Best Air Defence Systems in the World

What is Air Defense System?

According to NATO, Air Defense System is defined as " All measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of incoming hostile air action". It is used to protect naval, ground and Air Base in any location from enemy air strike. It is deployed for homeland defense. It consists of surface to air missiles which can destroy the incoming cruise, ballistic, ICBM missiles and air crafts. Usually it have short range surface to air missiles. It can destroy enemy's aircraft and missiles only when it enters in the specific range. It is also called SAM (Surface to Air Missiles). This system was first introduced by Germans, but not became operational during WW2. Several years after the WW2, USA became the first country which deployed the world first air defence systems SAM-A1-GAPA in 1949. Later on in 1957, the USSR deployed its first air defence systems S-75 Dvina. Soon it became one of the most widely deployed air defence systems in history.

Here are some of the best and well known air defense systems in the world:

                         6.  HQ-9

HQ-9 is a Chinese medium-to-long range active radar homing surface to air missile system. ARH(Active Radar Homing) is a missile guidance system in which a missile have radar transciever and necessary electronics to search and track its targets autonomously. It is in service since 1997. It has been manufactured by a Chineae defence company CPMIEC. Its mass is 1300 kg and length is 6.8 m. It can carry warheads of 180 kg. It have two variants HQ-9A and HQ-9B. The operational range for HQ-9A is 200+ km and HQ-9B 300+ km. It can reach upto maximum speed of mach 4.2. It can be launched from Taian 8 by 8 transporter erector launcher(TEL), Type 055, Type 052C, and Type 052D Destroyers. It uses HT-233 PESA radar system. It is similar in capability to the Russian S-300 and American PATRIOT systems. It's operators are People's Liberation Army Air Force, People's Liberation Army Navy, Royal Morrocon Armed forces, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan ground forces.

                    5. MIM-104 Patriot 

MIM-104 PATRIOT is American made surface to air missiles (SAM) system, mainly used by USA and his several allies. It has been manufactured by American defence company Raytheon Technologies Corporation. This air defence system derives its name from the radar installed in the weapons systems, which is Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (backronym for PATRIOT). It was designed to replace the high-altitude and long range SAM Nike Hercules, which was used primarily by the US and NATO. It has also replaced the US Army's medium range tactical air defence system MIM-23 HAWK. Now its primary function is anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system for the US Army. The sysytem is expected to stay in service until 2040. It is in service since 1981. This system gained popularity during the Gulf War of 1991, with the claim of destroying about 40 Iraqi Scud missiles in the air during engagement, but these claims always faced controversy. Recently it was also successful in nullifying the Houti rebels attacks on Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni Civil War. It was also successful against the Iraqi missiles in 2003 Iraq War. On 31 August 2014, Isreali MIM-104D PATRIOT batteries successfully shot down two HAMAS UAVs, and one Syrian Air Force Sukhoi SU-24 Fencer attack aircraft on 23 September 2014. Per unit cost is 2-3 milllion US dollars. 1276 have been manufactured, in which 1106 lauchers are in service in the United States military, and 170 have been exported. Over 10,000 missiles have been manufactured for this defence system. Each battery have 16 missile launchers. Operators are US, Germany, Greece, Isreal, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Polands, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sweaden, Qatar, the UAE, Romania, Spain and Taiwan.

            

     
                         4. MEADS

MEADS acronym for Medium Extended Air Defence System is a ground mobile air defence system. The program is jointly developed by the US, Germany and Italy. Designed and developed by the USA, Germany and Italy. It is intended to replace the German and American PATRIOT system and Italian Nike Hercules system. It have more improved mobility, interoperability, and full 360-degree capability. It provides homeland, weightage assests and area defense. A single MEADS battery can defend upto 8 times the area of a PATRIOT battery. It have longer-range PAC-3 MSE missiles. It is easier to deploy due fewer system assests. It has been manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Per unit cost is 625 milllion US dollars. It can carry 75 kg warheads. Its range is 180 km and speed mach 2.8. It have multi-function phased array radar which can track 100 targets at a time. It's operators are USA, Germany and Italy.

            

       
                        3. THAAD
 
THAAD acronym for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system. It is designed to shoot down short, medium and long range ballistic missiles. It was developed after experience of Iraqi Scud missile attacks in the Gulf War. The unique thing about this system is that it carry no warheads, but depends on its kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missiles. It is in service since 2008. It has also been manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It's mass is 900 kg and length 6.17 m. Its operational range is 200+ km and speed mach 8.24 (2.8 km/s). It uses AN/TPY 2 radar which can tract 50 targets at a time. Its per unit cost is 800 million US dollars. Its primary user is the United States Army. It has been deployed in the UAE, Guam, Romania, Israel, Taiwan and South Korea.

             

     
                      2. S-300 VM

S-300 is a series of Russian long range surface to air missile systems. It was initially deployed by the Soviet Army. The system was developed to intercept the enemy aircrafts and cruise missiles for the soviet Defence Forces. It's further variations were deployed to intercept ballistic missiles. It was first deployed in the Soviet Union in 1979, to defend the industial and administrative facilities, military bases and homeland airspace against enemy aircraft stirkes. This system was designed by NPO Almaz and manufactured by Mzik defence industry. It's recent and advanced variant is S-300 VM Giant/Gladiator. It is specialized anti-ballistic missile system. It is designed to destroy short and medium range ballistic missiles, aeroballistic missiles, cruise missiles and fixed wing aircrafts. It's designer and manufacturer is Almatz-Antey. It is in service since 2013. Per unit cost is 120 million US dollars. It can carry 150 kg warheads. It's range is 200 km and speed mach 7.8+. It have 9M32 Grill Pan and 9M32 M radars which can tract 200 targets at a time. Operators of this system are Russia, Egypt and Venezuela.

                     1. S-400 Triumph

S-400 Triumph is a Russian made anti-aircraft weapon system. It is the upgraded variant of the S-300 family. It is designed by Almaz-Antey and manufactured by Fakel Machine Design Bureau. It is in service with the Russian Army since 2007. The S-400 is among the most advanced air defence system available. According to 'the Economist' report in 2017 "S-400 is one of the best air defense systems currently made". It is capable of carrying 143 kg warheads. Its range is 400 km and speed mach 14 which is quite highest as compare to other systems in the list. It have 91N6E ASEA radar which can tack 300 targets, that is impressive. It's unit cost is 400 million US dollars per armed battalion that consists of 9 launchers, 120 missiles, command and control vehicles. It's primary users are Russia,china, that signed a contract in 2014, and its delivery begins in 2018, Belarus, that received two units in 2016, and Turkey. Its future operators will be Saudi Arabia and India, that have signed contracts in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Some other countries that are interested in purchasing it are Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Qatar, Pakistan, South Korea and even United States of America via Turkey.