S-350 out in the open at MAKS

Almaz-Antei is showing its new medium-range mobile air defense system for the first time at MAKS 2013. The S-350 Vityaz was revealed earlier this summer during a June visit by President Putin to the Obukhov facility in St Petersburg, but this is the first time the system has been exhibited in public. 

In Russian service the S-350 could form part of a multi-layered air defense system alongside the prospective S-400 and S-500 systems, also from Almaz-Antei.

The designers note that an S-350 battery is capable of defeating all current and future aircraft and missile threats. Each mobile launcher is equipped with 12 9M96E2 surface-to-air-missiles that can engage targets at a minimum range of 1.5 km and a maximum of 60 km. The multi-function radar can simultaneously track up to 32 targets and provides 360 degree coverage. The system can engage 16 conventional aircraft targets at once, or up to 12 missiles. Cruise missiles flying as low as 10 m can be tracked and engaged and the system has a maximum effective altitude of 30 km. 

Each Vitayz system comprises three basic vehicles: the PU 50B6E launcher, MFR 50N6E fire control radar and PBU 50K6E command and control unit. The complete system is operated by a crew of three.