The vertical launch of S-400 "Triumf" anti-aircraft missile system missiles is ensured by a transport-launch container, which is produced using a special technology. The details of the production of these air defense system components were revealed by the Zvezda TV channel.
It all starts with a flat sheet. It is successively passed through rolling mills, gradually shaping the blank into a cylinder.
Then the future container goes to the electroplating shop. There, the metal undergoes several cycles of heating and cooling. The blank is immersed in approximately 80-degree water, then in cold water. Such procedures allow for the formation of a protective coating.
The next stage is welding the longitudinal seam. First, specialists perform part of the work manually, after which automatic welding is connected. The resulting cylinder is additionally tightened with clamps, turning a thin blank into a strong structure.
However, a missile cannot yet be installed in this TPK. For now, it is just a sealed tube. It will undergo balancing, installation of technological hatches, and the main test – checking for strength and tightness.
For this, the container is completely closed, immersed in water, and increased pressure is created inside. Instruments record the state of the structure and allow for the detection of possible leaks or deformations.
It is precisely such a container that provides the S-400 missile with a vertical launch. Fractions of a second before the munition exits the TPK, the multi-ton structure must withstand serious loads, maintain its geometry and tightness.