Not so long ago, positive shifts have been outlined in Russia in the creation of the promising Vityaz medium-range air defense system. This air defense system should replace the S-300P, S-300PS and Buk series air defense systems, which have long been the hallmark of the domestic air defense system. At the same time, the available information about the new complex is still vague and scarce. As, however, the information on the possible volumes of its production is also different. In January 2012, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Colonel Vladimir Drik, announced that the Russian Air Force would receive more than 30 such complexes by 2020. However, this number is clearly not enough to replace all existing S-300 systems, and already in February 2012 a new figure appeared in the media. According to the latest information, 38 divisional sets of the Vityaz air defense system should be adopted by the army. This figure is already in good agreement with the plans for the construction of two new factories in Kirov and Nizhny Novgorod, focused on the serial production of missile systems and radar systems of the next generations.
The Vityaz air defense missile system is a Russian new generation medium-range missile system. R&D work on this project began in 2007, after the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation demonstrated a working sample of the KM-SAM medium-range air defense system produced for delivery to South Korea under the international tender won by Almaz-Antey. If we talk about the Russian version. That the creation of working design documentation for the project took place in 2011, the creation of a prototype is planned for 2012, and the completion of state tests of the complex is scheduled for 2013.
A variant of the proposed type of air defense system "Vityaz"
The new air defense missile system is a self-propelled launcher operating in conjunction with an all-aspect fixed radar with electronic scanning of space and a command post based on the chassis of a special BAZ vehicle. The ammunition of the complex can presumably include medium-range missiles 9M96 / 9M96E, used in the S-400 air defense system and short-range missiles 9M100. There is also information that a ground-based version of the R-77 (R-77ZRK) medium-range air combat missile system can be used as part of the complex.
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, Colonel-General Alexander Zelin, the combat capabilities of the Vityaz air defense system will several times exceed the capabilities of the S-300 air defense systems in service. According to available information, one launcher of the Vityaz air defense missile system will be able to carry 12 missiles (according to other sources, up to 16 missiles), against 4 anti-aircraft missiles installed on the S-300PS complex. Also, the new complex will have an increased number of target channels, which will allow it to simultaneously track and fire more targets.
Work on a new air defense system began at the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern GSKB back in the early 90s of the last century. This practice, in which the design work of promising systems is carried out with the existence of still quite modern current complexes, is common for our design bureaus. At the same time, the support and interest of the state in the development of the complex was not strongly supported by money. Good export earnings helped the concern to carry out the work practically on a “proactive basis”. According to the General Director of GSKB Igor Ashurbeyli, the concern managed to reach the state and the military only in the 2000s, since more than 50 S-300PS complexes will simply be decommissioned by 2015 due to reaching the maximum service life. All decommissioned complexes will be disposed of.
A variant of the proposed type of air defense system "Vityaz"
According to Igor Ashurbeyli, the last S-300PS air defense systems were produced for the Russian army back in 1994. From that moment on, these complexes were produced only for export delivery. Now, new export orders for this complex have also been stopped. The S-300 air defense missile system was developed for the defense of large industrial and administrative facilities, command and control and communications centers, and naval bases against attacks from enemy aerospace attack weapons.
According to the general director of GSKB, the replacement of the S-300PS complex in the troops with the new Vityaz air defense missile systems may begin as early as 2013-2014. Problems with financing could delay the adoption of the new complex into service, but in the light of the state program for the purchase of weapons until 2020 in the amount of more than 20 trillion rubles, adopted in Russia. rubles, this option seems unlikely. Therefore, within 2-3 years, the S-300PS complexes will be removed from combat duty due to the end of their service life. At the same time, if by this time the Vityaz air defense system has not been created, then serious gaps may arise in the air defense system of the capital. Although, according to experts, the S-300PM systems are also in service, which can stand in service for up to 10 years, and the problem here is that there are relatively few of them in the army - only a few divisions.
Work on the creation of a new complex got off the ground after when Almaz-Antey won an international tender from the French and Americans to create an air defense complex for South Korea. The financing of the development work was carried out by the customer, which made it possible not to close the project. At that time, many enterprises of the defense complex survived only due to export orders. The Korean program made it possible not only to continue work on the creation of the complex, but also to gain invaluable access to the latest technologies, since South Korea did not restrict the employees of the Russian design bureau in access to imported element base, helping to master the work with it.
SAM S-300PS
There are a lot of rumors about the appearance of the new air defense complex, but it is not entirely correct to judge it by the Korean model. The requirements of the Russian military determined other tactical and technical characteristics and a different look of the complex. The Vityaz air defense system should replace two air defense systems at once - S-300PS and Buk-M1-2, which partially perform duplicate functions. The combat capabilities of the Vityaz were increased through the use of new means of selecting and detecting targets, an increase in the computing capabilities of the complex, which affects the speed and the number of targets fired at the same time, as well as the implementation of new algorithms for the convergence of missiles with targets, due to which successful defeat of maneuvering and high-speed facilities. Also, the new complex is distinguished by an increase in missiles on one launcher to 12-16 pieces against 4 on the Buk and S-300 complexes. Due to this, the complex is able to repel massive attacks using high-precision weapons. Also, the complex will receive new anti-jamming means, which will allow it to work in conditions of strong countermeasures from the enemy's electronic warfare and new means of protection against detection equipment and special anti-radar missiles.
Currently, there is information that the prototype of the complex is already being tested, which, however, does not mean the termination of development work. In the course of passing the tests, various changes can be made to the structure of the complex. It is possible to wait for the presentation of the complex to the general public no earlier than 2013, upon completion of the state testing program. At the same time, the fact that the air defense system was included in the army rearmament program already suggests that the tests of the complex are quite successful.
The example of the creation of the Vityaz complex, when the main work on the project had to be intensified within 5 years, once again proves that failures in taking care of the country's defense capability can have very sad consequences. While officials and the authorities lull themselves with pride in the achievements of the Soviet period and boasted of the capabilities of the S-300, which was in good demand abroad, it turned out that the early versions of this complex no longer meet modern realities, and the technical base of the complexes available in the troops is close to wear. The work on the creation of a new complex of the Vityaz air defense missile system, which was activated in 2007, is unique in record terms. Previously, such tasks were solved in 5 years only during the time of Lavrenty Beria, when Almaz in such a short time managed to produce the first S-25 air defense systems for the air defense of Moscow.
Multifunctional radar from the Korean air defense system KM-SAM
The story with the creation of this complex is a lesson for the future, which proves that it will not work to rest on our laurels, using the backlog of previous generations. Since inaction in the present can lead to a serious lag in the future. At the same time, there is reason for optimism, since the margin of safety of Soviet enterprises and design bureaus turned out to be sufficient so that, even after a long period of carelessness, not start everything from scratch, but still remain in leading technological positions in the world, albeit not without unexpected aid from South Korea.
