The S-500 Prometheus (
Russian: C-500 Прометей), also known as 55R6M "Triumfator-M",[6] is a Russian
surface-to-air missile/
anti-ballistic missile system supplementing the
S-400 and the
A-235 ABM missile system.[7] The S-500 was developed by the
Almaz-Antey Air Defence Concern. Initially planned to be in production by 2014, the first unit entered service in 2021 with the
15th Air Army.[8][9][10] The S-500 is claimed to be capable of intercepting all types of modern
hypersonic weapon systems, although this is yet to be tested.[11] Russia is reportedly planning to deploy the S-500 alongside the upgraded
S-550 (which is still in development) as part of its air defense network.[12][13]
History
According to the original plans, ten S-500 battalions were to be purchased for the Russian Aerospace Defense (VKO) under the State Armament Programme 2020 (GPV-2020).[14]
As of 2013, the S-500s were intended to work in parallel with S-400s and together were planned to mostly replace the S-300 missile systems.[15] The first units are planned to be deployed around the
Moscow oblast and the country's central area in 2025.[7] A naval version is the likely armament for the new
Lider-class destroyer, which was to enter service after 2020 but was not operational as of 2022.[16]
CEO of
Rostec CorporationSergey Chemezov declared the beginning of S-500 production on 30 June 2019. Despite that, serial production of the first 10 systems (ordered in late 2020) only began in 2021.[17][18] In summer 2020
Sergei Surovikin, the commander of the Aerospace Forces, seemed to confirm that the S-500 system can be used to kill satellites.[19]
A new contract was signed in August 2022.[20] In October 2023,
Defense News claimed that production of S-500 remained behind, being negatively affected by the
sanctions against Russia and labor shortages.[1]
The cost for one S-500 system was estimated be around $700-$800 million dollars in 2020, and up to $2.5 billion in 2023.[1]
Testing
In May 2018, Russia conducted the longest range surface-to-air missile test to date with the S-500. According to reports citing unnamed sources familiar with U.S. intelligence on the program, the S-500 was able to hit a target 482 km (300 mi) away, which is 80 km further than the previous record.[21]
On 4 June 2019, the Russian Ministry of Defense posted a video showing the successful launch of a new anti ballistic missile system in the form of a long range surface to air missile. Though the nature of the air defense system which was being tested was not mentioned it has been widely speculated to have been a test of the S-500 Prometheus long range surface to air missile system.[22]
The first S-500 prototype went on combat duty in Moscow on 13 October 2021.[12] However, it did not yet meet the full set of requirements specified by its operator, the
1st Special Purpose Air and Missile Defense Army.[1]
Design
The S-500 is designed for intercepting and destroying
intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as
hypersonic cruise missiles and aircraft.[24] With a planned range of 600 km (370 mi) for anti-ballistic missile (ABM) and 500 km (310 mi) for air defense,[25] the S-500 was envisaged to be able to detect and simultaneously engage up to 10 ballistic hypersonic targets flying at up to a maximum of 7 km/s (4.3 mi/s).[26] The altitude of a target engaged is claimed to be
as high as 180–200 km (110–120 mi).[27] However, as of 2023, the S-500's ability to intercept hypersonic missiles had not yet been tested.[1] Other targets it has been announced to defend against include
unmanned aerial vehicles,
low Earth orbit satellites, space weapons launched from hypersonic aircraft, and hypersonic orbital platforms.[28] It is to have a response time of less than 4 seconds (compared to the S-400's of less than 10).[29]