MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Russia’s Aerospace Force for the first time test-fired the latest S-350 'Vityaz' surface-to-air missile system at a practice range in the southern Astrakhan Region, the Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.
"Specialists of air defense missile forces held the system’s initial firings at the proving ground in the Astrakhan Region," the ministry said, without specifying the period of holding the trials.
Combat teams also practiced detecting and notionally striking real air targets simulated by MiG-29SMT fighters.
The first S-350 surface-to-air missile system will arrive at its permanent deployment site in the Leningrad Region in the immediate future, the ministry added.
In 2020, Russia’s Aerospace Force is also due to receive four regiment sets of the S-400 ‘Triumf’ anti-aircraft missile system and six battalion sets of Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile/gun launchers.
The S-350 ‘Vityaz’ surface-to-air missile system has been developed by the Almaz-Antey defense manufacturer for battlefield air defense and is capable of striking targets within a maximum radius of 60 km and at a maximum altitude of 30 km. The S-350 is designated to fight both aerodynamic and ballistic targets. An S-350 launcher carries 12 surface-to-air missiles.