Ukraine received the assistance of the S-300 anti-aircraft air defense system from countries in Europe. But not yet, Russia claims to have succeeded in destroying the four launchers or missile launchers.
Russia's defense ministry said a Kalibr missile launched from the sea destroyed four S-300 launchers hidden in a hangar on the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. There were 25 Ukrainian soldiers hit by the attack.
Russia did not say which European country supplied the S-300. However, Slovakia, which at the weekend announced the delivery of its S-300s to Ukraine, denies that its supplies were destroyed by Russia. Slovakia called the report a Russian lie.
So, what are the ins and outs of this S-300 missile? The S-300 actually comes from Russia, precisely made during the Soviet Union. The manufacturer is NPO Almaz based in Russia and this missile has been in operation since 1978.
The S-300 missile is intended to shoot fighter aircraft or other missiles, and has a long range, depending on the type. For example, the type 48N6 missile is capable of hitting moving targets up to a maximum of 150 kilometers away.
In its development, many countries have bought and owned the missiles, such as Belarus, China, Slovakia, Iran, Vietnam, Egypt, India, Bulgaria and Greece. Russia has the most, around 1,900 units in 2000.
As quoted by us from Missile Threat, Thursday (14/4/2022) the United States had purchased components in 1994 from Belarus and in 1995, they purchased several S-300 missiles for testing purposes.
As of 2016, the S-300P missile is out of production, but export demand persists and is met with recycled models. Russia has also placed them in Crimea since its 2014 occupation of the region. Reportedly, some have also been stationed in Syria.
How the S-300 Missile Works
Can last up to 40 years, the S-300 has been developed to about 20 variants. Basically, the system consists of a launcher mounted on a truck and can carry up to 4 missiles.
The full battalion consists of six launch vehicles with a total of 24 missiles, plus a command vehicle and long-range detection radar. Two missiles can be fired at once vertically.
So how does the technology work? First, the long-range reconnaissance radar tracks objects up to 300 kilometers away and transmits the information to the command vehicle, which then checks for potential targets.
The target is then identified, and the command vehicle transmits data to the S-300 launch vehicle which location is considered the best for firing. It was only then that two missiles were launched that targeted the target. The radar guides the missile towards its target and can guide up to 12 missiles simultaneously.
The system works completely automatically, although it is also possible to observe and operate manually. With these advantages, the S-300 is also seen as one of the most effective air defenses.