S-400 Missile and Project Kusha (2024)

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  • 06 Nov 2023
  • 6 min read
    Tags:
  • GS Paper - 3
  • Defence Technology
  • GS Paper - 2

Source: LM

Why in News?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) to strengthen its defence capabilities has deployed three S-400 Triumf air defence missile squadrons along the borders with China and Pakistan.

  • India in 2018-19 signed a contract with Russia for five S-400 missile squadrons. Three have arrived, and the remaining two are delayed due to Russia-Ukraine conflict.
  • In another development, the Indian Defence Acquisition Council recently cleared the procurement of the Indian Long Range Surface Air Missile(LRSAM) system under Project Kusha.

What is the S-400 Triumf Missiles System?

  • About:
    • The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by Russia, capable of intercepting and destroying various aerial targets, such as aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.
    • The S-400 has a range of up to 400 km, at an altitude of up to 30 km and can engage up to 36 targets simultaneously, with four different types of missiles.
      • It is the most dangerous operationally deployed modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM) in the world, considered much ahead of the US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).

  • Importance for India:
    • India decided to procure the S-400 missiles to enhance its air defence capabilities and deterrence posture against China and Pakistan, which have been modernizing and expanding their air forces and missile arsenals.
      • India faces a two-front threat from China and Pakistan, which have been involved in several border disputes and conflicts with India over the years.
    • India’s acquisition is crucial to counter the growing presence and influence of China in the Indian Ocean Region, where China has been building ports, bases, and infrastructure projects.
      • India also wants to maintain its strategic autonomy and diversify its defence partners, amid the uncertainty and volatility of the global order.

What is Project Kusha?

  • Project Kusha led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an ambitious defence initiative by India aimed at developing its long-range air defence system by 2028-29.
    • Long-range air defence systems will be capable of detecting and destroying enemy projectiles and armour, including cruise missiles, stealth fighter jets, and drones at long range.
    • It will consist of three types of interceptor missiles, with ranges of 150 km, 250 km, and 350 km, and advanced long-range surveillance and fire control radars.
  • Project Kusha is expected to rival the effectiveness of the renowned S-400 system of Russia and the Iron Dome system of Israel.

Iron Dome System of Israel

  • It is a ground-to-air defence system that comprises radar and interceptor missiles that are capable of tracking and neutralising any rockets or missiles fired towards targets in Israel.
  • It was developed by the state-run Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries and was deployed in 2011.
  • It is particularly useful in defending against rockets, artillery and mortars, as well as aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
  • The Dome has a range of close to 70 km and has three crucial components, Detection and Tracking radar, Battle Management and Weapons Control and the Missile Launcher.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q1. What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news? (2018)

(a) An Israeli radar system
(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme
(c) An American anti-missile system
(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea.

Ans: (c)

Q2. With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2014)

  1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
  2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
  3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (a)

  • Agni-IV is a nuclear-capable long-range ballistic missile of India, with a strike range of 4,000 km.
  • The indigenously developed Agni-IV is a two-stage surface-to-surface missile. It is 20 metres long with a weight of 17 tonnes. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • It is a two stage solid fuelled system that can carry a one-tonne nuclear warhead over a distance of 4,000 kilometres. Hence, statements 2 and 3 are not correct.
  • Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Mains

Q. What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (2020)

S-400 Missile and Project Kusha (2024)

FAQs

Which missile can destroy S-400? ›

Ukrainian ATACMS Rockets Are Blowing Up Russia's Best S-400 Air Defenses As Fast As The S-400s Can Deploy To Crimea. A Tuesday rocket raid may have knocked out three Russian radars.

What is the success rate of S-400? ›

The Indian Air Force successfully tested the Sudarshan S-400 air defence missile system, achieving an 80% intercept rate of simulated enemy aircraft. The exercise highlighted the system's integration and defence readiness.

How many S-400 missile is India buying? ›

India is acquiring these systems to bolster its air power capabilities, primarily to address security challenges from China. India signed the USD 5.5 billion deal with Russia in October 2018 to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems.

Can S-400 take down f22? ›

Expert Take On The Issue

According to Turkish reports, the S-400 was able to detect the F-16, F-35, and even the F-22.

Can S-400 shoot down SR 71? ›

The AviationGeekClub.com recently quoted Damien Leimbach, former United States Air Force Avionics Technician on U-2 aircraft, who said via a post on Quora that "The S-200, S-300 and S-400 are amazing platforms, and given their stated performance, the 300 and 400 could probably hit a target at the SR-71's speed and ...

Is S-400 better than Patriot? ›

The S-400 leads the pack in terms of mobility and deployment speed when compared with the Patriot system. The S-400 stands out thanks to its capacity to handle multiple targets at varied distances, all at the same time.

How much does one S-400 missile cost? ›

The S-400 has a range of 400 kilometres and can shoot up to 185 kilometres high. A single one costs at around (at least for Turkey) 1.25 billion dollars with the spare missiles and the complete machinery and transport of it.

How many S-400 systems does Russia have left? ›

While the exact current number is not definitively stated by the Kremlin, the available information suggests Russia likely had around 16 to 18 battalions, or 56 full S-400 systems, deployed by the early 2020s. However, Russia has suffered notable losses of these prized systems in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Which missile system is better S-400 or S-500? ›

What is the difference between S400 and S500? The S500 has an operational range of 400 kms. While the S-500 is a much more sophisticated version that can target ballistic missiles from 600 km away compared to just 60km by the S-400.

Can the S500 stop a hypersonic missile? ›

The S-500 is designed for intercepting and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) upto a range of 600 Km, and hypersonic cruise missiles/aircraft upto 500 Km, including those with stealth/low-observable (LO) technology.

Is iron dome better than S-400? ›

While both of these are one of the best surface-to-air missile defense systems, they hold their ground in different playgrounds as the Iron Dome is a short-range goalkeeper while the S-400 is meat for the longer grounds.

Does China have S-400? ›

This system has also been deployed to Belarus by Moscow amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. In mid-July this year, S-400 anti-aircraft missile teams conducted training exercises in the country. China, Turkey, and India are among the countries that have procured S-400 systems from Moscow.

What is the best anti missile system in the world? ›

The S-400 Triumph, developed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau, is the best air defense missile system. The S-400 is a multifunctional system with radar, detection, targeting and anti-aircraft missile capabilities, capable of attacking aircraft and cruise missiles up to a maximum altitude of 56 kilometers.

Can F16 destroy S-400? ›

However, the F16 can also target and destroy the S400. And more of a problem for the S400 is the Battle Penguin. The S400 illuminates the F16s it can see from hundreds of km away, and promptly eats an anti-radiation missile from the F35 50km it didn't see.

Can the S-400 intercept a hypersonic missile? ›

Ans. The official added that hypersonic missiles cannot be stopped by the S-400 due to the system's limitations in terms of both its speed and its height.

Can Rafale beat S-400? ›

No, the S400 can't intercept the things it was designed to. It's junk, and the Rafale is more advanced than the S400 can handle, and the F35, I mean c'mon, the S400 wouldn't have any clue it was in the AO.

Can S-400 be jammed? ›

Hence, jamming of the S-400s acquisition and engagement radars will prove challenging, because they employ countermeasures such as rapid frequency-hopping and agile beam-steering.

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