MissileThreat.com

Alternate Name:	SA-10 Grumble
Country:	Russia
Basing:	Land

Details

The S-300P surface-to-air missile system—currently manufactured, deployed, and exported by the Russians—is designed to detect, track, and destroy incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and low-flying aircraft. Also known by its NATO designation, SA-10 Grumble, the system has been modified several times since its inception: the most recent variants are the S-300PMU-1 (SA-10D) and the S-300PMU-2 (SA-10E Favorit).

 

In the late 1960s, the Soviet Union began work on a new strategic air defense system known as the S-300 (NATO: SA-10 Grumble). The S-300 was designed by the Russian Almaz Scientific Production Association to shoot down low-altitude targets, including cruise missiles and aircraft.(1) From the beginning, the system included the most “cutting-edge” Soviet missile defense technology. Its phased-array fire control radar was capable of tracking up to six targets simultaneously, while its single-state, solid-fuel propelled missile sported aerodynamic control surfaces and thrust vectoring. The first S-300 missile, known as 5V55K, had a range of 47 kilometers and could engage its targets between 100 and 30,000 meters.(2)

 

In 1980, the S-300 became operational and was renamed S-300P, in order to distinguish it from the S-300V (NATO: SA-12A Gladiator; SA-12B Giant), another surface-to-air missile system deployed by Soviet ground forces. The “P” in S-300P stood for “PVO-Strany,” code for “air defense system,” while the “V” in S-300V was for “Voyska,” or “ground forces.” Although some of the technology was similar, the two systems were quite different: the S-300P was designed to engage cruise missiles and other low-flying targets; the S-300V was developed to shoot down tactical ballistic missiles.(3) By 1987, approximately 80 S-300P sites were operational, with another 20 in the making. Nearly half were located around Moscow to protect key military and industrial complexes.(4) Over the years, the S-300P has undergone several modifications, including the S-300PT (SA-10A), the S-300PT-1/1A (also SA-10A), the S-300PS (SA-10B), and the S-300PM (SA-10C).(5)

 

Although the Soviet Union imploded in 1991, the Russians continued upgrading and modifying the S-300P system throughout the 1990s. At the 1992 Moscow Air Show, the Russians displayed the latest version in the S-300P lineage, the S-300PMU-1 (SA-10D). This upgraded system, armed with new single-stage, solid-fuel propelled 48N6 missiles, has the capability to shoot down tactical ballistic missiles in addition to cruise missiles and aircraft, at ranges of 5-150 kilometers and altitudes between 10-27,000 meters. The 1,900 kilogram missile carries a 143 kilogram high-explosive fragmentation warhead. A typical S-300PMU-1 battery contains 48 missiles on 12 mobile launchers. Each battery is capable of launching one 48N6 missile every three seconds. The missiles are guided by the 36N85 vehicle-mounted engagement radar, which is capable of detecting incoming ballistic missiles at 40 kilometers, and aircraft between 3 and 150 kilometers. The 36N85 can guide up to twelve 48N6 missiles, while simultaneously tracking up to six targets.(6)

 

In 1997, the Russians unveiled yet another variant of the system, this time called S-300PMU-2 (SA-10E Favorit). Its larger missiles (9M96E and 9M96E2), longer range (200 kilometers), and better guidance system make the S-300PMU-2 a thorough modification of its predecessor. The system can engage targets between 10 meters and 27 kilometers above the ground.(7) The Russians claim that, during a series of tests in the mid-1990s, the S-300PMU-2 shot down a target ballistic missile traveling at 1,600 meters per second, and that the system can destroy targets traveling at 4,800 meters per second.(8) The Russians add that the system has a kill ratio between 0.8 and 0.98 against Tomahawk-class cruise missiles and from 0.8 to 0.93 against aircraft.(9)

 

One of the main reasons why the Russians devoted so much time and effort to upgrading and modifying the S-300P during the 1990s was to increase the system’s market value. In a trend that continues to cause much concern in the U.S., the Russians have been exporting S-300P missiles (and other weapons) throughout Asia, Europe, and the Middle East as a means of financing their ailing economy.

 

In 1991, the same year as the Soviet collapse, Syria announced its intention to purchase $1.5 billion worth of arms from the Russians, including an unidentified number of S-300P missiles.(10) The following year, China began negotiating its own deal, and in 1993 received “dozens” of Russian S-300Ps, heightening U.S. concerns over the surge in weapons proliferation. In particular, the U.S was worried (and still is) that China would dismantle the Russian S-300s and incorporate the advanced technology into its own offensive missiles, such as the CSS-6 (DF-15/M-9) and the CSS-7 (DF-11/M-11), which in turn would be proliferated on down the line.(11)

 

In 1993, Iran procured an unidentified number of S-300PMU-1 missiles from Russia. Kuwait expressed its own interest shortly afterward.(12) According to a 1993 report, “the S-300PMU is being marketed extensively, particularly in the Middle East.”(13) The following year, Hungary received its own supply of Russian S-300s: the deal paid off Russia’s $800 million debt to its former Warsaw Pact ally.(14) In November 1996, Mikhail Timkin, deputy manager of the Rosvooruzheniye state arms export company, bragged that he had found two more buyers for the S-300P: “Cyprus is in the bag, we’ve wrapped it up completely. It buys only our weapons now. We have even got into NATO, can you imagine? I am in charge of Turkey, and I can tell you that Turkey is now buying weapons from us.”(15) A few years later, Greece was added to the list.(16)

 

As late as August 2002, Iraq was attempting to acquire its own S-300 missiles, possibly as a means of frustrating or delaying an attack by the U.S. Sources indicate that Saddam Hussein was trying to acquire enough S-300 components from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to build his own missile defense shield.(17) Iraq never completed this objective, although in April 2003 Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov admitted that Operation Iraqi Freedom had caused an upsurge in purchases of Russian weapons from other Middle Eastern nations: “We got a great advertising gift for our weapons in Iraq.” During the war, Alexander Nozdrachev, head of the state-run Russian Agency for Conventional Weapons, correctly predicted that the Iraq conflict would “generate a surge in interest in anti-aircraft defenses.” That year alone, Russian arms sales totaled $4.5 billion, mostly to Syria, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia—the lion’s share of which was for missile defense systems such as the S-300.(18)

 

 

 

 

Footnotes

 

1. Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
2. Michal Fiszer and Jerzy Gruszczynski, “Castles In The Sky,” Journal of Electronic Defense 25, 1 February 2002.
3. Ibid.
4. GlobalSecurity.org.
5. Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
6. Ibid. 
7. GlobalSecurity.org.
8. “Russia In Talks To Create UAE Air Defence Network,” Flight International, 22 October 2002.
9. GlobalSecurity.org.
10. “$1.5 Billion Worth Of Arms To Be Bought From Soviet Union, Says Israel,” Flight International, 16 October 1991; “Syrian SAMS: Missile Systems From Russia,” Flight International, 7 October 1992.
11. “Negotiations Begin For More Russian Arms,” Flight International, 2 September 1992; Ruth Sinai, “China Acquires Russian Missiles,” The Associated Press, 27 May 1993.
12. “Iran Builds Up With Russian Firepower,” Flight International, 18 August 1993.
13. “Kuwait Considers Helicopter/Missile Buy From Russia,” Flight International, 15 December 1993. 
14. “Hungarian Deal: Hungary To Receive Missile System To Pay Off Debt,” Flight International, 26 January 1994.
15. “Russia Seeks ‘Solvent’ Markets For Arms Exports,” BBC Monitoring Service, 14 October 1996; “Cyprus To Buy Russian Anti-Aircraft Missiles Despite Turkish Worries,” BBC Monitoring Service, 16 December 1996.
16. “Greece: Athens, Moscow Discuss Arms Deals,” Periscope Daily Defense News Capsules, 29 November 2001.
17. “Iraq: Baghdad Seeks Russian Air Defense System,” Periscope Daily Defense News Capsules, 13 August 2002.
18. Viktoria Loginova, “Iraq War Generates Free Publicity For Russian Weapons,” Agence France-Presse, 4 April 2003.

Profile of Underground Russian Control Center

December 13, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News

Moscow television, Ren TV, yesterday carried a report on an underground command center or situation room from which a decision to shoot down terrorist-hijacked planes could take place. The piece describes how the control center is designed to withstand a nuclear blast, and how it also has the capability to direct air and missile defense efforts. An excerpt:

[Correspondent] The air defence protects not only the sky but also the lower regions of outer space. Its missiles can hit targets - various spacecraft and ballistic missiles - at an altitude of up to 30 km.

The Russian air defence force was created 90 years ago, at the beginning of World War I, when it was equipped with anti-aircraft guns like the one you see here. It has been continuously developing since then. S-200 and S-300 missile systems are now being replaced by advanced S-400 complexes able to destroy any enemy target.

 (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-200 (SA-5 Gammon), S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant), S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)

U.S. Acquires S-300 Via Croatia

November 22, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News

Citing the Croatian newspaper Zagreb Vjesni, Geostrategy Direct reports that the U.S. acquired a Russian air and missile defense system earlier this year. While the report identifies the system only as “S-300,” it is most likely the S-300PMU, more capable than the S-300V. The weapons system was reportedly shipped to America earlier this year.
        Update: Croatia was reported to have acquired an S-300P (SA-10 Grumble) system in 1994 from an unidentified country, variously identified on different occasions by Jane’s as Ukraine, Russia, or Israel—towards the end of its war with Yugoslavia, and therefore in violation of an international arms embargo. The system, reportedly incomplete, is said to have been shipped by airplane between August 10 and December of 1994. The SA-10 missile tubes were included in a military parade in Zagreb in May of 1995. In July 2000, it was reported that Croatia would return two of the S-300PMU systems to its unidentified country of origin.  (Article, Link) 

» S-300 PMU-2 Favorit and S-300VM systems on display at Jakharta, Indonesia airshow

» More stories on: Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)

China to Purchase Additional S-300 Interceptors

October 13, 2004 :: Jane's Information Group :: News

China is proceeding with the planned purchase of 4-8 battalions of S-300 systems from Russia, reports Jane’s. The S-300 (SA-10/20) purchase confirms an earlier report noted here over a month ago. It is unclear whether the purchase would be the S-300PMU1 or the more advanced S-300PMU2, which has a longer range missile and better radar. (Link) 

» Aug. 12: Russia ships China four S-300PMU1 systems

» More stories on: China, Chinese Missile Defenses, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)

China to Purchase up to Eight Additional S-300 Air and Missile Defense Batteries

August 26, 2004 :: News

Russia and China are expected to sign another arms deal later this year, by which China will purchase an additional four to eight S-300PMU air and missile defenses to China. The deal is worth between 450 and 900 million dollars—the more advanced S-300PMUs, known in the West as the SA-10, reportedly sell for over 100 million per battery. The S-300P has both air and missile defense capabilities.
        The contract is said to have been initialed by Russia’s arms export company, Rosoboronexport, and the S-300 PMU will be built by the Almaz-Antey company. Russia previously sold eight S-300 systems to China in 1993. An additional four batteries from a 2002 contract were delivered earlier this year.
        The Saint Petersburg Times and the Moscow Vedomosti news service cite Russian experts who suggest that the interceptors may be used to defend the cities of Beijing and Shanghai, reasoning that the previously sold batteries would probably provide insufficient coverage, and others which suggest that the sale could indicate that China’s development of its own reverse-engineered system, the HQ-9 and similar systems, has not yet reached adequate readiness. Given the many strategic targets China would like to protect, however, this is not necessarily the case. China’s “redundant” acquisition and development programs are also well known.
        Both newspapers also noted that defense sources were very tight lipped about the sale because of an agreement which makes arms sales between Russia and China classified information. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Chinese Missile Defenses, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: Hongqi-9 (HQ-9), S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)

Belarus Conducts S-300 Air and Missile Defense Exercise in Russia

August 25, 2004 :: Interfax :: News

Some 800 Belarussian troops are engaged in a military exercise in Russia, at the Ashuluk training ground in the Astrakhan region, which includes the testing of the S-300P and S-300V, which are both dual purpose air and missile defense systems. The exercise, begun on August 14, will continue until August 29. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Former Soviet Republics, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)

Russia Set to Deploy S-400 in 2005; Upgrades in Response to U.S. Defenses

August 18, 2004 :: Interfax :: News

Colonel General Yuriy Solovyev, commander of the Moscow’s air defense, told a news conference on August 18 of plans to upgrade and reorganize the Moscow air and missile defense systems, notably remarking that Russia’s most advanced system, the S-400, would be deployed in 2005. (More »»») 

» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)

Russia Ships S-300P Missiles to China

August 12, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News

Russia shipped four batteries of its advanced air and missile defense system, the S-300PMU1, to neighboring China earlier on August 5, notes Geostrategy-direct, citing an Interfax press report. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: China, Chinese Missile Defenses, Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)

Bendersky: “Keep a Watchful Eye on Russia’s Military Technology”

July 21, 2004 :: Analysis

Writing for the “Power and Interest News Report,” Yevgeny Bendersky denies the typical characterization of the Russian military as backward and ill equipped, and points out that in fact,

even in the current dire circumstances, Russia never stopped being a powerful entity that produced state-of-the-art military technologies — a trend that continued from its inception as a modern state. While its army, navy and air force are in dangerously derelict conditions, every part of the formula for Russia’s resurgence as a military powerhouse is still in place. In spite of financial and economic difficulties, Russia still produces state-of-the-art military technologies that continue to impress the world.

         Bendersky notes that Russia’s current state of the art systems include their S-300, and especially their S-400 air and missile defense systems, believed to be superior to their American counterparts. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-400 (SA-20 Triumf)

Yemen Considering Purchase of Russian S-300

July 15, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News

Yemenese President Ali Abdullah Saleh discussed the purchase of Russian arms for his country, while visiting Russian President Putin in Moscow. The possible purchase reportedly includes aircraft and the Russian S-300 air and missile defense system, according to a report by Middle East Newsline. Whether the S-300 system in question is the S-300P or S-300V was not indicated. Although sometimes believed to be limited to air defense, the capability of the S-300 for missile defense purposes is reiterated by the sources quoted. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble), S-300V (SA-12A Gladiator, SA-12B Giant)

China Tests S-300 Missile Defense Interceptor

July 7, 2004 :: East Asia Intel :: News

China recently tested an interceptor for its S-300P (SA-10 “Grumble”) air and missile defense system, notes the PLA Daily. A number of the S-300 systems, perhaps as many as 120, were sold to China by Russia, but China is also developing its own versions, the HQ-10 or HQ-15, as well as more advanced missile interceptors which incorporate technology acquired from the American Patriot system, the HQ-9 and the FT-2000. (Article, Link) 

» PLA Daily description of test

» More stories on: China, Chinese Missile Defenses, Testing - Foreign

» Missile system details for: S-300P (SA-10 Grumble)

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