US and European allies collaborate to replace Soviet S‑300 system
Portal Defense Romania reports that during a meeting held on Friday, 6 September, at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the USA announced that together with European allies, they are actively working on developing a replacement for the Soviet air defence system S-300. "This is a bold decision by the USA," the portal reports.
"In cooperation with several European companies, the United States is currently working with Ukraine on designing and manufacturing a replacement for the S-300 surface-to-air missile system," said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin in Germany. The development of this weapon by Ukraine's Western allies is proof that the defenders' army still heavily relies on Soviet weaponry.
Defense Romania also notes that this will not change in the near future, although it is worth noting that post-Soviet technology in the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be partly replaced by Western technology.
USA and European allies to improve the Russian S-300 system
At the moment, no details are known about this "bold decision by the USA." It is also unclear which specific European countries are working on developing the new weapon in cooperation with the USA. It is only known that the new system is to be an evolution of the Soviet S-300 complex, which remains one of the key elements of the Russian Federation's air defence – partly due to its effectiveness.
Defense Romania notes that the decision to improve the S-300 is most likely due to strategic and operational considerations. This is because the S-300 is currently operational in Ukraine, and thus the local army knows how to use it. Developing the mentioned weapon is therefore a step forward, which will not entail significant difficulties in terms of the necessary training for Ukrainians.
System to combat any aerial threat
Work on the S-300 system began in the late 1960s and was completed in the 1970s, when it was introduced into service. In subsequent years, further development was decided, resulting in work on the new system, S-400 Triumf.
The S-300 system is an extremely effective weapon allowing Russia to eliminate almost any threat in the airspace. It effectively combats aeroplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The latest missiles operated by this system have a length of 7.6 metres and a diameter of 0.5 metres. After launch, they reach a maximum speed of up to 7,000 kilometres per hour, and the highest altitude at which they can intercept targets is 27 kilometres.
