MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. The US-made Tempest mobile air defense missile system that was earlier delivered to Ukraine and is undergoing combat testing there, is being considered as a key element in the creation of a future NATO "drone wall" along Russia’s borders, Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), told TASS.

"It is highly likely that after testing at a Ukrainian testing ground, similar systems will be supplied to NATO countries, primarily those bordering the Russian Federation, as a key component in the creation of the so-called anti-drone wall," he said.

According to Stepanov, the Tempest is a compact and relatively inexpensive system, developed in collaboration between the US private sector and military industry. The system is equipped with the AGM-114L Hellfire Longbow missiles with a millimeter-wave radar homing head, enabling the missile to operate on a "fire and forget" principle with the ability to lock on to a target after launch.

The Tempest’s key mission is to counter loitering munitions and long-range combat drones, such as the Geranium. The air defense missile system is also designed to intercept missile munitions, but there are certain limitations as regards the missile's range and target speed. For example, it cannot intercept high-speed targets, especially hypersonic ones.

The expert emphasized the system’s economic feasibility: "In terms of price, compared to a Patriot battery, which can cost up to a billion dollars, such mobile systems have the advantage." According to him, the total cost of the Tempest system could amount to $600,000, including the chassis, radar, and two missiles.

About 'Drone Wall'

The "drone wall" project is a joint initiative put forward by Germany, Poland, Finland, and the Baltic states aimed at deploying a multi-layered surveillance and automated drone defense system along the border with Russia. The project is currently in the prototype development and selection stage.