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Lexicon · Russia

S-350 Vityaz

Russia's S-350 Vityaz is a road-mobile, medium-range surface-to-air missile system built around a deep magazine of active-radar 9M96 interceptors and intended to replace the S-300PS.

S-350 Vityaz
FIG.01 · Russia Image - An S-350E Vityaz launcher at the MAKS 2013 airshow. Photo by Vitaly V. Kuzmin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
A Russian road-mobile, medium-range surface-to-air missile system designed to replace the S-300PS and engage aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and limited ballistic-missile threats.

Overview

The S-350 Vityaz, designated 50R6A and known by NATO as the SA-28, occupies the medium-range tier of Russia's integrated air-defense network. Developed by Almaz-Antey, it is intended to replace ageing S-300PS batteries while complementing longer-range S-400 formations. Its principal distinction is magazine depth: each 50P6 launcher carries 12 vertically launched missiles, compared with four large interceptor tubes on a typical S-300 or S-400 launcher.

The system uses active-radar-homing missiles from the 9M96 family, also associated with the S-400 and the naval Redut system. Published engagement ranges vary substantially with missile type and source, from 60 km in an early Russian state description to approximately 120 km for the longer-range 9M96E2. The system is designed for aircraft, uncrewed aircraft and cruise missiles, with a shorter engagement envelope against ballistic targets. TASS described the initial configuration as having a 60 km engagement radius and 30 km altitude ceiling, while Army Recognition reports the broader missile family and 12-round launcher configuration.

Russia is the only confirmed operator. S-350 components have been deployed during the war in Ukraine, where Russian authorities have credited the system with interceptions but Ukrainian forces have also damaged or destroyed launchers and radar equipment. The number of complete divisions delivered and the system's independently verified intercept performance are not publicly established.

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