The Crumbling Myth of the S-400

 

The Crumbling Myth of the S-400: How Ukrainian Drones are Rewriting the Rules of Aerial Warfare

Ukraine claims that its drones struck another Russian S-400 air defense system on Wednesday. This time, the targeted system was located within Russian territory, in the Belgorod region near the Ukraine border. This is believed to be the second S-400 “Triumph” system affected within just a month, following a Ukrainian strike in mid-September on an S-400 positioned in Crimea, at Yevpatoria.There are reports that drones from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) hit the Russian S-400 “Triumph” air defense system in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation. The operation reportedly took place on the night of October 3rd to 4th. The target was attacked by drones and Ukrainian-manufactured Neptun cruise missiles.

Let’s unpack that a bit. Twice within a single month, Russia’s premier long-range air defense system, each unit valued at around $1.2 billion. Engineered to intercept a variety of high-flying targets, from stealth bombers to ballistic missiles, the system was surprisingly foiled by a technology it seemingly overlooked: low-flying drones with minimal radar signatures.

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