Russia's newest S-500 Prometey system, which is expected to begin tests shortly, will be a major upgrade to the state-of-the-art S-400 complex and will, according to member of the advisory council of the Military-Industrial Commission Viktor Murakhovsky, be second to none.

"The S-500 has world-beating characteristics: it can engage air attack weapons, as well as ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles," he told Sputnik.

"In addition, the system provides space defense since it can engage targets in near space, at an altitude of up to 200 kilometers (124 miles)."

The S-500, designed by Almaz Antey, is said to have a maximum range of 600 kilometers (more than 370 miles). The highly-mobile system could simultaneously intercept up to ten ballistic missiles traveling at a speed of 5 kilometers per second.

The system is so good, that "many US defense officials worry that even stealth warplanes like the F-22, F-35 and the B-2 might have problems overcoming" it, defense expert Dave Majumdar wrote for the National Interest earlier this month.

As a result, the S-500, also known as 55R6M Triumfator-M, will most likely form the basis of the country's multilayered air defense system as soon as it becomes operational in the coming years. First prototypes are expected to begin tests later this year.

The Russian Armed Forces reportedly plan to purchase ten S-500 battalions.

Source: Sputnik News