SA-21 GROWLER / S400 Triumph Long Range TABM/SAM

USA Code Name SA - X - 20
Russian Designation: S-400 TRIUMPH
Russian Design Agency Almaz - prime contractor
Fakel - missile design
Range: 48N6E from S-300PMU-1 - Approx. 150Km
48N6E2 from S-300PMU-2 - Approx. 200Km
9M96E from S-300PMU-3 Approx. 40Km
9M96E2 - Approx. 120Km

Next Generation SAM range > 400km possibly based on the 9M83M & 9M82M of the SA-12

Guidance: Command + Active Radar Terminal Homing or Semi Active Terminal Homing depending on Missile used.
Inservice: No - development
Notes: This New system is based on upgraded components of the S-300V and S-300P missile families. It is being developed primarily for export. It has both ATBM and SAM capabilities.
Some components may be used to upgrade existing S-300 systems.
Radar's - Surveillance 64N6 'Tombstone' - 3D or
96L6E 3D system.
Radar's - Low Altitude 76NG 'Clam Shell'
Radar's - Fire Control Though this is being described as a new radar is is likely to be based on the S-300 36N85 ' Flap Lid'. Reports indicate a larger array than the Flap Lid with an additional antenna
Other Components 86M6E - Control System
54K6E Operations Station

Intended to repulse mass attacks delivered by current and future air attack weapons.

The Triumph system incorporates command/ control assets and air defense medium- and long-range missile systems (up to eight ADM systems) developed from the most recent research a n d e n g i n e e r i n g achievements in electronics, computer engineering, rocketry, with the use of advanced circuitry and technologies, as well as the most sophisticated software for the ground-based and onboard computer systems.

The Triumph system’s architecture is similar to that of the Favorit air defense system, but significantly outperforms it in terms of the following basic performance characteristics:
- maximum target engaging ranges and altitudes;
- target/missile channel capacity;
- jamming immunity of ground-based and onboard electronic facilities;
- high fire power potential;
- maximum target speed (5,000 m/s) that corresponds to nonstrategic ballistic missiles with a range of up to 3,500 km.

The system is provided with improved transportation facilities: chassis equipped with a power generating unit driven by the cruise engine. The Triumph system may be used to form air defense groupings incorporating the S-300P and other AD missile systems.

The Triumph system command/control assets and AD missiles can cooperate with various automated control systems and radar facilities. Along with the new AD missiles the system can use the S-300PMU AD missiles.
The possibility of using AD missiles with various effective ranges ensures the system modular capability that makes it possible to set up layered air defense and nonstrategic antimissile defense systems. The mixed ammunition load allows for optimum use of ammunition (in terms of effectiveness-cost ratio).


2002.
---------
The missile was launched without a hitch in the closed control loop at 12.25 Moscow time and engaged its target precisely at the desired point. The main objective of these tests was the functional check of new electronic equipment and software at the ground facilities, as well as the evaluation of missile guidance efficiency.

The Triumph's leading developer is the Almaz Central Design Bureau. According to Alexander Lemansky, General Designer of the Bureau, the comprehensive manufacturer's tests of the new-generation air defense missile system have demonstrated that it possesses considerably higher performance qualities in terms of the engagement envelope, effectiveness, and a variety of potential targets than was available with the previous generation systems. This phase of the preliminary design tests is scheduled to be completed by late 1999, A. Lemansky stressed.

The S-400 system is intended to engage current and future air threats such as tactical and strategic aircraft, Tomahawk cruise missiles and other type missiles, including precision-guided ones, as well as AWACS aircraft, at ranges of up to 400 km. It can also detect stealth aircraft and other targets at all altitudes of their combat employment and at maximum ranges.

Air Force Colonel General Anatoly Kornukov, Air Force Commander-in-Chief, characterizes the Triumph air defense system as a fourth-generation system with a brilliant future because its components are based on the most advanced know-how in the field of radiolocation, missile manufacturing, microcircuitry and computing technology.

Work on the development of the S-400 air defense missile system is a visible embodiment of cooperation among weapon developers. Besides the Almaz Central Design Bureau, these include leading enterprises of the Russian defense industry, such as the Fakel Machine-Building Design Bureau, the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Measuring Instruments, the St. Petersburg Special Machine-Building Design Bureau, and a number of others.

General Designer Vladimir Svetlov, head of the Fakel Bureau-the leading developer of missiles for the S-400 systems-underlines that the Triumph is the first system in the country and, perhaps, in the world that can selectively use several types of missiles, both previously developed SAMs and the new, unique SAMs.

"The long-range missile," Vladimir Svetlov says, "has no analogs. The other missile, the 9M96, does have foreign counterparts, such as an advanced American missile for the PAC-3 Patriot system, but outperforms it, as well as the French Aster, in terms of overall effectiveness by approximately twofold."

The two versions of the 9M96 medium-range missile (9M96E and 9M96E2) were discussed in detail in the March/Apr '99 issue of Military Parade. As for long-range missiles capable of engaging various targets at ranges of up to 400 km, It is premature to describe them, let us only note here that they are available and ready for trials.

The Triumph air defense system can also use 48N6E missiles of the S-300PMU-1 system and 48N6E2 missiles of the S-300PMU-2 Favorit system. Incidentally, the 48N6E missile was successfully test-fired on February 12, 1999.
A high degree of automation at all phases of battle performance, as well as modern types of circuitry, has made it possible to considerably reduce the attending personnel of the S-400 air defense system. The principles of construction and the ramified communications network of the S-400 system allow its integration into different level chains of control throughout the Air Force and other armed services. The arrival of the Russian Federation Defense Minister, Igor Sergeyev, at the test site is indicative of the importance of the next phase of Triumph trials. He told journalists that it was too early to sum up the results before the commencement of the state tests. However, it is expedient, in his opinion, to make investments into the development of the S-400 air defense system because in terms of the effectiveness-cost ratio it is 2.5 times more proficient than the now-functioning systems.