S-400 Air defence system…This is the trending word being used amid the ongoing Operation Sindoor. In a bold retaliation to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Indian Army launched this operation,” following which Pakistan attempted to strike 15 Indian military installations late Thursday night. However, India’s state-of-the-art S-400 air defense system, deployed along the borders, intercepted and neutralised the threats. In a counter-response, India successfully destroyed Pakistan’s HQ-9 air defense system stationed in Lahore, which had been acquired from China four years ago.
Here’s a detailed explainer on the S-400 and HQ-9 air defense systems:
Q1: What has the Indian Army said about the Pakistani attacks?
The Ministry of Defense confirmed that around 2:30 PM on May 8, Pakistan tried to target several cities in northern and western India using missiles and drones. The attack spanned across Avanthipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Naal, Phalodi, Uttarala, and Bhuj.
Thanks to the pre-deployment of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system along the border, India was able to intercept and neutralise the incoming threats. The Defense Ministry further confirmed that in retaliation, India targeted and destroyed a Pakistani air defense installation in Lahore.
Q2: What is the S-400, and how powerful is it?
The S-400 ‘Triumf’ is one of the most advanced air defense missile systems in the world, designed and manufactured by Russia’s Almaz Central Design Bureau. India signed a deal worth approximately ₹40,000 crore in 2018 to procure five units of the S-400.
Key Features:
- Highly Mobile: Can be deployed via road, allowing quick relocation.
- Advanced Radar: Equipped with 92N6E electronically steered phased-array radar, it can detect threats up to 600 km away.
- Rapid Deployment: Becomes fully operational within 5 to 10 minutes.
- Target Tracking: A single unit can track up to 160 targets at once and launch two missiles per target.
- Range & Altitude: Capable of striking threats from 400 km away and at altitudes of up to 30 km.
Q3: How does the S-400 system work?
Each S-400 unit includes:
- Command and Control Center
- Surveillance Radar
- Guidance Radar
- Transport Erector Launcher (TEL)
It comes with four types of missiles (short, medium, long, and very long-range), offering interception capabilities from 40 km up to 400 km. India is specifically using the 40N6E missile variant, which can hit targets up to 400 km away and at an altitude of 180 km.
Working Mechanism:
- Surveillance radar detects an incoming threat and sends data to the command center.
- The guidance radar locks on to the target.
- The missile is then launched to intercept and destroy the target mid-air.
Q4: What is Pakistan’s HQ-9 air defense system that was destroyed?
Pakistan’s HQ-9 is a long-range surface-to-air missile system developed by China’s Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (CPMIEC). It was inducted into Pakistan’s military in October 2021 and deployed in major cities like Lahore and Karachi to counter Indian aerial assets like Rafale and BrahMos.
Q5: How does India’s S-400 outperform Pakistan’s HQ-9?
| Feature | India’s S-400 | Pakistan’s HQ-9 |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Russia | China |
| Range | 400 km | 125 km |
| Deployment Time | 5 minutes | 35 minutes |
| Missile Types | 4 (up to 400 km) | Limited |
| Radar | AESA (tracks stealth and multiple targets) | PESA (less advanced) |
| Target Interception | Fighter jets, drones, cruise & ballistic missiles | Less effective against stealth and long-range threats |
India’s S-400 can intercept Pakistan’s JF-17, F-16, and Babur cruise missiles with ease, while the HQ-9 lacks comparable response time and radar sophistication.
India’s deployment of the S-400 has provided a significant strategic edge in air defense, allowing it to respond swiftly and effectively to aerial threats, as evidenced in the recent cross-border tensions