Article Posted on : - Aug 26, 2013

S-350E Vityaz mid-range air defence system. Photo: Almaz-Antei Corporation

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia's new S-350E Vityaz mid-range air defence system will be showcased for the first time at MAKS-2013, which will be held near Moscow from 27 August.

Almaz-Antei Corporation began working on Vityaz in 2007. According to the Company the air defence system is superior to similar foreign models.

The system features advanced all-aspect phased array radar, a new mobile command post and a launcher carrying 12 vertical-launch missiles, which will use a variant of the 9M96 active radar homing missile.

The Vityaz is expected to replace the S-300 missile system whose service life is coming to an end.

"The key factor determining the effectiveness of the new system is its ability to simultaneously reflect the impacts of different types of air attack from any direction at all altitudes of flight in all weather conditions, day and night in difficult noise conditions, S-350E has high mobility and survivability," a statement issued by the Company said.

The prototype of the medium range air defence system was first shown to President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Almaz-Antei's St. Petersburg plant on 19 June.

Almaz-Antei plans to hand over the Vityaz system to the Ministry of Defence for testing before the end of 2013 and start deliveries to the Russian military in 2014.

The Vityaz will complement the Morfey, the S-400 and the S-500 air defence systems in the future Russian aerospace defence network.