Why S400 is Essential for India’s National Security

Ever since India has signed the deal of acquiring S-400 Anti-Aircraft system from Russia, Uncle Sam has been worried and trying to create roadblocks in the acquisition. At this juncture when the deliveries have started from MMZ-Avangard facility near Moscow and Lianozovsky electro-mechanical plant in Russia and first lot of S-400 system was reportedly delivered last month, nothing can be done to stop this deal. India signed a USD 5.5 Bn deal to acquire 5 Regiments of S-400 system from Russia in Oct 2018 after a thorough analysis and appreciating a two-front war with China and Pakistan.

Ever since the signing of the deal, United States has been threatening India with its Countering America’s adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), but he failed to do so against its own long-time ally and a NATO member Turkey who received its deliveries two year back in July 2019 only. Not only this, three other NATO countries viz Bulgaria, Greece and Slovakia are already operating S-300 missile system which is an immediate predecessor of S-400. When China bought this system recently from Russia, US failed to put any sanction on it too and since CAATSA is not governed by United Nations, the applicability of this law is limited. The worry of United States is because of the reason that S-400 system can expose vulnerabilities of US aircrafts and systems by mapping the electronic signatures of American aircrafts operating in this zone. US thinks that there is possibility that these signatures can further be transmitted to Russia and subsequently to China which sees Taiwan as a main adversary. Here we must note that Taiwan operates large number of US Aircrafts and South China Sea is going to be the most critical friction point between China and US in the future. Although US offered its own similar systems to India but they were clearly a no match to the capabilities of S-400.

India has been operating its predecessors like S-75 in the past and the new technology will add significant value to the Indian Arsenal especially in the wake of a two-front war with China and Pakistan. Let’s understand what makes S-400 as the best anti-aircraft and anti-missile system available.

Versatile and one of its kind

S-400 is the most versatile system of its kind in the world. Firstly, it has different envelopes of coverage ranging from 40Km to 400Km distance and 30 feet to one lakh feet of altitude. Virtually there is no aerial vehicle in the world which can travel beyond these limits and hence this system gives a coverage against all the possible threats. Secondly, the entire system is autonomous and does not require human interference unless specifically required. Automatic search, track, target identification, target data sharing over a secure link, assessment of target parameters as well as selection and launch of a suitable counter-vehicle, everything is autonomous. Thirdly, this system can not only share the data with other systems deployed in the vicinity but can also control other Air Defence Systems available and fourthly, it has a very quick deployment and de-induction time. It can be put into action within 5 minutes and with erection of additional antenna, the time becomes maximum 25 minutes. No other system in the world has such low action times.

Search and Destroy capabilities.

The system gives multi-tier coverage creating an effective search envelope of over 600Km due to its multi-function panoramic Radar which not only can track over 160 targets simultaneously but also can select, designate, and guide any of the four types of missiles having kill range of 40km to 400km with a height ceiling of over one lakh feet. None of the Aerial object except Ex atmospheric missiles can fly at such altitudes.

This system can track Missiles, aircrafts, UAVs and other flying objects with a small radar Cross Section due to the capability of its missiles to climb high (Up to 30Km) and search the targets against the horizon. Even a stealth aircraft when scanned against the horizon from a top-down approach cannot avoid detection. To do this, the missiles have a phased array integrated active radar homing head capable of carrying out mid-course search in all four axes. Not only this, but the missiles are also designed to have a gravitational load factor of over 20G which means that they can manoeuvre faster than any aerial object. Rest of the work is done by the terminal velocity of over 6 Mach and a huge 24-kilogram warhead of the missile designed to create an airburst of over 100 meters. No one can escape this and that is why the system has a single shot kill probability of over 90% for aircrafts and over 70% for incoming missiles.

Robustness and High longevity of Russian systems-

Unlike American or European systems, S-400 is a very robust system. In fact, our experience in Indian Army with Russian Systems tells us that they are very robust, maintenance free and have a very high longevity. S-400 system is guaranteed to work for over 12000 hours before first Service and 30,000 hours for the first system overhaul and it is designed to provide uninterrupted service of over 20 years. Like other Russian system it can operate effectively in +50 degree to -50-degree temperatures and can withstand dusty, muddy and saline atmosphere without any damage to the system. It can withstand shocks, drops and even partial submerging in water. The mounting of the system is on 8x8 Ural and MZKT vehicles which can move smoothly in all terrain including desert, snow, and jungles. India has been operating some of these vehicles in the past and their performance is amazing.

Capability to operate under intense Electronic Jamming environment.

World is getting technologically smarter, and someone said that future wars will be fought in an electronic environment only. In today’s battlefield environment, the survivability of a war machine depends upon how much it can sustain against the electronic counter measures. S-400 is no exception and hence its makers have created a mix of multiple radars operating in different bands, multiple frequencies, frequency hopping at an ultrafast pace, Agile beam steering and multiple backup options. As a result, this system is virtually immune to any electronic attack and can change itself to the need of the battlefield. As per some of the reports available, in 2017-18, US and UK tried to unsuccessfully analyse this system when it was deployed on Crimean borders near Ukraine and tried to jam it. Israel also claimed that its Sky Shield Airborne system can jam S-400 but could not produce any result or data.

Secure Data link and sharing of target data.

S-400 air defence system, is known to have become much more technically advanced. It works on a principle of nodes. Every weapon system or a control station becomes a node under this system which are not the only mobile but also increasingly networked with high-speed digital processing technology, enabling one detection location to quickly share tracking data with another creating a secure but holistic picture across the battle zone. For an example, if an aircraft entering the zone finds that it is being detected by S-400 and moves away, its parameters can immediately be sent to another system located nearby to intercept it the moment it enters their range. It creates a secure data link using multiple platforms including radio link, local network and satellite-based communication systems and creates a self-healing mesh of communication which is near impossible to intercept and break. This is the primary reason why US does not want India to go ahead with the purchase of this system.

The system is so potent that India will be able to get insulated from Pakistani threat by just 2 or three units of this system and if it deploys all five units ordered from Russia rightfully, will be able to effectively sustain a two-front war with Pakistan as well as China. The question is the American reaction and future of Indo-US relationships. Currently US is resorting to a kind of “Psychological War” by threatening India of dire consequences but so far has not taken any significant action. Certainly, in this scenario, US would not like to lose a golden egg hen. India has been buying significant military hardware from America and in the event of any sanctions, entire of the business will go for a roll. The hypocrisy shown by United States is clearly out of any logic especially when S-400 is considered a formidable system which is way ahead of any available Air Défense Systems in the world.