Uncommon Russian S‑350 Vityaz launcher damaged by mine: A rarity lost or an expensive fix?
An online recording from the Luhansk region, presently under Russian control, has emerged. It's been alleged that the invading army's vehicle triggered one of the mines laid by the Ukrainians. The Clash Report account on the X platform states that the Russians are stranded at the site of the detonation and can't leave the region due to a large number of surrounding mines.
Conversely, Defence Express highlights that this is the first recorded instance globally where an army has lost an anti-aircraft missile launcher due to a mine blast. Interestingly, the S-350 Vityaz is a scarce weapon, manufactured in Russia in "limited quantities".
Introduced to the Russian Federation's forces in 2020, by 2022, only six launchers of this kind were in the Russian's possession. The future of one of these - damaged by a mine - hangs in the balance, depending on the successful retrieval from the risky area and its consequent repair.
We must remember, the S-350 holds significant value for the Russians as it essentially serves as an upgrade to the ageing S-300 units. Anticipated to possess superior firepower compared to its predecessor, each S-350 launcher can transport a total of 12 missiles.
Packing guided warheads, the Vityaz can target enemy air objects (including manoeuvring missiles located over approximately 120 kilometres away, and at an altitude surpassing 30 kilometres) The launcher is built to attack using three types of missiles:
- 9M96-2 with a reach of up to about 135 kilometers (weight approximately 420 kg, length 5.64 meters);
- 9M96 with a reach of up to 30 kilometers (weight 333 kg, length 4.72 meters);
- 9M100 with a reach of 10 kilometres (weight 140 kg, length 3.15 metres).
Despite the S-350 system's heavy striking capability and mobility, transitioning from marching to combat position in less than 5 minutes, the Vityaz is costly to produce. Today, the army only owns a few units of the weapon. Estimates suggest that the price of one system is approximately £97 million.
