Newsweek

The commander of Russia’s aerospace forces has said that the next-generation S-500 anti-aircraft missile system will be able to shoot down satellites and hypersonic weapons. If accurate, this would mark a significant milestone in the hypersonic and near-space arms races.

Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin told the Red Star newspaper this week that the S-500—the next evolution of the S-400, which is considered the most advanced standalone anti-aircraft system currently deployed—would soon be delivered to active combat units.

Surovikin said the S-500 “will be able to destroy low-orbit satellites and space weapons,” as well as “hypersonic weapons of all modifications,” according to the RBC news agency.

Russia had been hoping to have the first S-500 batteries operational by 2021, but recent comments by Surovikin and Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko have suggested they could be deployed as soon as this year.

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