According to the Indian media ANI News, in response to air threats from Pakistan and China, India has deployed its first S-400 anti-aircraft missile system squadron in the Punjab region. According to government sources, some components of the S-400 air defense missile system ordered from Russia have arrived in India earlier this month and are expected to be deployed to border areas in the coming weeks. According to relevant information, India signed a purchase agreement with Russia in October 2018 for the batch of S-400 air defense missile systems, with a total price of up to 5.5 billion US dollars for five sets of systems (each equipped with a squadron), including training costs for relevant personnel. Observers believe that if the S-400 becomes effective, it will be able to solve the problem of the Indian military lacking long-range air defense missiles and significantly enhance its air defense and anti missile capabilities.

The S-400 air defense missile system (NATO codename SA-21 "Roar") is a third-generation surface to air missile system developed by the Russian Diamond Missile Design Bureau, mainly used to respond to air strikes from ultra-low altitude to high altitude, close range to ultra long range in the entire airspace and multiple targets. In order to meet different air defense needs, the S-400 system is equipped with various interception missiles, including the ultra long range 40N6 (maximum speed of 11 Mach, maximum strike distance of 400 kilometers), the medium to long range 9M96 (speed of 3 Mach, maximum range of 120 kilometers), and the short-range 9M96E (speed of 2.6 Mach, maximum range of 40 kilometers). In addition, the S-400 system has strong anti-interference capabilities and superior radar performance. Its equipped 96L6E search radar has a maximum detection range of 600 kilometers, can simultaneously track more than 300 targets, guide aiming at 72 targets, and issue fire strike instructions to 36 of them, with the ability to intercept ballistic missiles. Normally, an S-400 air defense missile system combat unit (battalion level) consists of six 5P85TE2/5P85SE3 launch vehicles, one 55K6 command/control shelter, one 96L6E search radar, one 92N6 fire control radar, as well as several missile transport vehicles, power supply vehicles, support vehicles, radar overhead, etc., and can conduct independent operations. The regimental/brigade level units will also be equipped with the 91N6E battlefield management radar, which is responsible for air situational awareness at the regimental/brigade level. In addition, information command cabins, mechanical/digital maintenance cabins, backup equipment, etc. are also configured at this level. Unlike the Chinese and Russian ground to air missile units, the Indian Air Force's ground to air missile units are composed of regiments with several squadrons, so the equipment scale of the S-400 system may be smaller than that of Russia and China.

Although India has no more detailed information on the bomb configuration of the S-400 air defense system, roast that the super long range projectile 40N6E has a high probability of being included in the purchase list to make up for the shortcomings of the Indian army at this height. The 40N6 is a two-stage solid fuel engine missile with a lift body layout and an aerodynamic stabilizer. It has a maximum altitude of over 130 kilometers, a maximum range of 400 kilometers, and a maximum flight speed of 11 Mach. It can not only expand the range of regional air defense operations, but also undertake terminal anti missile interception tasks in the theater, making it a globally leading air defense weapon.

▲40N6E

The deployment of the S-400 air defense system by India to Punjab province this time demonstrates its ambition. Punjab Province is strategically located at the border of China, Pakistan, and India, adjacent to the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region with Pakistan. The Aksai Chin, Ladakh, and Karakoram corridors along the China India border are also not far away. If the S-400 air defense system forms combat power in the area, it can deter airports within 300 kilometers (with a range sufficient to cover the capital city of Ladakh, Leh), compress the opponent's aircraft's hovering time and altitude, and expose them to a "strike window" upon takeoff. In addition, the S-400 air defense system will play an important role in the second layer of India's ballistic missile defense system (BMD) (the first layer consists of ground air defense systems and advanced air defense systems, and the third layer consists of Barak-8 air defense missiles), improving the entire Indian anti missile system and providing significant assistance to India's overall defense strategy. Is the S-400 really that "indestructible"? Actually, it's not that exaggerated. As a product developed from the S-300, we can take the S-300 air defense system's recent cases in local wars as a reference. In the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh War, Azerbaijan frequently used Harop patrol missiles produced by Israel, and the TB-2 UAV produced by Türkiye tore up Armenia's air defense network, which not only made the 9K35 "Arrow 10" accompanied by air defense in the field ineffective, but also destroyed the S-300PT used for air defense in important places. Its supporting ST-68U/UM three coordinate radar seemed "blind", and it was too late to detect the existence until the target approached. In addition, the Syrian government army has also expressed concerns about the practicality of the S-300. Of course, this does not prove that the S-400 air defense system is as poor as mentioned above, after all, the technology of S-300PT is still in the 1980s, far inferior to the upgraded S-300PMU1/2.

S300 air defense system destroyed in the Arab Israeli conflict

As the saying goes, the strongest shield is the strongest spear. China put the S-400 into live fire exercises earlier than India, so they are more familiar with the operation and advantages and disadvantages of the system. The J-16D electronic fighter is specifically designed to deal with modern air defense missiles. Its electronic reconnaissance and jamming equipment uses the "long baseline interferometry measurement method" to locate radiation sources 150 kilometers away, "tracking aiming" interference, and then uses new anti radiation missiles to achieve precise strikes in the electromagnetic spectrum field. At present, the J-16D electronic fighter has been put into practical training, indicating that the Chinese Air Force has effective means and capabilities in seizing the information power of the air battlefield and breaking through the opponent's air defense system. According to relevant information, if the 96L6E search radar equipped on the S-400 operates in the microwave frequency band, the radar scattering cross-section of the J-20 fighter jet is less than 0.1 square meters, which is also a significant threat to the S-400 air defense system. In addition, using drones and ballistic missiles to launch a preemptive strike on the S400 is also a good choice.

In order to ensure the reliability of ballistic missiles, we have also taken various measures to counter missile defense systems such as the S-400, including the development of multi warhead re-entry vehicles and aluminum foil balloons to improve the survivability of ballistic missiles. The so-called aluminum film balloons refer to the balloons covered with aluminum polyester film that are deployed during the outer space phase of ballistic missiles. The real warheads are hidden inside, while other balloons are equipped with lithium batteries to simulate the heat released by the warheads, thereby increasing the difficulty for interceptors to distinguish between real and fake warheads. In addition, electromagnetic pulse bombs are also a future development direction.

Multiple ballistic missile warheads re-enter the atmosphere

Of course, India still faces many challenges in maximizing the deterrence of the S-400 air defense system. Firstly, most of India's main remote 3D surveillance and ground control interception radars are products from the 1980s, with outdated technical performance and limited capabilities for cruise and ballistic missiles, making it impossible to establish a comprehensive early warning system with the radar equipped on the S-400 air defense system. Secondly, India's current air defense system is not a truly national air defense system. The air defense capabilities in the deep areas of central and southern India are basically zero. This cannot be compensated for by buying a few more S-400 air defense systems. The main reason is that the performance of India's domestically produced air defense missiles is too poor. India still has a long way to go to truly establish its position as a strong air defense country, and relying solely on buying and selling is not enough.

The planned deployment locations for five sets of S400 in India are all located on the India Pakistan and China India borders

Source: Military of Strong Countries