Russia’s Aerospace Defense Forces will carry out their first test-firings of the new S-400 air defense missile system from August 10-16 at the Ashuluk firing range in Astrakhan Region, Defense Ministry spokesman Lt.Col. Dmitry Zenin said on Saturday.
“The first tactical exercises will take place at the Ashuluk range from August 10-16 involving the force’s S-400 systems and also the gun-missile Pantsir C system in live firing,” he said.
The S-400 firings will be carried out by two units from the Dmitrov district near Moscow, he said.
Four battalions of Russia’s Aerospace Forces are currently equipped with S-400, and a fifth will be operational by the end of this year, a senior air force commander said earlier this week.
S-400 is a highly advanced medium and long-range air defense missile system, capable of engaging a variety of aerial targets from helicopters and cruise missiles to aircraft and medium-range ballistic missiles.