Sapsan Rocket Soars Into the Sky: How Russia Can Cope With the New Threat

Buk-M3, S300V4, S-400, and S-500 SAM systems are capable of intercepting the munition

Russian air defense (AD) units will likely have to confront missiles from the new Sapsan operational-tactical missile system (OTRK). Military expert Evgeny Damantsev explained how the assets are capable of neutralizing this threat.

S-400 SAM system
S-400 SAM system

Maneuvering Threat

The declared range of the Sapsan is up to 300-370 km, the warhead is about 380-480 kg, the speed is up to 5.2 - 6M in the active section of the trajectory, and 850-1200 m/s in the terminal section.

The missiles are believed to be capable of performing anti-aircraft maneuvers with overloads of 20 - 25 units due to the presence of tail aerodynamic and gas-dynamic rudders.

There Is a Response

Domestic Buk-M2, Buk-M3, S-400, S-300V4, S-350A, and S-500 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) are capable of intercepting these OTRKs on the descending branches of trajectories, but only with an equidistant distribution of multifunctional radar stations for target designation of divisions in missile-hazardous directions.
Evgeny Damantsev, military expert

Previous modifications of the Sapsan have already been intercepted by the S-400 SAM system. Destroying the missiles will be more difficult than the MGM-140B ATACMS Block IA, which is due to a 1.2 times greater mid-trajectory speed.

Earlier www1.ru reported that the new patrol ship "Kholmsk" was launched.

Read also:

Key systems of the Su-57 fighter will be declassified: India will receive the source code of the aircraft

The frigate "Admiral Grigorovich", carrier of "Caliber" and "Onyx" missiles, arrived in Algeria

The power of Russian weapons: the Kh-35 missile for "Uran-E" was modified in Vietnam

Now on home