Baltic Fleet Receives S-400 Air Defense Missile Systems

09.04.2012 Baltic Fleet (BF) on Apr 6, 2012 put S-400 air defense battalion in service, writes Izvestiya. The new SAM systems were included into inventory of Aerospace Defense Brigade deployed near Kaliningrad. This is the third battalion of this kind in Russia; other two deployed in Moscow region. At the first stage, S-400 deployed in the Baltic will not be a part of Aerospace Defense Force, although will join it in prospect.

S-400 battalion was delivered to Baltic Fleet in Feb 2012, but has been only prepared for deployment up to now. As was reported in mid-March, Russian Armed Forces would receive three S-400 battalions with eight launchers in each. According to Chief of Russian Air Force Staff Gen Maj Viktor Bondarev, one battalion will be stationed in Nakhodka (Far East), the second - in Moscow region, and the third – in 1-st Air Force/Air Defense Command.

Late in March, Russian Defense Ministry and Avangard Moscow Machinery Plant signed a contract on new surface-to-air guided missiles for S-400 systems. The missiles will be produced throughout 3 years. Presently, S-400 systems use missiles 48N6E, 48N6E2, and 48N6E3 standard for S-300PM-1 and S-300PM-2 air defense systems, as well as upgraded missiles 48N6DM. In addition, designing of 9M96E and 9M96E2 missiles for S-400 system is at final stage, as well as 40N6E long-range missile.

According to State Arms Program 2011-2020, Russian Armed Forces are supposed to form twenty eight S-400 regiments with two battalions in each. Defense ministry plans to deploy those systems primarily in coastal and border areas. To produce sufficient amount of S-400 systems, it is planned to build three new plants in Russia. In prospect, S-400 and currently developed S-500 systems will constitute the core of Russian missile defenses.