The Mystery of India using S 300 anti ballistic missiles

s300 missile

The S-300 is a series of initially Soviet and later Russian long range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz, based on the initial S-300P version. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defence Forces. Subsequent variations were developed to intercept ballistic missiles.

 There is a circulating news of do India have any S 300 series SAM missiles, but the clear answer is No, India didn’t have operated the S 300 systems, But we have some S 300 associated Radars like The PSM-33 Mk.2 Radar and the ST-68 ‘Tin Shield’ Radar, those Radar makes the Journals to report India operates the S 300 missiles, also India too requested the Russian S 300 PMU or S 300 VM SAM systems, and Russian too offered it many times, since the early 1995, when China sold some Medium Range Ballistic missiles to Pakistan,

The PMU version can shoot down any incoming aerial threats in extended ranges upto some 100 kilometers, and the VM version can shoot down Ballistic missiles in endo atmosphere, Previously some media reports that India get a squadron of that means 6 Regiments of S 300 PMU each regiments comprising three Launchers with a rice tag of around one billion, also all the PMU systems upgraded by more advanced ballistic missile interceptor role dubbed S 300 VM.
Also some reports mentions those deployed S 300 protect the Indian capital Delhi and the Economic capital Mumbai from Pakistani missile Threats, both Cruise and Ballistic missiles, back in the 2000’s India don’t have any Anti Missile Systems.
The Truth is India has huge number of S 125 SAM systems, but those SAM systems have advanced Radars which are incorporates with the S 300 System, almost all major Air force  base were covered by a dense Air defense units, most of the Indian Bases situated near to the Pakistani Borders, to safe guard those base from Pakistani Attacks most Air bases have squadron of S 125 Stationary SAM systems along with advanced Radars like Russian made Flatface, PSM 33 and Tin Sheild Radar units, The S 125 works with the Radar guidance mechanism, so it need a sophisticated radar systems for better detection and interception.

     Those Air bases also well protected by mobile SAM systems like the OSA AK short Range quick reaction missile systems. as the second layer of defense, the same goes for protecting other civilian structures in Mumbai and the National Captial Delhi, the Delhi have three tier Systems, One with S 125 long Range Interception, another OSA AK batteries and the huge number of AA systems, Here is journals saw some S 300 Radar systems and citied that were the S 300 Systems and missed to take photographs of S 300 Launchers.
s125

S125 long range anti ballistic missiles

Earlier 2000, India concerned about the Pakistani and Chinese Ballistic and Cruise missile Threats, that Time India don’t have any good systems that can shoot down missiles, so India went for a International Shopping, three systems were Short listed, the Russian S 300, American Patriot Systems and the Israeli Arrow systems. During that time Indians has good relationship with the Russians, and many of them predicted India might buy the S 300 systems from Russia, meantime the Indian Defense Secretory Mr.Nambiar also visited Russia and witnessed the S 300 live test. and Media’s from both India and foreign suggested that India also Seal the agreement of Supplying six regiments of S 300 Batteries.

Meantime DRDO also started projects like Akash and others to defend the Indian skies from Enemy birds, but they lack of good Surveillance and Air search radars, so they effectively want good Radar systems with complete ToT. but Ministry knows about DRDO and they knows it takes time to mature the System from DRDO, so they went for Purchase, and selects the Israeli Arrow system. but not the S 300 system, by performance analysis the Aroow is better than S 300VM in case of intercepting Ballistic missiles and also comes with good Long range Radar.

Because of the Nuclear test, Americans imposed sanctions to India, which creates many problems in the Indian defense research and manufacturing. also the Israeli Arrow missile developed in support of Americans both with funds and Technologies, So Americans asked the Israeli’s not to Supply those Systems to India, but the Radar associated with Arrow is developed the Israel firm ELTA under IAI, also Israeli’s supported Indian Nuclear efforts and defended Indians by continuously supplying critical defense equipments,

Israel agreed to sell two Green pine Radars to India and allows the Indians to study and reproduce more variants, which gives a chance to India to Develop long range Tracking Radars, hence the Sword Fish born, also India setup-ed a BMD network with the Help of those Green pines, so now India can track almost all kind of Flying objects within and outside Indian Territory, but they don’t have the missiles to intercept, later India went for interceptor program, Tier 1 comprising AAD and PDV systems and Tier 2 consists of AD 1 and AD 2 systems, where the AAD is nearly entered serial productions and could be deployed before the end of Next year,But the Meantime India slowly and steadily upgrades the existing S 125  with newer Radars, makes them almost good in comparing with the S 300 SAM systems.

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