The US raised the range of the S-400 killer to three times.

After improving the range of this new missile to reach about 1,600 km, which is about three times more than the current PrSM missile.

Currently, the US military continues to order old Tomahawk missiles and SM-6 supersonic missiles as temporary medium-range weapons. However, in the long run, they will replace this missile with a new generation missile, including the upgraded PrSM version.

The US military has researched and concluded that they need a medium-range missile with a range of 500 to 2,000 km, such a missile should be in service as soon as possible, at least by 2023.

General John Rafferty, who is in charge of upgrading the US’s long-range precision firepower, said that in the future these weapons will change everything in both Europe and the Pacific. He also did not hesitate to call the PrSM missile a killer capable of destroying Russia’s S-400 air defense system.

Before that, in March 2017, the US military began conducting the PrSM program. The goal of this program is to create a new generation of high-precision missiles with an official range of 60 to 499 kilometers to replace the existing US Lockheed Martin MGM-140 ATACMS tactical line of tactical missiles. .

Like the ATACMS, the PrSM missile is also launched from the standard launchers of the US M270A1 MLRS and M142 HIMARS missile systems. However, unlike ATACMS, the launcher M270A1 MLRS can carry four PrSM missiles (this pedestal can only carry two ATACMS) and the M142 HIMARS launcher can carry two PrSMs. ).

General John Rafferty said that the US military is currently researching and has committed to create a version of the PrSM capable of firing “medium range” that is about 1,500 to 2,000 km. The general also admitted that the range of this new missile violates the INF agreement, but the advantage is that the US has withdrawn from the treaty.

General Rafferty also revealed that this year, there will be four launches of the PrSM long-range precision attack missile. These tests will include a range of 400 km at the White Sands missile test site in New Mexico in May, in August the full-range missile launch will take place at Vandenberg airbase in California and These two long-range missile launches will take place in the fall.

To increase the range, the PrSM missile will be equipped with a new generation engine system, upgrading the navigation system without increasing the size of the missile.

US PrSM system.

The new propulsion system enables the missile to be launched from the foundation of existing US HIMARS jet artillery systems.

“When the INF Treaty is no longer in effect and medium-range missiles are no longer bound by range, we can increase the range of our weapons to complete missions,” the source said.

The Breaking Defense expert said that although the PrSM has increased its range by more than 3 times, this weapon still cannot compare with the Russian 9M729 missile – a weapon accused by the US of violating the INF while the treaty is in effect. .

The Russian 9M729 missile known as the SSC-8 has a maximum range of 5,500km. With such a range and complicated flight journey, Russia’s 9M729 missile is considered a threat to the US and to its European allies.

General John Hyten, of the US Strategic Command, admitted similarly in a testimony before Congress, saying that the new SSC-8 missile that Russia has deployed can defeat defense shields. US and European allies, especially when launched in large numbers.

It is known that 9M729 was developed and tested by Russia for many years, based on the missile version 9M728. The 9M729 is a ground-based version of the Kalibr-NK long-range ocean-based cruise missile complex, so it carries all of the basic tactical features of this missile.

9M729 is equipped with control and navigation system based on inertia with Doppler sensor that adjusts the attack angle according to the Glonass satellite navigation system and GPS. In the final stage, the self-guided missile radar will be activated, automatically finding and rushing to attack the target with a warhead weighing up to 450kg.

The missile is launched in a vertical position with the help of a solid fuel engine that increases the thrust after launch. The propeller-propeller jet engine then sends the missile thousands of kilometers to the target at subsonic flight speeds.

In terms of design, the 9M729 is built on a conventional aerodynamic principle with the wings folded in the body while moving. 9M729 can easily overcome enemy air defenses with complex flight journeys with many turns at very low altitudes.

The only difference that helps 9M729 assert its power compared to the Kalibr-NK version installed on the warships is the range. If Kalibr-NK has a maximum range of about 2,500 km, 9M729 can attack targets at distances of up to 5,400 km.

In particular, according to US intelligence sources, 9M729 is also developed by Russia with the ability to carry nuclear warheads. And this is one of the reasons that the US and its European allies are feverish with the 9M729 missile.