In addition to the deep modernization of existing anti-aircraft systems in the first half of the 80s, the NATO countries adopted newly developed air defense systems, created on the basis of modern achievements in the field of radar, information technology and rocketry. New anti-aircraft systems were created taking into account the experience of combat operations in local conflicts. Without exception, all air defense systems that appeared in the 80s were required to implement the maximum possible mobility, noise immunity, and the ability to operate effectively both as part of centralized air defense forces and autonomously.
Back in the mid-60s, there was a tendency to create anti-aircraft systems based on air combat missiles. The pioneer in this regard was the American Chaparrel air defense system with the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. The use of a ready-made SD made it possible to significantly reduce costs and speed up development. At the same time, compared to the range of use from an aircraft carrier, the range of destruction of air targets when launched from a ground launcher was slightly reduced.
The Swiss company "Oerlikon Contraves Defense" in 1980 created an anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex - Skyguard-Sparrow. It used a combination of two systems: the Skyguard fire control equipment of the twin 35-mm towed Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun and the American medium-range air-to-air missile Sparrow AIM-7 with a modified guidance system. In ZRAK "Skyguard-Sparrow" airspace control and identification of detected targets is carried out by a surveillance pulse-Doppler radar with a detection range of up to 25 km. Tracking of detected air targets can be carried out either by a tracking radar or by an optoelectronic module. The maximum launch range of missiles is 10 km, the height reach is 6 km.
Anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex "Skyguard-Sparrow" in position
Unlike the AIM-7 Sparrow aviation missile, which used a semi-active radar seeker, the anti-aircraft missile is guided to the target using the IR seeker, created on the basis of a passive infrared homing head of the South African airborne guided missile Darter. Capturing an air target (viewing angle 100 °) can be carried out both when the missile is on the launcher (before launch) and after launch. The second method is used to engage targets located at a distance of more than 3 km from the positions of the air defense missile system. In this case, the rocket is launched ahead of time at the interception point, calculated from the data of the tracking radar.
The launcher of the Skyguard-Sparrow complex with four transport and launch containers was mounted on the chassis of a 35-mm twin towed SPAAG. The control equipment of the air defense missile system is located in a unified towed van, in an armored personnel carrier or other chassis. At a relatively low price, the Skyguard-Sparrow complex in the 80s was a fairly effective means of object air defense of the near zone. Its important advantage was the use of anti-aircraft artillery and missile units in one bundle, which generally increased the efficiency and eliminated the "dead zone" characteristic of the air defense system. At the same time, some NATO countries acquired this complex without anti-aircraft guns.
In Italy, with the use of air combat missiles in the early 80s, an all-weather medium-range anti-aircraft missile system Spada was created. The Aspide-1A solid-propellant missile, designed on the basis of the American AIM-7E Sparrow missile with a semi-active seeker, is used as a means of engaging air targets in the Spada air defense system.
Launch SAM "Spada"
The complex includes: a detection radar, an operational command post and a fire control center. All of them are housed in standard hardware containers on towed trailers. Equipment rooms can also be installed on the ground using jacks. PU SAMs, platforms with radar antennas for detection and illumination are also hung on jacks. The firing section has one control point and three missile launchers (6 missiles each).
Compared to the American Hawk air defense system, the Italian anti-aircraft system is inferior in range - 15 km and target destruction height - 6 km. But at the same time it has a higher degree of automation, noise immunity, reliability and a shorter response time. In 1990, the Italian armed forces had 18 Spada air defense systems. The complex has been modernized several times, the most modern version, created in the late 90s, received the designation "Spada-2000". The range of destruction of air targets for this air defense system is 25 km, which is already comparable to the range of action of the air defense system "Hawk".
The layout of the positions of the air defense system "Spada-2000" in Italy
With the help of the "Spada-2000" complexes in Italy, in the past, cover of air bases was carried out. At the moment, the Italian air defense systems "Spada-2000" and "Hawk" are not on constant alert and only occasionally deployed during exercises.
For all their merits, the Spada and Skyguard-Sparrow complexes had the ability to combat single air targets within the line of sight. Their capabilities did not allow them to fight against group targets and tactical missiles. That is, these air defense missile systems could relatively effectively counteract front-line aviation, carrying out strikes by NAR and free-fall bombs, they were ineffective against bombers with cruise missiles. Practical work on the creation of an air defense system intended to replace the single-channel long-range air defense system "Nike-Hercules" has been carried out in the United States since the beginning of the 70s. In 1982, a new multi-channel mobile long-range air defense system Patriot MIM-104 was adopted by the air defense units of the US Ground Forces. The Patriot complex is designed to cover large administrative and industrial centers, troop concentration areas, air and naval targets from all existing air attack weapons. The AN / MPQ-53 HEADLIGHTS radar is capable of simultaneously detecting and identifying more than 100 air targets, continuously accompanying eight of them posing the greatest threat, preparing initial data for firing, launching and guiding up to three missiles to each target. The anti-aircraft battery includes 4-8 launchers with four missiles each. The battery is the smallest tactical-fire unit that can independently carry out a combat mission.
The control of the MIM-104 SAM on the trajectory is carried out by a combined guidance system. At the initial stage of the flight, the microprocessor-controlled rocket is brought to a given point according to the program, at the middle stage, the missile course is corrected using radio commands, at the final stage, guidance is carried out using the tracking method through a rocket, which combines command guidance with semi-active guidance. The use of this guidance method made it possible to significantly reduce the sensitivity of the anti-aircraft complex equipment to organized electronic interference, and also makes it possible to aim the missile defense system along optimal trajectories and hit targets with high efficiency.
Launch of SAM MIM-104
The launchers are mounted on a two-axle semi-trailer or a four-axle heavy off-road tractor. The launcher has a lifting boom, a mechanism for lifting the missile defense and guidance in azimuth, a drive for installing a radio mast, which is used to transmit data and receive commands to a fire control point, communication equipment, a power unit and an electronic control unit. The launcher can deploy missiles in the container in azimuth ranging from +110 to -110 ° relative to its longitudinal axis. The launch angle of the rockets is fixed at 38 ° from the horizon. When the Patriot air defense missile system is located in positions, a firing sector is assigned to each launcher, while the sectors overlap many times to prevent the emergence of “dead zones”.
Despite some shortcomings, the Patriot air defense system has become widespread, including in the armed forces of NATO countries. In the American air defense units in Europe, the first complexes of this type began to arrive in the mid-80s. Soon after it was put into service, the question arose of modernizing the complex, primarily with the aim of giving it anti-missile properties. The most advanced modification is considered the Patriot PAC-3. SAM MIM-104 of the latest version provides the defeat of air targets at a distance of 100 km and an altitude of 25 km. The ERINT anti-missile missile system, introduced into the air defense missile system specifically to destroy ballistic targets, has a maximum firing range of up to 45 km and an altitude of up to 20 km.
In the second half of the 80s, the most powerful air defense group in the history of the North Atlantic Alliance was created in Western Europe. In addition to long and medium-range air defense systems, short-range air defense systems were deployed on a permanent basis in the vicinity of air bases and large garrisons. The leadership of the alliance was seriously afraid of a breakthrough at low altitudes by Soviet front-line aircraft, first of all, this applied to front-line bombers with variable wing geometry Su-24, capable of making high-speed low-altitude throws.
The location of the liquidated positions of the air defense missile system in Germany as of 1991
After the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact Organization, the need for such a large-scale and expensive air defense system disappeared. The threat of an armed conflict fell to a minimum level, the weapons and equipment of the Soviet army, which once inspired the Western countries, were divided by the "independent republics" that had formed in the vastness of the USSR. In these conditions, in the armies of NATO member states, against the background of cuts in military budgets, a massive write-off of anti-aircraft systems and fighter-interceptors built in the 60s and 70s began. Over the course of several years, most of the operators got rid of the long-range, but outdated and cumbersome Nike-Hercules air defense systems. These complexes served the longest in Italy and Turkey, the last Nike-Hercules were decommissioned in 2005. In 1991, Great Britain abandoned the Bloodhound Mk 2 long-range air defense system, after which the air defense of the British Isles was carried out only by fighters. Medium-range anti-aircraft systems "Hawk" of early modifications on a tube element base required significant funds to maintain them in working order, and they were also rushed to get rid of in most NATO countries.
The fighter units parted with the extremely wrecked Starfighters without regret. However, there were exceptions here, the Italian Air Force operated its F-104S until February 2004. After the "Starfighters" came the turn of the "Phantoms". However, these aircraft remained in service longer, the first to abandon them in 1992 in the British RAF, in Spain the F-4C served until 2002, and the Luftwaffe decommissioned its last F-4FS on June 29, 2013. Upgraded Phantoms are still flying in Turkey and Greece.
In 1998, in the US Ground Forces, the MIM-72 Chaparral air defense system was replaced by the M1097 Avenger mobile anti-aircraft complex. It was created using existing chassis and missiles. On the basis of the HMMWV ("Hammer") vehicle, two transport and launch containers of 4 FIM-92 Stinger missiles with a combined IR / UV seeker and an anti-aircraft machine gun of 12.7 mm caliber are installed. The range of destruction of air targets is 5, 5 km, the height of destruction is 3, 8 km. Air targets are detected by an optoelectronic station, the range to the target is determined by a laser rangefinder. In terms of the range of destruction, "Avenger" is somewhat inferior to the "Chaparrel" air defense system, but at the same time it is much simpler and more reliable.
Compared to 1991, in the 21st century, the combat strength of NATO fighter aircraft has decreased significantly. The same can be said about the air defense system. The most modern complexes on alert in Western Europe are the American Patriot PAC-3. As of today, they are available in Germany, Greece, Holland, Spain and Turkey.
Satellite image of Google earth: the position of the Patriot air defense system in Turkey
Turkey several years ago organized a tender for the purchase of long-range air defense systems. The winner was the Chinese FD-2000 (HQ-9), but under pressure from the United States, the results of the competition were disavowed, and the American Patriot air defense system was imposed on the Turks. Currently, several Patriot batteries are installed in positions along the Turkish-Syrian border and in the Bosphorus region. At the same time, some Patriot batteries use the infrastructure of the Nike-Hercules air defense systems previously available in Turkey. Apparently, this part of the batteries is served by Turkish calculations, while the other part is under the direct control of the American military. Thus, two batteries were deployed from western Europe to protect the American airbase Inzherlik.
Satellite image of Google earth: the position of the Patriot air defense system in Germany
In general, the number of long-range anti-aircraft systems in Europe, operated by the American military, has greatly decreased. The tasks of the air defense of American facilities in the FRG and the military contingents located there are assigned to the Patriot PAC-3 air defense system of the 10th Air and Missile Defense Command of the US Army (AAMDC). Currently, 4 air defense systems are on duty in Germany on a permanent basis. But often, in order to save, the anti-aircraft batteries were on duty in a reduced composition, there were only 2-3 launchers in positions.
NATO air defense (NATINADS) is divided into two zones: "North" (operational center Ramstein, Germany) and "South" (operational center Naples, Italy). The boundaries of the zones coincide with the boundaries of the regional commands of the North and South blocs. The northern air defense zone covers the territory of Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary and Norway. The southern air defense zone controls the territory of Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Turkey, parts of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. NATO air defense works closely with the American NORAD, with the national air defense systems of France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, and the warships of the US 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. The NATO air defense system in information terms is based on a network of stationary, mobile and shipborne radars and AWACS airborne aircraft based on airfields in Great Britain, Germany and France. In addition to defense purposes, NATINADS is used to control the movement of civil aircraft. So, only on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, twenty radar posts are constantly operating. Mainly, these are stationary dual-use radars, also used by civil dispatching services, as well as mobile radars: AR 327, TRS 2215 / TRS 2230, AN / MPQ-64, GIRAFFE AMB, M3R centimeter and decimeter bands. The greatest capabilities are possessed by the French GM406F radar and the American AN / FPS-117.
Radar AN / FPS-117
Both stations allow monitoring the airspace at a distance of 400-450 km, can operate in a difficult jamming environment and detect tactical ballistic missiles. In 2005, in France, 100 km from Paris, the over-the-horizon NOSTRADAMUS radar was put into operation, capable of detecting high-altitude and medium-altitude targets at a distance of up to 2000 km.
The end of the confrontation between the United States and the USSR led to the termination of the implementation of a number of advanced weapons programs. In the 90s, the only joint American-Norwegian project NASAMS (eng. Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System).
Launch SAM NASAMS
The NASAMS SAM system, developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace in conjunction with the American Raytheon, uses an AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missile adapted for ground use with an active radar seeker. Deliveries to the troops of the NASAMS complex began in the late 90s. The inclined range of destruction of the NASAMS air defense system is about 25 km, the height is about 10 km. Initially, the complex was created as a means of object air defense with the ability to quickly relocate, to replace the aging Khok air defense system. In the 2000s, a mobile version of NASAMS-2 appeared. It is reported that in 2019 it is planned to begin deliveries of an upgraded version with a launch range of 45-50 km and an altitude reach of 15 km. At the moment, the NASAMS air defense system in NATO, in addition to Norway, is used by the armed forces of the United States and Spain.
France until the mid-90s pursued an independent policy of military development. But in this country there was no medium and long-range air defense system on constant combat duty, and the country's air defense was provided with fighters. However, periodically during exercises not far from important centers of industry, energy and air force bases and at pre-prepared positions, the Crotale-NG short-range air defense system is deployed. Serial production of Crotale-NG began in 1990. Unlike the first options, thanks to advances in electronics miniaturization, all elements of the complex are placed on one chassis.
SAM Crotale-NG
SAM can be placed on a wheeled or tracked platform. The chassis of all-wheel drive heavy army trucks, the M113 armored personnel carrier or the AMX-30V tank are mainly used. The complex is completely autonomous in the process of detection until the destruction of an air target, and unlike the early versions of the "Crotal" does not need external target designation. The range of destruction of Crotale-NG is from 500 to 10,000 meters, the height is 15-6000 meters. However, despite the seriously increased characteristics, the updated Crotal did not receive wide distribution, and the volume of orders due to international detente was reduced several times. In addition to the French armed forces, the Crotale-NG in NATO is also in Greece.
The VT1 rocket, which is part of the Crotale-NG air defense system, is also used in the updated German military complex Roland-3. The new Roland-3 missile, in comparison with the Roland-2 missile, has an increased flight speed and range of destruction of air targets. In Germany, the air defense missile system is installed on the chassis of a 10-ton MAN off-road truck (8x8). The airborne version on a towed semi-trailer for the rapid deployment forces received the designation Roland Carol, it entered service in 1995. The German Air Force uses 11 Roland-3 air defense systems to protect airfields. The French expeditionary and airmobile forces have 20 complexes in the Roland Carol variant.
To combat aircraft and helicopters operating at low altitudes, the German self-propelled air defense system of modular design "Ozelot", also known as ASRAD, is intended. As a means of destruction in the air defense system, Stinger or Mistral missiles are used.
SAM Ozelot
The complex can be mounted on various wheeled or tracked chassis. If placed on a compact chassis BMD "Wiesel-2" three-coordinate radar detection HARD is installed on another machine. The combat vehicle of the Ozelot air defense missile system has its own detection means - a television camera and an infrared detector. To determine the range, the equipment includes a laser rangefinder. The Ozelot air defense system entered service in 2001; a total of 50 complexes were delivered to the Bundeswehr. Another 54 machines on a wheeled Hammer chassis were purchased by Greece.
In the 90-2000 years in France, Italy, Great Britain and Germany, attempts were made to create promising anti-aircraft systems. This is due both to the need to replace the aging American complexes created during the Cold War, and to the desire to support their own industry. In 2000, the French VL MICA air defense system was demonstrated at the Asian Aerospace exhibition in Singapore. It uses an air-to-air MICA SD. The short-range complex is compact and highly efficient. The air defense system includes four self-propelled launchers, a command post and a detection radar.
SAM MICA
Depending on the combat situation, missiles with an active pulse-Doppler radar homing head (MICA-EM) or thermal imaging (MICA-IR) can be used. The maximum firing range is 20 km, the maximum target height is 10 km.
Several years ago, testing of SAMP-T air defense systems began. This anti-aircraft system was created by three European states: France, Italy and Great Britain. The project involved the creation of a universal system based on Aster 15/30 missiles, capable of combating both aerodynamic and ballistic targets. The design and testing of the system lasted more than 20 years, and the program for the creation of a long-range land-based air defense system was repeatedly threatened with closure.
SAMP-T SAM testing
The SAMP-T air defense system is in many ways a direct competitor to the American Patriot, and the Americans exerted pressure to curtail the creation of the European anti-aircraft system. The test firing, which took place in 2011-2014, demonstrated the SAMP-T's ability to destroy air targets at a range of up to 100 km, at an altitude of up to 25 km, and to intercept operational-tactical missiles at a range of up to 35 km. The anti-aircraft system has been in trial operation since 2011. Currently, several SAMP-T batteries are in the armed forces of France and Italy, but they are not on constant combat duty.
A more complex and expensive anti-aircraft system is the MEADS air defense system. Companies from Germany, Italy and the USA are involved in this program. The MEADS air defense missile system is supposed to use two types of missiles: IRIS-T SL and PAC-3 MSE. The first is a ground-based version of the German IRIS-T melee air-to-air missile missile, the second is an upgraded version of the PAC-3 missile. The anti-aircraft battery includes an all-round radar, two fire control vehicles and six mobile launchers with 12 missiles. However, the prospects for the MEADS air defense system are still vague, only the United States has already spent more than $ 1.5 billion on this program. According to the declared advertising characteristics, the new air defense and missile defense system will be capable of striking both aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles with a range of up to 1000 kilometers. Initially, MEADS was created to replace the Patriot air defense system. Currently, the anti-aircraft system is in the stage of fine-tuning and control tests. The final decision on the MEADS air defense system is expected to be made in 2018.
In the UK, there are only short-range anti-aircraft systems. In the mid-90s, a deeply modernized towed Rapira-2000 air defense system began to enter service with British anti-aircraft units. Compared with the early versions of this family, the Rapier-2000 has significantly increased capabilities to combat an air enemy. The launch range of the Mk.2 missiles increased to 8000 m, in addition, the number of missiles on the launcher doubled - up to eight units. Thanks to the introduction of the Dagger radar into the air defense system, it became possible to simultaneously detect and track up to 75 targets. A computer connected to the radar distributes and fires targets depending on the degree of their danger. The new Blindfire-2000 guidance radar has greater noise immunity and reliability. An optoelectronic guidance system is used in a difficult jamming environment or in case of the threat of being hit by anti-radar missiles. She accompanies the missile defense system along the tracer and gives the coordinates to the computer. With the use of tracking radar and optical means, simultaneous shelling of two air targets is possible.
In the British army air defense units, self-propelled short-range anti-aircraft complexes Starstreak SP with laser guidance are used. SAM Starstreak SP can be installed on various wheeled and tracked chassis. In the British army, the Stormer tracked armored vehicle was chosen as the base for the anti-aircraft self-propelled gun. Search and tracking of air targets is carried out by a passive infrared ADAD system.
SAM Starstreak SP
The ADAD optoelectronic system detects a helicopter at a range of 8 km, and a fighter at a distance of 15 km. The range of destruction of air targets Starstreak SP is 7000 meters, but during rain or fog, when the transparency of the air drops, it can be reduced several times. The use of a relatively compact, portable Starstrick missile defense system made it possible to significantly reduce the development cost of the British air defense system, and its own passive optoelectronic search system expanded the capabilities for detecting air targets.
SAM complex "Starstrick"
A feature of the Starstrik missile is that after the missile leaves the TPK, the sustainer, or more correctly, the booster engine works for a very short time, accelerating the warhead to a speed of more than 3.5M. After that, three arrow-shaped combat elements, each weighing 900 g, are automatically separated. After shooting the booster block, the "arrows" fly along the trajectory by inertia and are arranged in a triangle around the laser beam. The flight distance between the "arrows" is 1.5 m. Each arrow-shaped combat element is guided at the target individually by two laser beams scanning the space. Laser radiation is formed by an aiming unit, one of the beams is projected in the vertical and the other in the horizontal planes. This targeting principle is known as the "laser trail". The armor penetration of the Starstrick combat element roughly corresponds to a 40-mm armor-piercing projectile, it is capable of penetrating the frontal armor of the Soviet BMP-1.
In the 2000s, in France, a new multi-functional fighter Dassault Rafale entered service with the Navy and Air Force, and the Eurofighter Typhoon began to be delivered to the Air Forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. Initially, France and other leading European countries created the new fighter jointly. However, subsequently, the views of the parties on what the new combat aircraft should be diverged, and France officially withdrew from the consortium. However, this did not prevent large French capital from continuing to participate in the Eurofighter project. The Typhoon fighter is the brainchild of a consortium of Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems and EADS. At the moment, the air forces of NATO countries have more than 400 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and about 150 Rafale in France. Simultaneously with the start of deliveries of the 4th generation fighters, the Phantom and Tornado interceptor fighters were decommissioned.
At the moment, the NATO Air Force in Europe has about 1,600 combat aircraft capable of performing air defense missions. However, the real combat value of these vehicles is not the same. Along with the American F-15Cs based at Lakenheath airbase in the UK, F-16s of various modifications, which make up about half of the NATO Air Force fleet, modern Typhoons, Raphals and Gripenes, there are many frankly outdated: F-4, F-5, MiG-21 and the earlier series MiG-29 in need of repair and modernization.
The air defense missile system is about as varied. At the time of the collapse of the "Eastern bloc" in the countries of the "Warsaw Pact", excluding the air defense of the USSR, there were about 200 stationary positions of the S-125, S-75 and S-200 air defense systems. If the S-75 and S-125 air defense systems were massively supplied to the allies of the USSR from the mid-late 60s, then the long-range S-200 air defense systems in export performance were supplied to Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Poland and Czechoslovakia from the second half of the 80s. After the "triumph of democracy", the countries of Eastern Europe began feverishly to get rid of their "totalitarian legacy". Most of the anti-aircraft systems were hastily "scrapped" over the course of several years.
SPU SAM "Newa SC"
However, low-altitude C-125s have survived in Poland. Moreover, the Poles modernized them by placing launchers on the chassis of T-55 tanks. The Polish version received the designation "Newa SC". In parallel, the Polish air defense units are operating several batteries of the American air defense system "Improved Hawk" to protect against the "Russian threat". During the construction of the Vistula national air defense system in Poland, it is planned to purchase the American AN / FPS-117 air surveillance radar and the Patriot PAC-3 air defense system.
In addition to the low-altitude S-125 with solid-propellant missiles, in a number of NATO countries, until recently, the S-75 air defense systems with missiles that require refueling with liquid fuel and an oxidizer were operated. The most unique in this regard was Albania, where until 2014 the country's airspace was guarded by the HQ-2 air defense system (Chinese clone C-75). Until now, in Romania, the approaches to Bucharest are protected by the Soviet S-75M3 Volkhov air defense systems.
Launch of the Romanian SAM S-75M3 "Volkhov" air defense missile system at the Corby Black Sea range
Shortly before the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia each received one anti-aircraft division of the S-300PMU air defense system. After the "divorce" with the Czech Republic, the S-300PMU went to Slovakia. Until 2015, the last NATO air defense systems "Kvadrat" (export version of the military air defense system "Cube") were operated there. According to the latest information, the Slovak S-300PMU is in need of repair and modernization, and is not on constant combat duty. Recently it became known that Slovak officials raised this issue during their visit to Moscow. The Bulgarian srdn S-300PMU is still in working order and on an ongoing basis protects the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia. However, due to the fact that its service life has already exceeded 25 years, the Bulgarian S-300 will require repair and modernization in the very near future.
SPU Slovak SAM "Kvadrat"
In 1999, Greece became the owner of the S-300PMU-1, while the modern air defense systems at that time were supplied to a country that was a NATO member. Although initially it was stated that Cyprus was the buyer of Russian anti-aircraft systems. Bulgarian and Greek S-300PMU / PMU-1 have repeatedly participated in NATO military exercises. At the same time, the main emphasis on the exercises was not on countering air attack weapons, but on working out methods of combating Soviet and Russian-made anti-aircraft systems. In addition to long and medium-range systems and complexes, a number of NATO countries have mobile air defense systems in their military air defense units: Strela-10, Osa and Tor. Taking into account the recently aggravated international relations and the sanctions imposed against Russia, the supply of spare parts for them, the repair and maintenance of these anti-aircraft systems seems problematic.
Layout of radar and air defense systems in NATO countries (colored triangles - air defense systems, other figures - radars)
A closer look at the NATO air defense structure in Europe draws attention to the clear imbalance between defensive anti-aircraft systems and fighter aircraft. Compared to the times of the Soviet-American confrontation, the number of air defense systems in NATO countries has been reduced significantly. At the moment, the emphasis in providing air defense is being placed on multifunctional fighters, while practically all "clean" fighter-interceptors have been removed from service. This means that in the North Atlantic Alliance there was a rejection of the defensive doctrine of air defense and the emphasis was placed on combating air targets as far as possible from their own covered facilities. At the same time, fighters allocated to combat an air enemy are capable of effectively performing strike missions and even carrying tactical nuclear weapons. This approach can only be effective in the case of gaining air superiority, which, along with NATO's eastward expansion, is of great concern in Russia.
