S-400 Air Defence Missile Systems

As per a recent report, all the major military contracts, including the deliveries of S-400 air defence missile systems, between Russia and India will be on schedule and the coronavirus pandemic will have no effect on their timeframe, according to India's top diplomat.

Background:

• In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
• Last year, India made the first tranche of payment of around USD 800 million to Russia for the missile systems.
• India is the largest purchaser of Russian military hardware. India has ordered $15 billion worth of Russian arms in three years.
• The country has purchased around $70 billion in weapons from Russia since 1991.
• In February, it was stated by Moscow that it will begin the delivery of the S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to India by the end of 2021 and there will be no delay in execution of the project.

What is S-400?

• Manufactured by Russian state-owned defence company, Almaz-Antey, the S-400 Triumf (also knows as the SA-21 Growler by NATO nations) is one of the most advanced missile defence systems on the market.
• The 'Triumf' interceptor-based missile system can destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km, in an intensive jamming environment.
• Missile type: The S-400 can be equipped with four missile types:
  • the 40 km-range 9M96
  • the 150 km-range 9M96E2
  • the 200-250 km-range 48N6
  • the 400 km-range 40N6
• The system is intended to engage manned aircraft and missile threats, including medium-range ballistic missiles.
• The S-400 has so far been exported to China, and Turkey conducted its first tests with the system in November 2019. 
• Russia plans to complete the delivery of the fifth regimental set in the first half of 2025.

The US factor:

• The United States had imposed sanctions on Russia under the stringent Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
• The law also provides for punitive action against countries purchasing defence hardware from Russia.

• China has already had similar sanctions imposed.
• In India’s case, such sanctions could threaten growing defence cooperation between the U.S. and India, which, ironically, is intended in part to counter China.
• Similarly, the U.S. has already suspended the sale of the F-35 to Turkey due to its pursuit of the Russian-made system.

Are there any strategic implications for NATO?

• The potential proliferation of the system to India and other nations such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey is not particularly surprising, but it has created political tensions inside of NATO.
• Besides being problematic given Russia is seen as the major existential threat to NATO, the system is also not interopeable with NATO platforms so contributes little Alliance security.
• The SA-21 at its current position near Hmeimim Air Base near Latakia provides coverage over most points in Syria.
• In addition, various NATO assets that are engaged in the region against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIL) would be in the range of the S-400.
• In the European theatre, from launch positions in north-western Russia and Kaliningrad respectively, 40N6-equipped S-400s could cover much of Finnish and Polish airspace.
• Turkey’s decision to purchase S-400 systems holds greater political implications for NATO and the F-35 project.
• Not only does it signal a strengthened Russia on the global stage, but it also shows how the reluctance of the US- to sell their own missile defence systems - can be leveraged by rival nations. 

Why everyone is showing interest in the S-400?

• There is a reason why every country that shows interest in the system is threatened with diplomatic retaliation from the US and NATO.
• The S-400, together with systems such as the Nebo-M (Russian state of the art radar complex), may pose a threat to fifth-generation air systems, especially in the context of ‘night one’ operations against an intact integrated air defence system.
• "Multi-axis (kinetic and non-kinetic) attacks against such a system and the adversary’s command, control, and communications infrastructure will be critical to degrading the threat posed by advanced air defence systems.
• S-400 is on par with anything that West has to offer.  

Significance of the system:

• Key advantages of the system include:
  • its ability to track a high number of stealth targets
  • high modularity
  • high mobility, ensuring that the system can be deployed and engaging targets within a matter of minutes
• Overall, the S-400 – which has been in use since 2007 – is a huge step up from the S-300, and utilises a full suite of targeting apparatus, such as multifunction radar, command and control and autonomous detection, ensuring that the system is capable of providing a layered defence.
• While largely untested in an operational environment, the S-400 is potentially twice as effective in comparison to the capable S-300 system.

Conclusion:

The S-400 would give India’s military the ability to shoot down aircraft and missiles at unprecedented ranges.