Russia moves to longer-range interceptors

MOSCOW, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems with greater range will be deployed in northwest Russia, a military leader said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Vladimir Sviridov said that the S-400 Triumf, already deployed around Moscow, will replace the S-300 in the northwest. The S-400 has a range of 400 kilometers or about 250 miles, twice that of the U.S. Patriot missile, he said.

Russian military experts expect the S-400 to be the backbone of the country's missile defenses through at least 2020 and possibly for five years beyond that, RIA Novosti, a Russian news service, reported. Under the current arms procurement program, the military has agreed to purchase enough to arm 18 battalions through 2015.

The system is designed to intercept stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, with a range of up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and a speed of up to 3 miles per second.