MOSCOW, June 27 (AVN) - The state tests of the S-400 Triumph air defence missile system which take place at the Kapustin Yar proving range are supposed to end by late 2001, a spokesman for the Russian Defence Ministry told the Military News Agency on Wednesday.
The system will be supplied to the Air Force air defence missile troops in early 2002.
The tests started in February 1999. By present the system made launches of all types of missiles including those at the maximum range. The launches proved the specifications stated by the producer. Currently specialists got down to the last stage of tests which envisages the electronic launches. The system's leading producer is the Almaz central design bureau while the missiles are made by Fakel machine-building design bureau. Among the co-producers are also the Novosibirsk R&D institute of metering devices, special machine-building design bureau and several other Russian enterprises.
The system is capable to find and eliminate modern and prospecting air targets which fly at the speed of 4.8km per second at the range of up to 400km which is two to 2.5 times higher than the similar index of all previous systems. The Triumph system is the first in the world which can operate with various missiles i. e. with those produced earlier and two modern ones. The main targets of the long-range missile will be the AVAKS series planes and interference producers, strategic bombers with cruise missiles. The second 9M90 missile is aimed at destroying planes and missiles at the medium range.