MOSCOW. Dec 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The next-generation over-the-horizon radar Container, which is capable of detecting hypersonic missiles at the distance of 3,000 kilometers and tracking 5,000 aerial objects at the same time, has entered on trial and combat duty in Mordovia, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Saturday.
"The next-generation over-the-horizon radar Container has entered on trial and combat duty on December 1. The radar is capable of controlling flights of any aerial targets at the distance of about 3,000 kilometers and can simultaneously track over 5,000 aerial objects of various types, including small-sized ones," the Defense Ministry said.
According to the ministry, the radar "will provide reconnaissance of aerial objects, including hypersonic ones, over the territory of Western European countries and the Southwestern region."
"Similar radars will be deployed to other strategic sectors as well," the ministry said.
On December 2, 2013, the Russian Defense Ministry has already announced that the Container radar had entered combat and trial duty in Mordovia. However, a week after, on December 9, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered that the radar be fitted with additional equipment.
"We are perfectly aware that this complex and this station will broaden our horizons of control and monitoring of the western sector. Therefore, I insist that every relevant commander starts to re-equip the radar complex in strict compliance with the approved plans and schedule," Shoigu said at a teleconference at the Russian Defense Ministry.
On June 10, 2013, Sergei Saprykin, general designer at NIIDAR, the Scientific and Research Institute for Long-Distance Radio Communications (a subsidiary of the defense holding company RTI, said that Container radars can detect and track any aircraft at the distance up to 3,000 km.