonic missiles so some adjustments were neccessary. It was the same with S-300 and cruise missiles (it became ready at the beginning of the 80´s and not the end of the 70´s).

The S-550 seems to be a "mature" version of the S-500. Or the system that brings ABM/ASAT/AHM (anti-hypersonic missiles) capacities to the "standard" air defence unit, merging the jobs of the S-350/S-400/S-500 and Nudol into one system. Which doesn´t mean the other system will not be put into service with the specialised services.


Still without S-550

And Pavel Felgenhauer is not an expert.

News coming out of Russia is that it is developing anti-hypersonic missile systems. So not only do we have hypersonic systems we
have their counter. So the S-550 is likely using a new type of ABM and all the pooh-pooh from clowns like Felgenhaur is simply
pathetic. Russia does not deploy useless systems and does not engage in PR showboating like is the cultural norm in the USA.

What are some physical principles that would make the S-500 able to shoot down hypersonic glide vehicles? I thought there simple no way that doesnt break the laws of physics to successfully detect and track them, let alone shoot them down. Its like asking for a laser that is unaffected by clouds.

I would have to guess here but I am pretty sure it would be easy to track any hypersonic glide vehicle. The only problem is that it moves at extremely high speed and it is capable to rapidly maneuver and deviate from a set path. Those two aspects will make it very hard to intercept.

If you have a missile that is equally capable of traveling at hypersonic speed and being able to make radical maneuvers to intercept the glide vehicle I think you have a good chance of success.

ICBM´s are hypersonic, too. No problem to track them. The maneuvering is the problem. But the russian AD missiles are as fast and maneuverable. In that instance it is down to reaction time of the AD/ABM ystem and the guidance of the missile to the target.

Mir wrote:

If you have a missile that is equally capable of traveling at hypersonic speed and being able to make radical maneuvers to intercept the glide vehicle I think you have a good chance of success.  

No, if the attacking warhead can maneuver then the intercepting missile has to be able to achieve significantly higher velocities in order to attain a high kill percentage (because the flight path of the attacking warhead can no longer be precalculated). And it needs to be able to operate under the much higher g forces that results. A very significant challenge for missile defense. That's why hypersonic glide vehicles are one of the next big things in power projection.

If you read my sentence carefully then you'll see that I've stated that the SAM/ABM missile must be able to travel at hypersonic speed and it must be able to make radical maneuvers. Which is pretty much what you are saying. The ABM is likely to meet the attacking glide vehicle in a head-on course. I think it will be virtually impossible to chase a hypersonic glide vehicle down. Time is not exactly on your side here.

GarryB wrote:The solution could be a swarm IADS... ironically

This is why exo atmospheric interception is so very important. Once the warhead enters the atmosphere it can maneuver to such a large extent that it becomes extremely difficult for any SAM complex to intercept it.

I am guessing that if there is an S-600 system it would have photonic radars. Bare with me the old information that was posted before.

https://rg.ru/2018/04/08/revoliuciia-v-tehnike-lokacii-v-rossii-sozdaetsia-radiofotonnaia-rls.html

For example, the basis of radar missile defense systems and tracking of space objects are huge radar complexes. The premises in which the equipment is located are multi-storey buildings. The use of photonic technologies will allow you to fit all the control and data processing systems in much smaller dimensions - literally in several rooms. At the same time, the technical capabilities of radars to detect even small objects at a distance of thousands of kilometers will only increase. Moreover, due to the use of photonic technologies on the radar screen, there will be not a mark of the target, but its image, which is unattainable by classical radar. That is, the operator instead of the usual glowing point will see what is really flying - an airplane, a rocket, a flock of birds or a meteorite, it is worth repeating, even thousands of kilometers from the radar.

On the screen of the photon radar will appear not the mark of the target, but its image, which is unattainable by classical radar.

Now all radar systems - military and civilian - operate in a strictly defined frequency range, which complicates the technical design and leads to a variety of radar nomenclature. Photonic radars will achieve the highest degree of unification. They are able to instantly rebuild in a very wide range of operating frequencies - from meter values to millimeters.

The characteristics of the S-500 Prometheus air defense system were announced
It has long been no secret that the so-called stealth aircraft are clearly visible in the meter range, but most accurately their coordinates are better given by stations of centimeter and millimeter ranges. Therefore, in air defense systems, meter stations with very large antennas work simultaneously, and more compact ones - centimeters. But the photonic radar, scanning space in the long frequency range, will easily detect the same "invisible" and, instantly adjusting to a broadband signal and high frequency, will determine its exact coordinates in height and range.

https://rg.ru/2018/04/22/radiofotonika-stanet-drajverom-sovremennoj-radioelektroniki.html

Developments in the field of radiophotonics go in several directions. Is there anything out there? Absolutely. For example, in the Research Institute of Long-Range Radio Communication under the leadership of Alexei Shulunov, a prototype of a radiophotonic radar has already been assembled. This is an X-band radar with an optical heterodyne, which can be rebuilt in the widest range of radio waves - from meter frequencies to millimeter.

According to experts, it is the ability of radiophotonic radars to instantly rebuild in the widest frequency range that will change the entire radar technology, including the construction of various radar complexes.

It sounds like radar horizon no longer matters, its like its saying as long as you receive HF waves you can rebuild them to frequencies that are higher than X-band which offer pin point precision in targetting. Another example is stating flocks of birds being seen 1000s of kilometers away and we know that birds dont fly near space let alone existing aircrafts. The Yakhroma radar might offer what we are looking for

Sources called the target of the S-550 missile defense system American X-37 drones

MOSCOW, November 20 - RIA Novosti. The S-550 mobile missile defense system being developed in Russia will be able to shoot down American X-37 space unmanned vehicles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, two sources in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti.

Earlier, the Russian side stated that the X-37 orbital drones are capable of carrying several nuclear warheads on board and are strategic strike systems based in space. At the same time, the United States officially claims that the X-37 is intended only for scientific and reconnaissance purposes. These vehicles can maneuver in space by changing their orbit.

"The S-550 mobile strategic missile defense system will specialize in the destruction of ballistic and orbital space targets, primarily in the destruction of nuclear warheads of intercontinental missiles. Typical targets for the future system include the American X-37 space drones, as well as hypersonic units being developed in several countries ", - said the first interlocutor of the agency.

Another source noted that "to intercept such targets, the S-550 will include a long-range multifunctional radar capable of detecting warheads and space objects at an ultra-long range."

The interlocutors clarified that in fact the S-550 will become a modification of the S-500 system , but with a specialization in intercepting ballistic and orbital targets at many times greater ranges and altitudes than Prometheus. At the same time, the interception of aerodynamic aerodynamic targets (aircraft, helicopters, drones) will be excluded from the tasks of the S-550.

https://ria.ru/20211120/s-550-1759924322.html

S-550 deserves it's own topic

Reading between the lines, S-550 will be an enlarged S-500 with a bigger (or multistage) booster?  It sounds to be akin to a mobile satellite launcher, albeit for ASAT-ABM payloads.

Yep, I like it.

Edit: S-550 Project logo has just been released...



Edit2: The Adeptus Administratum is pleased.