The S-400 “Triumf ”: between expectations and results

Abstract

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union invested heavily in its air defense systems, so its rightful successor, Russia, has now some of the most advanced air and missile defense systems in the world. Among them, the S-400 “Triumf” surface-to-air missile system is perhaps the most criticized, shrouded in mystery, and feared system in Russia’s arsenal. Developed and then presented as capable of engaging a variety of aerial threats, the system gained a reputation, at least declaratively, of being able to counter US and NATO ambitions to win a conflict through airspace dominance.