China successfully test-fires Russia’s S-400 missile air defence system

Despite concerns over the threat of sanctions from the United States, China successfully test-fired the advanced S-400 air defence system imported from Russia.

Notably, it was the first time that Chinese Army tested the system since it received the last shipments of the weaponry from Russia in July under a USD 3 billion contract signed in 2015.

Quoting Russian media reports, Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post on Thursday reported that China’s People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force last month tested the S-400 Triumf air defence system successfully shooting down a “simulated ballistic target” almost 250 kilometre away and moving at the supersonic speed of 3 kilometre per second.

However, the details of location of the test were not disclosed.

China was the first foreign buyer to seal a deal with Russian government in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system. Moscow has already started delivery of an undisclosed number of the S-400 missile systems to Beijing.

S-400 is known as Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. The S-400 is a cutting-edge air defence system that can detect and shoot down targets including ballistic missiles, enemy jets and drones up to 600 kilometre away at an altitude between 10 metres and 27 kilometres. The system can simultaneously shell 36 targets moving at a speed of up to 4,800 metres per second with 72 ground-to-air missiles.

Importantly, in October this year, India also signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy the advanced S-400 air defence system.

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