S-500 air defense system will fire a new antimissile. The design of the weapon, which has to down hypersonic targets, is to be completed this year. The antimissile has passed the tests and confirmed characteristics, the Izvestia daily writes quoting Defense Ministry sources.
They said the new antimissile for S-500 is in a high state of readiness. Successful trials were held at Sary-Shagan range in Kazakhstan. A series of test launches confirmed the characteristics and the antimissile hit the target with assigned precision. The sources refused to disclose the index and characteristics of the antimissile. They only said that besides S-500, the antimissile can be fired by the upgraded stationary missile defense of Moscow.
The antimissile has to destroy ballistic targets. It is distinguished by a higher speed and sophisticated guidance system. The antimissile has to physically hit the target and destroy it. Only in this case, the reentry vehicle of a ballistic missile will be destroyed.