Russia demonstrates S-400 combat capabilities to foreign military attaches

MOSCOW (TASS): Russian military specialists demonstrated the combat capabilities of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems and Pantsyr-S surface-to-air missile/gun launchers to military attaches from 52 countries in live-firings at the Ashuluk proving ground in the southern Astrakhan Region, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

On April 28, about 80 representatives of the military diplomatic corps from 52 countries of the CIS, Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America accredited in Russia visited the Ashuluk proving ground of the Aerospace Force’s Combat Training and Combat Employment Center in the Astrakhan Region, the ministry said.

“The officers of foreign states were shown the combat capabilities of S-400 ‘Triumf’ long-range surface-to-air missile systems and also Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile/gun launchers for detecting and eliminating practice aerial targets,” the ministry said in a statement.

During a tactical episode that consisted of three stages, the foreign military attaches viewed the specifics of organizing air defense to repel a notional enemy’s missile and air strikes, the statement says.

“The combat teams of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile/gun launchers spotted and eliminated all the target missiles that simulated aerodynamic, op-erational-tactical and tactical ballistic targets, cruise missiles and also ground targets,” Ministry said.

On April 27, foreign officers were acquainted with the specifics of the Center’s operations and the possibilities of training foreign military personnel in air defense specialties at the Yaroslav Air Defense Higher Military School, the statement says.
Russia’s Defense Ministry regularly invites foreign military attaches to various events. In 2020, foreign military diplomats attended over 20 events. As the Russian Defense Ministry stressed, the latest event is a planned measure that is being held to raise transparency of the Russian Army’s activity.

Russia’s S-400 ‘Triumf’ (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the latest long-and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and can also be used against ground installations.