Russian Army to Receive Hypersonic Weapons, S-500 Missile Systems Soon

The Russian army will soon receive military equipment based on new physical principles, hypersonic weapons and next-generation S-500 missile defense systems, Russian Presidential Aide for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Kozhin said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov told Sputnik that a test unit of Russia's next-generation S-500 air defense system would be ready by 2020.

The S-500 Prometey, also known as 55R6M Triumfator-M, is a cutting-edge anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile system currently under development in Russia.

"We are working to ensure that the Russian army has the most advanced weapons: S-500 systems are on their way, as well as weapons based on new physical principles, hypersonic, and so on. It's not a debate – it is the reality of the present day," Kozhin told Rossiya 24 broadcaster.

The S-500, designed by Almaz Antei, is said to have a range of 600 kilometers. The system can simultaneously intercept up to ten ballistic and hypersonic missiles traveling at a speed of up to 7 kilometers per second.