S-400 Launch Position (photo: RIA Novosti / Mikhail Mokrushin)
Almaz-Antey announced delivery of two S-400 “regimental sets” to the Defense Ministry at Kapustin Yar on 25 December. That makes six and seven to date.
No official word on their eventual place of deployment, but Zvenigorod, outside Moscow, was first mentioned back in 2011, and again this fall. No one has hinted at a location for number seven.
The producer says it fulfilled its contract for serial production in 2013, and is fully meeting its obligation to manufacture “two-three regimental sets” per year.
S-400 Test Firing (photo: Almaz-Antey)
The company’s press-release said the launchers were vibration-tested during a march over various road and terrain conditions at different speeds. Then Almaz-Antey specialists and combat crews transferred them from traveling mode and conducted test launches against “low-flying, high-speed and ballistic targets.”
In late November, President Putin said two S-400 regiments were fielded this year when they were still, apparently, at KY. He promised three in 2014.
Perhaps these “regimental sets” make a total of 14 S-400 battalions against a long-ago stated goal of 56 battalions under the current state armaments program.
Russian Defense Policy 