The Russian military has reportedly accepted that a new extended-range interceptor missile, for the acclaimed S-400 air defense system, is ready for service and could be in operational service by the end of August. The 40N6E is an extended range surface-to-air missile that the S-400 can fire. The projectile can take down targets up to 400 km far. There are conflicting reports about whether the missile is capable of engaging high-altitude targets, with some sources claiming it may have maximum altitude of 185km while others saying it is designed with a conservative ceiling of 30km. The first successful test of the 40N6E was reported in 2015.
The S-400 nicknamed Triumf or Triumph, NATO code named SA-21 Growler is a long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by Almaz-Antey. The S-400 Trumph is designed to engage, ECM, radar-picket, director area, reconnaissance, strategic and tactical aircraft, tactical and theatre ballistic missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles and other current and future air attack assets at a maximum range of 400 km, and a altitude of up to 30 km. The S-400 Triumph can also intended Tomahawk cruise missiles and other types of 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. This air defense missile system can simultaneously engage 36 targets.
S-400 has been in service with the Russian Armed Forces since 2007. The S-400 uses four missiles to fill its performance envelope: the very-long-range 40N6 (400 km), the long-range 48N6 (250 km), the medium-range 9M96E2 (120 km) and the short-range 9M96E (40 km). The 40N6E is believed to have a range of 400 kilometers, extending the present range of 250 kilometers, with the ability to hit targets at a maximum altitude of 185 kilometers. TASS noted that a pre-production batch had been produced in 2013 and testing has been ongoing since. Besides use with the S-400, Russian military analysts told RIA Novosti that the 40N6E missile could also be used for the S-500, a new-generation surface-to-air missile system currently under development.
