In its usual deceptive fashion, Russia is making outlandish claims about the alleged effectiveness of its S-500 Prometey (or 55R6M "Triumfator-M") self-propelled surface-to-air missile/anti-ballistic missile system (SAM/ABM) scheduled for deployment after 2020.
Russia has been making patently false claims about the capability of this weapons system since 2016. This heavily-hyped but troubled system has had more than its share of teething problems and remains beset by a chronic lack of funding due to the forlorn state of Russia's sagging economy.
Russia claims the S-500 can allegedly shoot down hypersonic glide vehicles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Russia also once claimed the missile system might enger service in 2016. When that year came and went, the Kremlin announced the S-500 will be entering service in the "near future."
The Russian Aerospace Forces in May 2016 announced the imminent delivery of the high-altitude SAM. At the time, Lt. Gen. Viktor Gumyonny, Commander, Russian Aerospace Forces, said he expects "the first samples of the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system to be delivered soon." That deadline also came and went.
As to when the S-500 will first be deployed, Gen. Gummyonny in 2017 said that deliveries of the initial systems should occur sometime in 2020. What will be delivered to Gen. Gummeny's command, however, will only be a prototype system designed for testing -- and not combat-ready systems.
Made by state-owned Almaz Antey Concern, the S-500 SAM/ABM system is designed to protect high value Russian sites such as the Kremlin against limited attacks from U.S. ICBMs (both land and sea launched) and hypersonic glide vehicles with speeds in excess of Mach 5 (6,200 km/h).
Amassed attack by American ICBMs and hypersonic missiles will easily overwhelm the S-500.
The S-500's claimed range of 400 kilometers means one of this system's missiles -- which is designated the 40N6 extended-range guided missile -- should be able to engage ICBMs in space. Russia also claims the S-500 can detect and simultaneously attack up to 10 ballistic missile warheads using the 40N6 (a blast fragmentation missile) and hit-to-kill interceptors (the 77N6-N and 77N6-N1) similar to the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
That's the claim but the reality is that the system, which was first expected to enter service in late 2016 or 2017, is now expected to achieve this milestone at an undetermined time in the near future. Russia says that time will be some time past 2020.
Western military analysts affirm Russia hasn't conducted any rigorous field testing of the S-500. There is also little evidence of the Russians ever having done so. Hence, the continuing delays in deployment. They also said Russia is keeping true to form with its propaganda blitz that oversells the S-500 while overawing the United States and NATO. Basically, this means the S-500 is mostly bark and not bite.
Russia claims the homing system of the 40N6 will differ from those on all other air defense missiles because its "one-of-a-kind self-homing warheads search for their targets." Once the target is found, the 40N6 will switch to an automatic-homing mode. The 40N6 is a two-stage solid fuel missile that stands 30 feet tall.
