S-500 Prometey [Prometheus] - Components

The S-500 is not an upgrade of the existing S-400 system, it's a completely new development. The S-500 uses a lot of new technology and is superior to the S-400. It was designed to intercept ballistic missiles. It is planned to have a range of 500-600 km and hit targets at altitudes as high as 40 km. Some sources claim that this system is capable of tracking 5-20 ballistic targets and intercepting up to 5-10 ballistic targets simultaneously. It can defeat ballistic missiles travelling at 5-7 kilometers per second. It has been reported that this air defense system can also target low orbital satellites. It is planned that the S-500 will shield Moscow and the regions around it. It will replace the current A-135 anti-ballistic missile system. The S-500 missiles will be used only against the most important targets, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, AWACS and jamming aircraft.

The S-500 carries various missiles that have various ranges and will be used against different targets. In 2009 a 40N6 long-range air defense missile was ready for testing. The 40N6 very long range missile is capable of destroying airborne targets at ranges up to 400km (250mi). Active radar homing head (expected in 2012) to engage targets out of sight from the ground (for homing missile can) is designed to find the target. All these military equipment are placed on the MZKT-6922 heavy chassis of the same type, but they have different dimensions and weight, therefore the technique of driving each of these products in difficult conditions, for example, in the woods, in settlements with heavy traffic, when loading onto railway platforms, while driving under bridges, power lines, when overcoming other difficult sections of the route, it differs significantly. The MZKT-6922 is a vehicle model from the Belarusian manufacturer Minski Zavod Koljosnych Tjagachei, MZKT for short. It was primarily developed as a carrier vehicle for rockets in the 2000s.

In 2007, the first pilot item of the MZKT-6922 hull-type chassis was designed and manufactured. The MZKT-6922 chassis was the fundamentally new design prepared by the Chief Designer’s Directorate engineers; it was intended to carry the Tor air defense system. This chassis, when it replaced similar crawler vehicles, not only preserved all their best features but also added several new ones. Among those features, the noteworthy ones are such as high stability in operation, high cross-country ability, and lesser fuel consumption than that for similar crawler vehicles. Also, up-to-date designs in electronics are widely applied in the MZKT-6922 chassis series.

In 2019, at the MILEX-2019 exhibition, a constructively new chassis MZKT-692250 was presented, which was an upgrade of the body chassis of the MZKT-6922 family. The new chassis differs from previous models in the number of axles (wheel arrangement 8x8), increased carrying capacity and a more powerful engine. A new version of the Buk-MB3K self-propelled firing unit and launcher is mounted on a four-axle chassis.

S-500U

Although sharing a similar designation, the relationship [if any] between this new S-500 and the S-500U project of the 1960s is unclear. The S-500U multichannel antiaircraft system was a 1968 initiative by the National Air Defense Troops, Navy, Ministry of the Radio Industry and Ministry of the Shipbuilding Industry to create a unified complex for the National Air Defense Troops, Navy and Ground Troops. Missiles of the S-500U complex were supposed to engage enemy aircraft at a range up to 100 km.

The S-500U SAM complex project was rejected by the Ground Troops, which had a requirement to engage not only enemy aircraft, but also short range ballistic missiles. Consequently the S-300 family [SA-10 and SA-12] was developed instead.

55K6MA and 85Zh6-2 Command Posts

The 55K6MA CP appears to be a rehosting of the baseline S-400 55K6E CP to the BAZ-69092-012 chassis, with the addition of an improved NK Orientir precision navigation system. The telescoping datalink antenna appears to cylindrical in shape. Source ausairpower.net 91N6A(M) Big Bird Acquisition and Battle Management Radar

There is insufficient detail to infer any design changes between the baseline 91N6 and the S-500 variant 91N6A(M) subtype. A BAZ-6403.01 tractor is used, also intended for future S-400 builds. The semi-trailer design has been revised and would provide better off-road handling due to the reduced surface loading of a three axle design.

96L6-TsP Acquisition Radar

The 96L6-TsP Acquisition Radar appears to be a rehosted system on the BAZ-69096 chassis. The gas turbine APU location has been changed. A telescoping datalink mast, with cylindrical antenna elements, appears to be part of this configuration. The drawing does not include the NK Orientir precision navigation system, and may be an omission.

76T6 Multimode Engagement Radar

This radar is drawn with the antenna head module of a 92N6E Grave Stone. The crew cabin is much smaller, and similar in design to that used with the 64L6E Gamma-S1E. An important design feature is the use of a telescoping datalink mast, with cylindrical antenna elements, which suggests use with widely dispersed TELs, in turn suggesting a SAM engagement capability. A reasonable inference is that this radar is a derivative of the 92N6E Grave Stone, intended to provide guidance against aerial and IRBM targets. The drawing does not include the NK Orientir precision navigation system, and may be an omission.

77T6 ABM Engagement Radar

This radar is drawn with an enlarged rendering of the antenna head module of a 92N6E Grave Stone. The 10 x 10 BAZ-69096 chassis indicates the need to carry a much heavier radar than the 92N6E Grave Stone, which is consistent with the ABM radar function which requires greater power-aperture product performance compared to a SAM engagement radar. The size of the folded antenna is similar to that in the proposed wheeled 9S19MK Imbir / High Screen ABM acquisition radar, and 9S32MK ABM engagement radar, both part of the S-300VMK system. The drawing includes the NK Orientir precision navigation system, but shows no datalink mast for dispersed TEL operation.

40V6MT Universal Mobile Mast System

The new 40V6MT replaces the legacy 40V6M/MD series. It appears to be an entirely new design with a different outrigger arrangement, and revised elevating mechanism. It is towed by a BAZ-6403.01 tractor.

77P6 Self Propelled Transporter Erector Launcher

The 77P6 is closest in appearance to the 9A82MK TEL for S-300VMK, including the use of the legacy 9A82/9A84 gantry and 9Ya238 Missile Launch Tube / Transport Container, used for the 9M82/9M82M / SA-12B/SA-23B Giant missile. The 77P6 is the launch vehicle designed for the S-500 air defense system. The launch vehicle can carry four 40N6M long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) or two heavyweight 77N6 interceptors. The 77P6 launch vehicle was developed from the BAZ-69096 10x10 truck system. The new launch vehicles are expected to enter service by 2020 along with the S-500 missile system. Prominent differences from the 9A82MK/9A83MK are the accessory housings, which are considerably more compact, and an outrigger design common to the self-propelled S-400 9P90S TEL. The drawing shows no evidence of the CW illuminator/uplink antenna used with S-300V/VM TELARs, and does not include the NK Orientir precision navigation system, which may be an omission.