The Almaz-Antey Group has delivered the first set of the S-350E ‘Vityaz’ medium-range surface-to-air missile system to the Defense Ministry of Russia. The official ceremony was held the other day at the Kapustin Yar proving ground in the Astrakhan Region During S-350 ‘Vityaz’ delivery to the Defense Ministry, the military hardware was rolled out to the proving ground where “flyovers were carried out with the tracking of real air targets and passed successfully.
In September 2017, it was reported that the S-350E ‘Vityaz’ was deployed in the town of Masyaf in Hama province, Syria, delivered from Russia via the Tartus port. The missile system enjoys 12 tracing missiles instead of 4 missile in previous system, sputnik said, adding that the S-350 Vityaz’s management and control system automation is superior to its older counterpart. In late March this year, the defense manufacturer completed the state tests of the new S-350 ‘Vityaz’ anti-aircraft missile system intended to replace S-300PS surface-to-air missile complexes in the Russian troops.
The Vityaz (Knight) missile system or S-350E is a Russian medium-range surface-to-air missile system developed by GSKB Almaz-Antey. Its purpose is to replace the S-300PS and S-300PT-1A. The system design traces its roots from the joint South Korean/Russian KM-SAM Chun Koong project and uses the same 9M96 missile as the S-400 missile system. The KM-SAM surface-to-air system was developed by the Agency for Defense Development with design support from Almaz-Antey.
The missile system is compatible with 9M100 and 9M96E / 9M96M missiles manufactured by Fakel Design Bureau. The 9M100 is a short-range missile featuring infrared (IR) guidance, and has a maximum range of 10km. The 9M96E / 9M96M, which is originally meant for the S-400 missile system, is a dual-role, self-defence and IR-guided missile. It can load FRAG-HE warheads of 26kg and travel at a speed of 900m/s up to a range of 40km. the S-350E ‘Vityaz’ consists of three 50P6 launcher trucks, a 50K6 command and control vehicle, and 50K6E command post. All vehicles are based on a BAZ-6909 chassis.
