There’s reason this week to return to the issue of what the S-400 system costs. Specifically, what it might cost China.
Vedomosti reported Wednesday that Russia has signed a deal with China to sell it the S-400 / Triumf.
The business daily’s defense industry source claims the agreement inked by Rosoboroneksport and the Chinese military will send off not less than six battalions of the advanced SAM system for more than $3 billion.
That would be at least $500 million per battalion (against the previously ventured guess of about $320 million). Or in excess of $80 million per TEL.
The Russian Defense Ministry has consistently maintained that the S-400 won’t go abroad before 2016.
Vedomosti notes China’s last big purchase was 15 battalions of S-300PMU-2 completed in 2010.
RIA Novosti pretty quickly reported that an official of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) said an S-400 contract hadn’t been signed with China as yet.
Rosoboroneksport and Almaz-Antey just declined comment.
Russian Defense Policy 