MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. Russia’s Konteiner new-generation over-the-horizon radar, capable of tracking launches of cruise and hypersonic missiles at the distance of up to 3,000 km, will be deployed in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad to cover the entire territory of Europe, including the United Kingdom, a defense industry source told TASS on Thursday.
The first Konteiner radar went on combat duty in the Volga area region of Mordovia on December 1, 2019.
"The second Konteiner radar will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region. Several potential sites are now being considered," the source said.
He did not elaborate on when the radar will enter service, saying only that "the radar is planned to be deployed in the short-term perspective."
"The second radar will complement the first one, which entered service in Mordovia, and will be capable of monitoring the entire territory of Europe, including the United Kingdom," the source said. "Moreover, data coming from both stations will be combined to increase precision."
The Russian Defense Ministry said last December that Russia would set up a continuous radar field around its borders. The new system will comprise Konteiner new-generation over-the-horizon radars, based on the principle of receiving radio signals reflected from the ionosphere. Those radars are capable of tracking a mass take-off of combat aircraft, the launch of cruise missiles or hypersonic weapons at the distance of up to 3,000 km. Among other locations, Russia plans to deploy Konteiner radar stations in the Arctic region.
By now, Russia has set up a continuous radar field of its missile early warning system. It integrates Voronezh-type radar stations, which are designated to track the launches of ballistic missiles towards Russian territory.