The S-400 Triumph is an anti-aircraft weapon system developed in the 1990s by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau as an upgrade of the S-300 family. It has been in service with the Russian Armed Forces since 2007. In 2017 the S-400 was described by The Economist as "one of the best air-defence systems currently made". According to Siemon Wezeman Senior Researcher of SIPRI the S-400 "is among the most advanced air defence systems available".
In 2003, it became apparent that the system was not ready for deployment. In August, two high-ranking military officials expressed concern that the S-400 was being tested with "obsolete" interceptors from the S-300P system and concluded that it was not ready for deployment. Completion of the project was announced in February 2004, and in April a ballistic missile was successfully intercepted in a test of the upgraded 48N6DM missile. In 2007, the system was approved for service. Russia has accepted for service the 40N6 long-range missile for the S-400 air defence system, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS news agency in October 2018.
S-400 Triumf and Pantsir missile system can be integrated into a two-layer defense system.
One system comprising up to eight divisions (battalions) can control up to 72 launchers, with a maximum of 384 missiles (including missiles with a range of less than 250 km (160 mi)). The missiles are fired by a gas system from the launch tubes up to 30 metres into the air before the rocket motor ignites, which increases the maximum and decreases the minimum ranges. In April 2015, a successful test firing of the missile was conducted at an airborne target at a range of 400 km (250 mi); TELs carrying the long-range 40N6 may only be able to hold two missiles instead of the typical four due to its larger size. Another test recorded a 9M96 missile using an active radar homing head, reached a height of 56 km. All the missiles are equipped with directed explosion warhead, which increases the probability of complete destruction of targets. In 2016, Russian anti-aircraft missile troops received new guided missiles for S-300 and S-400 defense systems. Anti-aircraft missile system, designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, it can also be used against ground objectives. The S-400 is able to intercept cruise missiles out to a range of about 40 km due to their low altitude flight paths. More details
