S-200

S-200 missile on its launcher. Photo by Nellis AFB.

The Almaz NPO S-200 "Angara"\"Vega"\"Dubna" (Russian Ангара\Вега\Дубна, NATO reporting name SA-5 "Gammon") is a very long range, medium-to-high altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to defend large areas from bomber attack or other strategic aircraft (such as the SR-71 "Blackbird").

Each battalion has 6 single-rail missile launchers for the 10.72 m (35 ft) long missiles and a fire control radar. It can be linked to other, longer-range radar systems.

The original version of this system was deployed in 1967 in order to replace the failed anti-ballistic missile RZ-25\5V11 "Dal". The Dal was assigned the NATO reporting name SA-5 "Griffon" before it was cancelled. This was a purposeful deception by the USSR in order to exploit the massive Dal missiles it had already built and put them on display.

Contents

1 Missiles
2 Radar
3 Additional radar systems
4 Versions
5 Deployment
6 Accidents
7 References

Missiles

S-200 missile elevated to a launch position. Photo from GulfLINK.

Each missile is launched by 4 solid-fueled strap-on rocket boosters. After they drop away it fires a dual-thrust solid-fueled rocket motor. Maximum range is between 200 and 400 km (124 and 248 mi), depending on the model. The missile uses radio command mid-course correction to fly towards the target with a terminal active radar homing phase. Maximum target speed is around Mach 4. Effective altitude is 300 to 20,000 m (1,000 to 66,000 ft) for early models and up to 40,000 m (125,000 ft) for later models. The warhead is either 215 kg (474 lb) of high explosive triggered by proximity or command signal, or a 25 kT nuclear warhead triggered by command signal only. Each missile weighs around 2800 kg (6,200 lb).

The system utilises radio command guidance with mid-course correction and has, for the first time in a Russian system, terminal active radar homing, which is far more accurate at long range than the command guidance method used by the SA-4 and other missiles. The existence of an optional terminal passive radar homing mode for use against AEW aircraft remains unconfirmed. Peak missile speed is around Mach 8 and the single-shot kill probability is quoted as 0.85, presumably against a high altitude bomber-type target.

Some sources claim that the minimum effective range is 60 km (37 mi) due to the burn time of the rocket boosters, since the rocket can not maneuver until they are jettisonned, but other sources claim that this is due to an intelligence mix-up over another missile and the actual minimum range is 7 km (4 miles). This "other missile" could be the Dal missile mentioned above and is understandable as they were developed around the same time and are both massive. However, is not unlikely that this system has quite a large minimum range, given its primary role in engaging high-flying reconnaissance or bomber aircraft at long ranges.

Radar

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The fire control radar of the SA-5 system is the 5N62 "Square Pair" H-band radar, whose range is 270 km (168 mi). It is used for both the tracking of targets and their illumination.

Additional radar systems

P-14\5N84A "Tall King" A-band early warning radar (range 600 km\372 mi, 2-6 RPM, maximum search altitude 46 km\150,000 ft)
or "Big Back" E-band early warning radar (range 600 km\372 mi)
Kabina 66\5N87 "Back Net" or "Back Trap" E-band early warning radar (with special low-altitude search mod, range 370 km\230 mi, 3-6 RPM)
P-35\37 "Bar Lock\Bar Lock B" 1000 kW E\F-band target detection and tracking radar (with integrated IFF, range 392 km\242 mi, 7 RPM)
"Side Net" or "Odd Pair" E-band height finding radar (also used by the SA-2, SA-4 and SA-6, range 240 km\148 mi, 3-6 RPM)
P-15M(2) "Squat Eye" 380 kW C-band target detection radar (range 128 km\80 mi)

Versions

S-200A "Angara" (SA-5A¹), with the V-860/5V21 or V-860P/5V21A missile, introduced in 1967, range 160 km (88 mi), ceiling 20 km (66,000 ft)
S-200V "Vega" (SA-5B¹), with the V-860PV/5V21P missile, introduced in 1970, range 250 km (155 mi), ceiling 29 km (95,000 ft)
S-200 "Vega" (SA-5B¹), with the V-870 missile, range increased to 300 km (186 mi) and ceiling to 40 km (125,000ft) with the new, shorter missile and solid fuel motor
S-200M "Vega-M" (SA-5B¹), with the V-880/5V28 or V-880N/5V28N² missile, range 300 km (186 mi), ceiling 29 km (95,000ft)
S-200VE "Vega-E" (SA-5B¹), with the V-880E/5V28E missile, export version, high explosive warhead only, range 250 km (155 mi), ceiling 29 km (95,000ft)
S-200D "Dubna" (SA-5C¹), with the 5V25V, V-880M/5V28M or V-880MN/5V28MN² missile, introduced in 1976, high explosive or nuclear warhead, range 400 km (248 mi), ceiling 40 km (125,000ft).

¹: US DoD designation. ²: a suffix of "N" denotes the nuclear warhead.

Deployment

USSR\Russia, was originally deployed with the ZA-PVO in the strategic air defence role. It was phased out starting in the 1980s and completely gone by around 2001.
Ukraine retained a number of sites after the breakup of the USSR.
Libya has approx. 6 S-200 battalions.
North Korea has approx. 4 S-200 battalions.
Poland has approx. 3 S-200 battalions.
Syria has approx. 4 S-200 battalions.
Iran has about 10 Launchers.
Bulgaria has 1 S-200 battalion.
Other users include the Czech Republic, India, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Uzbekistan.

Accidents

In 4 October 2001, a Ukrainian S-200 battery missed its intended target and accidentally shot down a Tu-154 airliner en route from Tel Aviv, Israel to Novosibirsk, Siberia, killing 78 people (see Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 accident).

References

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