Air Defense: August 31, 2003

Archives

Vietnam is buying two battalions of S-300MU1 surface-to-air missiles from Russia. The deal is worth $200-300 million. The S-300 system is roughly equivalent to the U.S. Patriot system and was known as the SA-10 in the West when the system first appeared in the early 1980s. While details were not given, the deal probably involves about a hundred missiles and six radars and control units. S-300 missiles weigh 1.8 tons each and are 26 feet long and about 20 inches in diameter. The missiles have a range of some 200 kilometers and can hit targets as high as 100,000 feet. The missile has a 320 pound warhead. China has been a major purchaser of S-300 systems, reportedly including over a thousand missiles. 

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contribute. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   contribute   Close