AIN:
Speaking at a top-brass conference on June 19, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu said that development of the S-350 Vityaz medium-range SAM (surface to air missile) is now complete, and that of the Pantsyr-SM point defense system will be finalized by 2021. More importantly, the modernization of the missile defense system protecting the “Central Industrial Region” around Moscow will be completed in 2022, some two to three years ahead of an earlier schedule. The minister put this modernization on the list of high-priority tasks set before the Russian Air and Space Force (VKS).
Shoigu’s statement comes two weeks after the defense ministry released a video of an anti-missile launch. While it is not clear whether the particular testing involved S-500 or A-235 systems, the video release carried the message that next-generation anti-missile systems are in a high degree of readiness.
The future of Moscow’s anti-missile defense is associated with the Nudol project, under which a next-generation system to intercept incoming ballistic missiles is being established. It employs the A-235 weapon capable of engaging targets in near space, including satellites in orbits 500- to 700 km (310 to 435 miles) high. Reportedly, six launches were made in 2014-2018.
