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Subject: S-400 possibilities
mustavaris    6/16/2007 2:49:24 AM
My third/fourth starter about Kolchuga;) Some time ago I read that S-400 SAM system has been integrated with Kolchuga passive "radar" system. The Russian sources state that Kolchuga is used to guide 40N6 missiles. I have been wondering why it is just 40N6 as the S-400 is fully integrated to use different kinds of missiles and I have come up with one explanation why it is only 40N6 missile that is used with Kolchuga. (40N6 is the missile that is said to be the "AWACS-killer" or "Stealth-killer" with its 400 km range). If the 40N6 has two seekers or dual mode seeker, it could be really deadly weapon. My idea idea about it goes as following:The Kolchuga which is passive set gets the estimated coordinates of target, the missile is launched towards the target which is not lit by any radar. But when the missile which gets updates from Kolchuga is close enough, it will activate its active radar and suddenly the target is engaged with precise weapon. In my opinion this could explain why only 40N6 is said to be used with Kolchuga while other, also quite concincing missiles arent.. and why it could be really potent and dangerous SAM, even against stealthy aircraft. With this kind of explanation we do not need any miraculous improvements on Kolchuga´s capabilities to get exact coordinates of targets location. Thoughts? And has anyone seen S-2 lately?
 
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displacedjim       6/16/2007 3:28:35 AM
Yes, that's certainly possible, and could provide for a nasty surprise attack that could not be detected until late in the engagement.  It would have the most potential against non-manuevering targets like AWACS, tankers, and C4ISR aircraft.  Once again, there's little reason to think a stealth aircraft will even be detected/tracked via passive detection equipment like Kolchuga, and even versus "normal" jet fighters the positional accuracy is going to be gross and not reliable to always guide a SAM to a position where its active radar could lock on--especially not against a stealth target, since the LO would reduce the range of the missile's radar.  However, it does seem your idea could work well against predictable targets like an HVAA in a known orbit.  It's an idea very similar to how the Chinese apparently plan to control their FT-2000 anti-radiation SAM.
 
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