A single surface-to-air missile system, including the S-400 "Triumf", is not capable of independently creating an echeloned air defense. This opinion was expressed by the former commander of an S-300 SAM battery, retired Colonel Igor Garnov.
According to the military specialist, the term "echeloned" is often used in relation to individual systems, including the S-400. However, a full-fledged air defense implies several lines, which are formed by several systems.
An echeloned air defense can be imagined as a 2- or 3-layer dome created by SAM systems of different ranges. An echeloned defense cannot be created by a single SAM system.
Garnov himself proposes to abandon mobile anti-aircraft systems for the protection of important objects and introduce object air defense, which in his project was named GS-12 "Vilyui".
According to his idea, the radar station will operate continuously, and the debris of downed targets will fall into a pre-known area without damaging the infrastructure.