AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM FIELDED WITH AIR FORCE
RIA NOvosti
MOSCOW, February 15 (RIA Novosti) - "Several S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems have entered service in the Russian Air Force, with the service continuing to accept delivery of these weapons," Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief General of the Army Vladimir Mikhailov told the media.
"The Triumph looks very similar to the S-300 SAM system, but its missiles fly faster, farther and higher," he said.
Gen. Mikhailov ruled out allowing any foreign military attaches to attend SAM system field tests.
"It is not customary to invite anybody to such trials. We do not have to boast, we are very modest in this respect," Vladimir Mikhailov said in response to the USAF attaché's question during the annual meeting with foreign military attachés in Moscow.
The general specified that the S-400 Triumph would be unveiled at the MAKS 2005 air show slated for August 16-21, 2005 in the town of Zhukovsky in the Moscow Region.
The service chief also said that the Russian Air Force did not participate in the switch from conscription to volunteer-heavy manning because it had done so a long time ago.
"The service is not a participant in the program. Air Force and Air Defense units feature a large percentage of top-notch commissioned and non-commissioned officers and enlisted men," the commander-in-chief commented.
According to Gen. Mikhailov, the service has been manned heavily since the mid-1970s by volunteers who would sign up again after having completed their conscript tour of duty.
"This is a reason for us to be exempt from the program," the Air Force chief said.
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