"Redoubt" is an anti-aircraft missile system with vertical launch launchers. For the first time, information about this air defense system appeared back in 1997. Then the assumption arose that "Redut" is just a lightweight version of the "Rif-Fort" air defense system. At that time, there were no samples that could be presented to the general public - although the Redut air defense system was approved back in 1994, at that time the development was only at the stage of preliminary design. All developments were carried out exclusively by the design bureau of the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern. Combat capabilities, as well as the composition of the "Reduta" is as close as possible to the air defense missile system "Vityaz". The first stage of testing of the Polyment-Redut-R ROC was carried out in 2009 and ended in success, which gave it a chance for further development and improvement.
Installation of vertical launch of the Redut air defense missile system - 3 modules of 4 cells - on the SKR pr.20380 "Soobrazitelny", launched on March 31, 2010, photo of the SKR near the outfitting wall, October 2010
SAM "Redut" is equipped with a radar system "Polyment", which has four phased arrays, which significantly increases the likelihood of missiles hit, even in conditions of powerful electronic countermeasures. Up to sixteen targets can be fired at at the same time, which makes this complex a truly unique acquisition for any army in the world.
The missiles are placed in special installations designed for vertical launch, which consist of four or eight cells. One cell contains one medium or long-range missile. Also, it can accommodate four short-range missiles of the 9M100 type. Thanks to the use of a "cold" start when launching a rocket, the risk of serious injury to people who accidentally happened to be near the complex is significantly reduced. In addition, the use of this technology made it possible to significantly increase the service life of the Redut air defense system. With a "cold" start, in the first seconds of flight, not solid fuel, as in most rockets, is used, but simply a charge of compressed air. It is to them that the rocket is thrown up to a height of thirty meters. It turns in the right direction after launch, thanks to the gas-dynamic system. In addition, the gas-dynamic system gives the rocket the ability to move in super-maneuverability mode. Thus, in just 0.025 seconds, the rocket overload can be 20g!
Medium and long-range missiles use inertial command guidance in the first seconds of flight and radar homing after approaching the target. 9M100 missiles hit targets at short range, therefore they are equipped with infrared homing heads. The target is captured immediately after launch.
As the results of computer simulations and field tests show, long and medium-range missiles (9M96E and 9M96E2) are capable of hitting a tactical missile with a probability of 0.7. In the remaining thirty percent, the deviation will be very small - only a few meters. Thus, the target will be hit anyway. When firing at an aircraft, the missile will hit with a probability of 80 percent, and when firing at a helicopter - 90 percent.
The controllable field of destruction of the warhead, the mass of which is 24 kilograms, is provided by multi-point initiation.
Any person, even one far from the army, understands that it is these air defense systems that are capable of significantly strengthening the complex of defensive weapons of any ship on which they will be installed.
Alas, to date, all work on the creation of this complex is being carried out with a serious lag behind the approved schedules. Representatives of NPO Almaz-Antey complained that the main reason for this lag is the lack of highly qualified engineers. Most of the design bureaus of NGOs are simply not staffed with specialists.
Exactly the same problems arose with the creation of the naval version of the 9M96, which should serve as the main weapon of the Redut air defense system.
Experts say that today a lot of young specialists come to NPO Almaz-Antey. The reason for this is a significant increase in salaries, as well as partial re-equipment of laboratories with the latest equipment. Alas, even in such a situation, it will take at least two to three years to staff all design bureaus, even if the trend continues.
However, analysts believe that just these two or three years will be enough to complete all tests of the Polyment-Redut air defense system.
