Russian Air Defence Systems & Strategies Of Asymmetrical Warfare

Cold war saw the development of high speed, high altitude, jet powered fighters, fighter bombers, interceptors, dedicated ground attack aircraft in different configurations. Jet engines also found their way as powerplant for bomber aircraft that increased operational altitude for these nuclear first strike bombers, gave more speed, operational range and efficiency, with reliability increasing over time.

With the development of these high performance aircraft by both USA and USSR, anti aircraft defences had to be upgraded to protect against the threats of the incumbent new generation of jet powered aircrafts which operated at high transonic and sometimes supersonic speeds during the 50s.  For long after the end of the Second World War, anti aircraft defences were primarily restricted to ground based flak, AAA (in various calibers, 20, 30 40mm) and interceptor aircraft armed with guns with the first manueverable air to air infrared guided missile in the form of AIM-4 not takin to the skies until 1956. In between that time, it was realized by both parties that a new form of weapon system needed to be developed as ground based gun mounts for anti aircraft defences became increasing unreliable againt fast and high flying jets.

HENSE to combine high speeds needed to intercept high speed targets and the quick reaction time offered by ground based AAA, a new type of weapon system was developed, Surface-to-Air Missiles.

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES:

1. Air Search Radar(operating in the S-band) for long range target detection and tracking of general target position.

2. Target Acquisition radar(Ka band radar) for triangulating target position with appretiable degrees of a accuracy at short and medium ranges.

3.  Fire control Radar(operating in the X band) uses short frequency to emit powerful blasts of directed EM waves to feed accurate position, speed and range of the target to the missile seeker head in real time.

4. Launcher batteries-Contains the missiles that will be launched on command.

5. Command and control post: Mobile command and control where information from the sensors are fed into and compiled to provide real time target tracking on screens for operators.

METHOD OF OPERATION OF A SAM:

1. Command post feeds targeting info to onboard computer of the missile.

2. Upon authorizing launch, the main booster fires up barreling the missile to the sky. After about 5 seconds of burning the booster phase separates from the missile and the solid fuel/liquid fuelled/ ramjet engine ignites propelling the SAM at speeds of nearly Mach 4(Speed varies from missle to missile with an average speed between mach 3 and 4)  towards the target.

3. Mission computer receives mid course target position and velocity updates from ground radar mid course via Datalink and maneuvers accordingly.

4. The seekerhead of the missle with may contain TV cameras, EOTS or AESA/PESA radar or a combination of all these starts tracking the target by itself at distance of 20 to 50 kilometres from the target and guides itself to the target.

(MISSILES INTERCEPT THEIR TARGETS, THEY DO NOT CHASE THEIR TARGETS)

S400 TRIUMF:

The development of the S-400 system began in the late 1980s and the Russian Air Force announced the system in January 1993. On February 12, 1999 successful tests were reported at Kapustin Yar in Astrakhan, and the S-400 was scheduled for deployment by the Russian army in 2001. Dr. Alexander Lemanskiy of Almaz-Antey was the Chief Engineer on the S-400 project.

The S400 was an upgrade over the existing S300 missile-defence systems designated as S300-PMU during early stages of trial and testing.

COMPONENTS OF THE S400 SAM SYSTEM:

1. Mobile Command post – 55K6E
2. BATTLE MANAGEMENT RADAR (also called ‘BIG BIRD’ surveillence radar) – 91N6E
3. FIRE CONTROL RADAR(also called ‘GRAVE STONE’) – 92N6E
4. LAUNCHERS(8 to twelve in each battery with 4 missiles in each launcher)
5. VERY HIGH ALTITUDE Target Acquisition Radar ( also called ‘cheese board’) – 96L6E (optional)
6. 40V6MR radar (optional)-for better cancellation of ground clutter in uneven mountainous terrain at higher altitudes.

91N6E:

Upgraded Radar based on the original ‘Tombstone’ battle management radar of the S300 systems. It can track 300 targets at a range of about 600 kilometres and works in S-band with frequency values ranging from 2.9 to 3.3 GHz. This is a rotatable radar which comes with a built in IFF (Identification of Friend and Foe). Tracking range depends on radar cross section  f the exposed surface of the target to the EM waves emitted by this radar. Against stealth targets having frontal RCS less than 0.5m² detection range varies from 80 to 150 kilometres. Against exo atmospheric ballistic missiles or depressed trajectory ballistic missiles, tracking range is anywhere between 230 to 250 kilometres. For targets having frontal RCS 4m², tracking range is 390 kilometres. For bomber sized aircrafts that range is 570km.

92N6E:

FIRE Control radar for missile guidance and accurate targeting , i.e maintaining lock. It works in the I/J band frequencies and under optimal conditions can guide twelve missiles towards 6 targets simultaneously at rangers upto around 400 kilometres. This radar has electronic beam steering mechanism in place.

96L6E:

HIGH altitude rough terrain tracking and avoidance radar for seamless tracking of targets when flying low and fast and huggin the rough uneven terrain. It uses electronically scanned steering mechanism for elevation variation, but is mechanically steered for azimuth variations. It works in the C-band and is frequency hopping enabled thus making it difficult to jam by electronic countermeasures. It can track 100 targets and can effectively differentiate between UAVs, HELOS, fighters and cruise missiles.

For low altitude target detection its elevation is kelp at -3 to 1.5 degrees with 5RPM rotation speed of the radar board for optimal clutter rejection. Main Lobe of the radar can be elevated between -1.5 to 20 degrees with a 10RPM rotation speed for high to low and medium altitude target detection and identification.

40V6MR:

Mast mounted radar to aid in better ground clutter cancellation.

MISSILES:

40N6E does not engage fighter sized targets at 400km ranges, at 300 to 400 kilometres its manuververable enough to engage transports, AEWCS, BOMBERS AND BALLISTIC MISSILES THAT HAVE A PREDICTABLE TRAJECTORY.