Armed Forces of Ukraine showcased the operation of Ukrainian S-125 air defense systems
On the Day of Ukrainian Anti-Aircraft Missile Forces of the Air Force, the service of anti-aircraft systems protecting the Ukrainian sky was showcased. The video was posted by the Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhii Naev on social media. The published footage shows the operation of batteries of S-300V1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile systems, Buk-?1, and a rare S-125 mobile SAM.
Following the collapse of the USSR, the S-125 systems were withdrawn from the Air Force and put into storage due to their obsolescence. Nevertheless, with the outbreak of hostilities against the Russian Federation in 2014, it was decided to return them to service.
The S-125?1 SAM shown in the video was modernized by the Ukrainian company Aerotechnika to the S-125-2D level. It can be identified due to the demonstrated frames of the SAM control post.
Control post of the S-125M1 air defense system manufactured by "Aerotechnika". Photo credits: Ukrainian Air Force
Due to the low mobility and single-channel mode of air targets destruction, the S-125 is used by the Air Force as a point air defense system to protect Ukrainian cities.
It is also known about at least one case of the use (without confirmation) of a missile system as a coastal anti-ship complex to counter the potential landing operations of the Russian troops during the 2022 Russian invasion.
Ukrainian S-125 SAM on the Black Sea coast, September 2022
The radio command guidance system allows it to strike ground and surface targets with an anti-aircraft missile even without making changes in the design. The S-125 SAM missile is equipped with a warhead weighing 60 kilograms, which is enough to cause serious damage to ships.
S-125-2D
S-125-2D is a Ukrainian modernization of the Soviet mobile anti-aircraft missile system. SAM was created in the 60s to cover strategic facilities, industrial complexes and large cities.
The air defense system underwent a deep modernization resulting in the replacement of the element base with digital counterparts having the ability to interact with both old Soviet radars and modern digital ones. Due to the digital systems, the level of automation of the system was increased, which significantly affected the potential of intercepting targets. An optical observation station with television and thermal imaging channels was integrated into the SAM, which was not previously available.
It is capable of automatically tracking and locking on aerial targets. Compared to the basic version, the upgraded S-125-2D air defense system has better anti-jamming capabilities protecting from various types of active and passive radio interference, as well as radio echoes from surfaces due to the use of new hardware technologies, interference protection methods and signal processing methods. With the help of the new method of missile guidance, it was possible to expand the strike zone and increase the potential of hitting targets in a simple jamming situation and with intensive exposure to enemy EW systems. Thus, according to the information provided on the website of Ukroboronexport, the range of defeat of air targets was increased from the original 25 km to 35 km, and the maximum altitude of defeat from 18 to 21 km.
The minimum probability of hitting a fighter with such a first missile was increased from 45% to 75%, helicopters - from 16% to 65%, low-flying cruise missiles - from 4% to 35%.
The technical characteristics of this SAM do not allow shooting down ballistic targets.