THAAD, Patriot, and SAMP-T surface-to-air missile systems (SAM) effectively perform their assigned tasks, but are unable to cope with the Russian Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile. This was reported by Defense Express.
Journalists noted that the cruise phase of medium- and long-range ballistic missiles takes place at altitudes of over 100 km. The speed of entry into the atmosphere is about 3-4 km/sec for medium-range ballistic missiles, and 5-7 km/sec for intercontinental ones.
Theoretically, Patriot PAC-3 and SAMP-T will be able to engage the warheads of such targets that are already in the atmosphere, but the real effectiveness remains questionable. The main problem for SAM systems is the separating warhead with individually guided blocks.
The Russian missile carries up to six warheads. At the same time, the number of targets that the American Patriot PAC-3 and the European SAMP-T are capable of simultaneously engaging is limited. Therefore, these SAM systems will not be able to intercept all Oreshnik warheads simultaneously.
Analysts warn that even the American THAAD complex will not cope with such a task. The system is designed to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles, but it has limitations on the number of targets that the SAM system can simultaneously engage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the "Oreshnik" warheads attack targets at speeds of up to Mach 10, or about 3 km/s, at a range of up to 5,500 km, and Western missile defense systems have no way to intercept them.
Earlier,www1.ru reported that the all-seeing Skvorets kamikaze drone was received by the Russian military.
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