S-300PMU-2 Favorit

   The S-300PMU-2 or Favorit air defense missile system was developed specially for export. It evolved from the S-300PM-2, which was developed for the Russian Armed Forces. The S-300PMU-2 has the highest capabilities in the S-300P family. It was introduced in 1997. As of 2016 this system is 19 years old. The S-300PMU-2 is referred in the West as SA-20B Gargoyle. It uses a 30N6E1 (Tomb Stone) radar. This radar has a range of 300 km, can detect 100 targets, track and engage 36 of them and guide 72 missiles. It is worth noting that earlier radars of the S-300 family could simultaneously engage only 6 targets and guide 12 missiles.

   Unlike the previous S-300PMU-1, the S-300PMU-2 don't use the 36D6 (Tin Shield) and 76N6 (Clam Shell) radars. Instead the system uses 96L6 all-altitude detector and acquisition radar. The 96L6 works in L-band. It has a 300 km range and very high resolution. The system can detect and track 100 targets. It identifies 4 target classes, including aircraft, helicopters, remotely piloted aerial vehicles, and missiles. It is claimed that this radar can also detect stealthy targets.

   The 64N6E2 3D S-band radar is an upgraded/modernized version of 5N64S (64N6E). It is the most capable radar of the S-300 missile system and has a key role of defeating ballistic missiles and electronic warfare aircraft. This version has a maximum detection range of 600 km. It has 3 400 elements on each side (a total of 7 800), which is a great number for a radar in this band. The system has high resistance against jamming.

   Demonstrator of the system used the 5P85SE mobile TEL (based on MAZ-543M) and 5P85TE towed TEL (towed by KrAZ-260 tractor truck) with four missile each. Later a new 5P58E2 towed TEL was introduced, which is also used with the newer S-400 system. This TEL is towed by a BAZ-6402 tractor truck. Other system components are based on MZKT-7930 special wheeled chassis or Ural-5353 truck.

   The S-300PMU-2 uses the 48N6E2 missile with a range of 200 km, speed of Mach 6, and altitude ranging from 10 m to up to 28 km. This missile is optimized to engage ballistic missiles. It can engage targets with a maximum speed of Mach 8. Comparing with other missiles, the 48N6E2 has much improved capabilities. For example Arrow 2 anti-ballistic system can engage targets flying with the same maximum speed of Mach 8, while the Patriot PAC-2 can engage targets with a maximum speed of Mach 6.

   The S-300PMU-2 system also use smaller 9M96E and 9M96E2 missiles with a range of 40 and 120 km respectively. These missiles can engage targets with a maximum speed of Mach 15. These are claimed to be superior to the Patriot PAC-3 missiles, that can only engage targets with a maximum speed of Mach 4.7. Launcher of the S-300PMU-2 was first publicly revealed with three 9M96 missiles tubes in 1999.

   Against ballistic targets, such as theater ballistic missiles the S-300PMU-2 system uses the 48N6E2 missiles. Role of the 9M96E2 is to defeat more capable targets, like high speed re-entry vehicles in 35 km altitude, and ballistic missiles with a range of more than 2 000 km. The 9M96E is also capable of engaging cruise missiles, anti-radiation missiles, guided bombs and other precision guided munitions. The 48N6 missiles has single shot kill probability of 80% to 93% for an aerial target, 40% to 85% for cruise missiles and 50% to 77% for theater ballistic missiles. The 9M96 missiles has a single shot kill probability of 70% against Harpoon class missile and 90% against a manned aircraft.

   The system use 54K6E2 and 55K6 as command post. Both of them are automated. It is also supported by the 22T6E2 missile loader and the 5T58E missile transporter.

   A battery of the S-300PMU-2 also includes the 30N6E2 X-band engagement radar, the 96L6E L-band acquisition radar, eight (maximum of twelve are supported ) 5P58TE/SE or 5T58-2 TELs with missiles a 54K6E2 or 55K6E command post and a 22T6E2 missile loader. Also battalions uses one or two  64N6E2 S-band radars.

   The S-300PMU-2 has been exported to Azerbaijan, China, Iran, and possibly Algeria. Recently it has been reported that production of all S-300 series systems will be stopped by 2016 in favor to the new generation S-400 system.

Article by EHSAN OSTADRAHIMI    Want to publish your own articles? Visit our guidelines for more information.