While India and Russia are on the verge to “seal the deal” on S-400 Air Defence Systems, Moscow is now enticing Delhi with BUK-M3 medium range and TOR-M3 short-range missiles to form a single air-defence network. The BUK is the same missile that was used to shoot down Malaysian Airlines (MH-17) aircraft which killed 283 passengers and 15 crew members while flying over eastern Ukraine.
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A suggestion was mooted by Dmitry Shugaev, director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) during the Army 2018 exhibition in Moscow last month while addressing journalists.
“You know that among our offers are Buk-M2E system or Buk-M3 Viking which has been presented at ARMY 2018 event. We also have the Tor systems. All of them can be quickly integrated with S-400 providing for a united and very effective anti-missile defence loop.”
Russia has a combined proposal of integrating S-400 systems with other air defence systems. “Russia can not only supply its customers buying S-400 long-range systems with, for example, Buk-M2 or brand-new Buk-M3 medium-range systems and Tor-M2 close range systems, but also can integrate them into the single air defence network providing almost impregnable defence shield.
In such a network these systems also would provide protection to each other – for example, Tors are very effective against guided bombs and missiles already approaching the targets which for sure will include air defence installations.”
Buk-M2E is a medium-range SAM system designed to engage strategic and tactical aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and other aerodynamic aerial vehicles throughout their whole altitude envelope.
In comparison with the Buk-M2E, the Buk-M3 Viking’s range of fire has increased nearly by 1.5 times – up to 65 kilometres. Besides, the number of simultaneously fired targets has also increased by 1.5 times, which is 6 by each self-propelled launching installation, and the number of ready-for-launch missiles in one firing position made of two combat units has grown up from 8 to 18.
Tor-M2 is designed to destroy planes, helicopters, UAVs, guided missiles & precision weapons at medium, low / extremely low altitudes – it is automated, highly mobile with short reaction time
India and Russia have concluded negotiations for the S-400 and Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said recently that the deal could be signed ahead of the Indo-Russian summit early next month.
