The Ministry of Defense of russia is planning to procure over 1,000 surface-to-air missiles of type 40N6 for their S-400 air defense systems. The missiles will be received by existing S-400 divisions or newly established ones within the "Aerospace Forces" of russia.
In July 2023, the 40N6 missile reportedly completed state tests. In parallel, there were plans to increase the number of S-400 divisions up to 56 by 2027, according to russian media.
Read more: Ukrainians Strike russian S-400 Air Defenses in Crimea and Luhansk, What Weapons Were Used
On the part of Defense Express, worth adding that the 40N6 entering mass production is a serious factor in the ongoing russian-Ukrainian war because these missiles are a type of weapon that significantly limits the room that Ukrainian tactical aircraft have for maneuver.
It seems, precisely this combination of the 40N6 missile and S-400 is what bothered the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi in his article for The Economist. He pointed out, in particular, that russian air defense systems can deny airpace all the way to the Dnipro river with the current configuration of the frontline. This condition reduces the potential ways of how Ukraine will be able to utilize F-16 fighters, once they arrive.
| 40N6 specifications, as declared by Almaz-Antey manufacturer | |
|---|---|
| Maximum interception range | |
|
380 km |
|
15 km |
| Minimum interception range | 5 km |
| Maximum interception altitude | 30 km |
| Minimum interception altitude | 10 m |
| Average speed of the missile | 1,190 m/s |
| Missile weight (in container) | 2,600 kg |
| Launch weight | 1,893 kg |
| Container dimensions | 7.8 x 1 m |
| Service life | 15 years |
The russians state the 40N6 has a two-stage engine and a combined guidance system with active and semi-active guidance but no additional details provided. We can only assume that semi-active guidance from the radar on the ground is used during the midcourse, and in the terminal stage of flight, the missile activates its own homing.
Earlier Defense Express reported that russian military reportedly "taught" their A-50U AEW&C airborne radar to guide surface-to-air missiles launched by S-400. Maybe, this guidance manifests the following way: A-50 detects the target and designates the interception area, while the missile has to arrive at this area and find the target by itself.
The abovementioned specifications showcase the level of threat that the russian S-400 brings to the battlegrounds, even though its failure to protect Crimea has undermined the reputation of this air defense system.
Also, previously we reported about the new industrial hall in Moscow that is most likely was built specifically for the manufacture of missiles to the S-400.
Read more: Russia Claim that the A-50 Aircraft Is Now Able to Guide Surface-to-Air Missiles from the S-400 System
