The Russian S-400 air defense system enjoys well-deserved authority in the world of air defense systems. This is evidenced even by the fact of the purchase by Turkey - a member country of NATO. S-400 surpasses American counterparts in a number of indicators.
There are several obvious advantages of the S-400 over American anti-aircraft missile systems. Firstly, we are talking about Patriot complexes, which are often compared to the S-400. The advantages of the Russian air defense system over Patriot can be divided into two groups - technical and financial.
To technical advantages, according to some American military experts, include the target range of the S-400, aiming accuracy, ability to successfully resist stealth technologies used by the enemy with the help of complex sensors. So, "Patriot" has a small range and height of target interception - total 20 and 7 km from the property, protected by the complex.
Therefore, you have to use whole batteries of air defense systems, to cover objects. At S-400, these figures are many times better – 400 kilometers in radius. It means, that the Russian air defense system is able to provide protection of a much greater distance.
Radar systems, used in air defense systems S-400, also distinguished by excellent performance. The applied radar of the circular review with a two-sided HEADLIGHT detects all types of flying objects at a distance of 600 km - airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles. After identifying the target, one of five types of missiles is launched, armed with the S-400.
Each rocket is designed to hit a target at a certain height, it is aimed at the target and through management, and independently, without the need for backlight radar tracking. This creates such an air defense system, which experts call layered. It is also worth noting, that there is a lower limit to the work of Patriot - 60 m, while the S-400 shoots down targets at a distance of only 5 meters above ground level.
S-400 is compared with another American system - THAAD. At one time, the Americans were diligently trying to break the contract for the supply of S-400 for the needs of India, however, Indian experts said: S-400 is superior to THAAD. So, if the latter is designed to deal only with enemy ballistic missiles, then the S-400 works for any air targets. Besides, THAAD only has one rocket, what is said, for all occasions.
Despite the impressive height of hitting targets, THAAD cannot destroy targets at a relatively short distance, that is, enemy planes, cruise missiles. But it is precisely this task that is most important for the air defense of many countries, since ballistic missile strikes are unlikely, but the flights of enemy fighters and attacks by cruise missiles are quite. And if THAAD is not capable of hitting aerodynamic targets, then the S-400 can, under certain conditions, hit and ballistic missile.
Many countries of the world, Nevertheless, prefer S-400 not only due to their excellent technical characteristics, but also because of its low financial value for such quality. University of Birmingham expert Richard Connolly considers, what exactly the cheapness factor is largely determining the attractiveness of the Russian anti-aircraft missile system.
After all, if we compare the cost of air defense systems, then the S-400 will cost an average of 500 million dollars, а Patriot Pac-2 – в 2 billion. If we talk about the cost of THAAD, then it’s even higher - 3 billion. However, Representative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Andrew hunter, trying to explain such a significant difference in cost, claims, that American systems also include maintenance in the price.
