Russia unveils new S-500 Prometey missile system

The Russian defense industry has introduced the S-500 Prometey missile system to the public for the first time at the Army-2024 defense exhibition in the Moscow region.

This advanced system is designed to provide long-range air defense and theater ballistic missile defense.

The S-500 Prometey, named after the Greek mythological figure Prometheus, is a road-mobile system built on the BAZ-69096 chassis, featuring 10×10 transporter-erector-launchers. This system is expected to eventually replace the aging A-135 anti-ballistic missile system, which has been defending Moscow and its surrounding regions from silos. Additionally, the S-500 is designed to complement the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, which has frequently been targeted in recent Ukrainian attacks.

The versatility of the S-500 is one of its key features. Like many of Russia’s high-end air defense systems, the S-500 can be configured to fire a range of different missiles, allowing it to tackle a variety of threats at different ranges and elevations. This capability makes it a formidable asset in Russia’s air defense network.

The development of the S-500 began in earnest in 2009, but the program has faced delays, missing its initial targets for series production, which were confidently predicted to begin by 2012. Despite these setbacks, the system reached a significant milestone when the first brigade set of S-500 Prometey units was delivered in October 2021 to the 15th Special Purpose Army of the Russian Aerospace Forces, responsible for protecting Moscow and the central region of Russia.

In a statement on May 25, 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the importance of the S-500 to Russia’s defense strategy, noting that “more than 70% of the anti-aircraft missile regiments in the Aerospace Forces have been re-equipped with the modern S-400 systems. The delivery of the S-500 system to the troops is next, with its tests already successfully concluding.”

Vice Prime Minister of Russia, Yuri Borisov, announced on August 23, 2021, that the S-500 system had entered serial production, marking a new phase in its deployment across Russia’s defense forces.