Russia Develops Own Aegis

03.09.2012 Russia will have own sea-based missile defense system analogous to American Aegis, Anatoly Shlemov, head of state defense order department at United Shipbuilding Corporation told RIA Novosti.

"This is unambiguous task assigned to defense industry, because it is very urgent to use warships in national missile defense architecture", explained the interviewee.

According to him, JSC Almaz-Antei (designer of S-300 and S-400 missile defense systems) is engaged in development of the sea-based missile defense systems along with other companies.

Earlier on, it was reported about Russian defense ministry's plans to kick off shipbuilding program of 6 missile/space defense destroyers in 2016.

American missile defense system Aegis is currently undergoing active development. In particular, such systems armed with interceptors SM-2 and SM-3 are mounted on US Navy's Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Besides, naval ships of Japan, South Korea, Norway, and Spain are also equipped with elements of Aegis system.

Aegis missile defense system comprises all-round surveillance radar capable to detect and track up to 300 targets at distances up to 320 km. To hit top-priority targets, Aegis system may launch up to 18 interceptors at once.