S-400 Air Defense System

Overview

The Indian Air Force (IAF) to strengthen its defence capabilities has deployed three S-400 Triumf air defence missile squadrons along the borders with China and Pakistan.

Recent News

• India in 2018-19 signed a contract with Russia for five S-400 missile squadrons. Three have arrived, and the remaining two are delayed due to Russia-Ukraine conflict. In another development, the Indian Defence Acquisition Council recently cleared the procurement of the Indian Long Range Surface Air Missile(LRSAM) system under Project Kusha.

S-400 Missile System

The S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) is a long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau in the late 1980s to counter advances in Western air defence systems like the MIM-104 Patriot. It was intended to replace the earlier S-200 and S-300 systems developed in the 1960s-1970s.

Features and Capabilities

The S-400 stands out for its sophisticated radars, long-range
missiles, high mobility, flexibility, adaptability, and networking
capabilities. Some of its notable features and capabilities are:

1. Detection and tracking:

Wide area search and track capability- S-400 radars can maintain 300 target tracks while engaging 36 threats. Diverse radar suite- Multiple radars like the 96L6E provide 360-degree surveillance against various kinds of targets. Counter VLO/stealth: Radars can detect and track low observable and stealth aircraft using a variety of advanced methods. Resilient in EW environments: Phased array radars offer electronic protection measures to operate in dense EW environments. Altitude coverage: It can detect and engage targets including ballistic missiles at the edge of space at 30 km altitude. Active and passive guidance: Accurate tracking using both target illumination and passive homing for resistance to EW.

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• 2. Long-range missiles:
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• 400 km range with 40N6 missile: It can intercept threats well before they reach protected assets, and force enemy aircraft to stand off. 250 km range with 48N6 baseline missile: Significant area denial for enemy air power. Ability to hit slow and fast targets: Long-range missiles can hit slow targets like helicopters, UAVs, and cruise missiles. Short-range 9M96 can hit fast jets and PGMs.
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3. Mobility and Rapid deployment:

• Components mounted on wheeled vehicles: Launchers, radars and command posts mounted on trucks for easy transport. 5–10-minute setup time: System designed for high mobility operations and rapid relocation. Shoot and scoot tactics: The launchers can fire missiles on the move immediately after stopping, then quickly displace.

4. Flexibility and adaptability:

• Point defence or area defence modes: It can protect high-value targets or deny access to larger areas.  Low to very high-altitude engagement: It can intercept terrain-hugging cruise missiles to exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles.  Multiple guidance modes: Missiles use inertial, active, passive radio, and satellite guidance for flexibility.  Adaptable to threats: Software can be reprogrammed to counter new aircraft, missiles, and countermeasures.

5. Networking and integration:

• Interfaces with Radars and launchers: Command posts coordinate sensors and launchers across wide areas. Integrates with other systems: It can exchange data with S-300, Tor, Pantsir and Air Defence for comprehensive coverage. Resistant to jamming and EW: Networked sensors and launchers increase redundancy and resistance to electronic attack.
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Strategic Implications of the S-400 in India

India’s S-400 acquisition from Russia in 2018 is geopolitically
significant, giving it leverage in relations with both China and
Pakistan.

1. Deters regional adversaries: Pakistan: The S-400’s 400 km range covers vast stretches of Pakistani airspace. Pakistani F-16s have a combat radius of just 550-600 km. S-400s located in Punjab can thus effectively enforce ‘no-fly zones’ over Pakistan's border regions. This reduces adversary air activity across the frontiers. India can also take steps like shutting down Pakistani AWACS to dominate air battles.

China: The long reach allows India to shoot down Chinese fighter jets from within its territory in case of hostilities. S-400 can counter China's J-20 stealth fighter and shut down vulnerable support systems like AWACS and aerial refuelling tankers. It complicates PLAAF's options for air campaigns and limits its ability to assist Pakistan.

2. Defensive shield over key cities: The S-400 provides a defensive shield over India's major cities, critical infrastructure and strategic facilities. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and 30 other cities come under the protective umbrella of the system with its 100 km+ engagement radius. Vital assets like nuclear command centres, space facilities,
economic hubs and military bases can be secured. This reduces
vulnerability to punitive strikes.

3. Sea denial against Naval forces: The S-400's long-range surveillance provides extensive tracking of naval surface forces. Chinese aircraft carriers and Pakistan Navy ships
can be detected and engaged hundreds of kilometres away from the coast.
Their freedom to manoeuvre close to India during a conflict was
reduced. Shore-based S-400 batteries make the seas unsafe for adversaries while sanitising airspace for the Indian Navy to dominate.

4. Boosts offensive air operations: By securing airbases, forward posts and national strategic infrastructure, the S-400 provides a defensive counter-air shield under which Indian offensive airpower can operate more freely. Offensive forces do not need to be diverted to protect the homeland and can solely focus on targeting adversary assets. Patrols near borders also become more risk tolerant with S-400 cover top-down.

Limitations and Constraints of S-400 Missile System

• 1. Defensive-only asset: It remains a defensive system unable to conduct surface attacks or seize enemy territory.

• 2. China-Pak nexus: Joint air power cooperation between China and Pakistan, including operations from each other's soil, can create two-front challenges that increase the stress on Indian air defence.
• 3. Missile gaps:Upper-tier area defence gaps remain against hypersonic glide vehicles which the S-400 has yet to demonstrate full capability against.
• 4. Cost implications: The S-400's high unit and lifecycle costs constrain funding available for other military modernisation programs.
• 5. Geopolitical fallout: More S-400 purchases could
  attract US sanctions. Acquiring interoperable Western systems gets
  complicated. The S-400 thus also brings geopolitical costs.