MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The Special Purpose Command (the former Moscow Air Force and Air Defense Forces District) has been tasked with repulsing both enemy air and space attacks, the press-release, disseminated at the news conference of Colonel General Yury Solovyev, Commander of the Special Purpose Command, said.
According to the press-release devoted to the Air Defense Forces Day, celebrated on the second Sunday of April, in 2005 the Special Purpose Command is expected to be equipped with the new S-400 Triumf air defense system, capable of engaging even ICBMs.
"Potential firepower of the Special Purpose Command reinforced in wartime allows a single missile allowance and a single combat sortie to destroy up to 500,000 targets at high and medium altitudes, and up to 400,000 at low altitudes," the press-release said.
The command is equipped with Mikoyan MiG-29, MiG-31, Sukhoi Su-27, and MiG-25 interceptors, Su-24 tactical bombers, and Su-25 attack aircraft. S-300 air defense systems in the inventory of the Special Purpose Command, which are superior to U.S. Patriot systems, are capable of simultaneously homing 12 missiles in on six targets, destroying them at an altitude of ten meters to 30 km.
According to the press-release, Special Purpose Command units are permanent combat readiness units. Command posts, air defense, electronic warfare, and aviation units are on combat duty round the clock.
"A total of over 2,000 are detailed for combat duty on a daily basis. The Special Purpose Command is responsible for Moscow air defense, protecting 140 crucial state, industrial, power engineering, and transportation facilities, as well as nuclear power stations," the press-release said.
At the present time the Special Purpose Command monitors a total of 1.3 million sq. km of airspace, defending up to a third of Russia's population.
Combat crews of command posts of aviation, air defense, and electronic warfare units of the Special Purpose Command track up to 3,000 air targets on a daily basis.