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Belarus successfully tests missile for Buk-MB2 air defense system

The upgraded Buk-MB2 is designed to strike all types of aerodynamic targets under intensive enemy jamming and fight tactical ballistic missiles and precision weapons and engage naval and ground targets

MINSK, March 7. /TASS/. Belarus held another successful test of a missile for the domestic Buk-MB2 anti-aircraft missile system, the republic’s State Military-Industrial Committee announced on Tuesday.

‘The State Military-Industrial Committee is successfully carrying out preliminary tests of the domestic 9M318 surface-to-air missile engineered for the Belarusian Buk-MB2 air defense system," the committee said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the tests had been held on March 5.

"The day before yesterday, we tested a Buk missile for our air defense system. It followed the designated flight path and did all that was required. That is why, we are getting our own formidable weapons against aircraft," the state-run BelTA news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying.

As the State Military-Industrial Committee specified, the new 9M318 surface-to-air missile helps expand the Buk-MB2’s striking range to 70 km and engage both aircraft with a small radar cross-section and tactical ballistic missiles.

"As a result of the tests conducted, air targets simulated by unmanned aerial vehicles with a turbojet engine were struck," the committee said.

In early September 2022, Belarus featured the Buk-MB2 anti-aircraft missile system with the 9M318 missile at the ADEX 2022 defense show in Azerbaijan. The 9M318 medium-range surface-to-air missile was successfully tested in 2020.

The upgraded Buk-MB2 is designed to strike all types of aerodynamic targets under intensive enemy jamming and fight tactical ballistic missiles and precision weapons and engage naval and ground targets. The air defense system features a phased array radar and a new optoelectronic target detection and tracking system. As its designers say, the system is capable of spotting targets at a range of 200 km and strike them with the 9M318 missile at a distance of 3 km to 70 km. The system has a launcher with an ammunition load of four missiles and can be deployed within five minutes.

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