S-400 Triumf SA-21 Growler

The Russian Government has agreed to deliver the first regimental set of S-400 Triumf SA-21 Growler Air Defence System to India. India and Russia have signed a 5.43 billion USD contract on the defence system. The NATO reporting name of the defence system is SA-21 Growler.

About S-400 Triumf SA-21 Growler

• It is a long-range surface-to-air missile system.
• The system has the capability to form an impenetrable grid of missiles.
• It has four different types of missiles with ranges between 40 km, 100 km, 200 km and 400 km.
• It can be deployed in a very short time.
• It has been mainly designed to destroy UAVs, aerial threats, ballistic and cruise missiles.
• It is capable of providing Point Defence and Area Defence anti-air capabilities.
• China was the first country to buy the defence system. Following China, the other countries such as Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey and Belarus have now acquired the system.

China-Russia

China had received the second batch of S-400 Triumph SA-21 Growler in 2020. Now both India and China are to possess same defence systems.

India-China

India and China are currently negotiating disengagement process to pull back their men and weapons in the border. If the border dispute escalates, then the Indian Air Force will be playing a crucial role. In such cases both the countries might use S-400 SAMs considering the inhospitable Himalayan terrain.

With creation of road infrastructure by Border Road Organisation, the S-400 SAM shall easily be traversed to borders using heavy trucks.

US on the defence system

In 2017, the US had imposed CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act). India was consistent that the process of procuring the missiles from Russia had started way before CAATSA was introduced.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2021