Key Points and Summary: Russia’s S-500 “Prometheus” SAM system represents a significant leap over earlier models, designed specifically to counter advanced stealth aircraft like the F-35 and F-22. Featuring advanced radar systems and varied interceptors capable of engaging aircraft, missiles, and even satellites, the S-500 could pose a formidable challenge.
Key Point #1 – However, the F-35 and F-22 maintain key advantages: exceptional stealth characteristics, electronic warfare capabilities, proven maneuverability, and extensive combat experience.
Key Point #2 – While the S-500’s advanced technology gives it theoretical capability, its lack of combat-proven performance and Russia’s tendency to exaggerate military capabilities suggest the U.S. stealth fighters would likely maintain the upper hand.
How Would the Advanced Russian S-500 Stack Up Against the F-35 and F-22?
By now, Russia is tired of hearing about how good the F-35 and F-22 are.
The Americans have well-trained pilots with combat experience. The F-22 has a high level of air superiority. The Israelis have taken the base model F-35 and souped it up considerably to make for outstanding performance when flying against Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran.
The American and Israeli stealth fighters seem to have nothing out there to stop them.
The Best of the Best
But enter the S-500 advanced surface-to-air missile system.
This air defender is the best in the Russian arsenal, improving on the already effective S-400 and S-300 SAMs.
Let’s examine whether the S-500 could directly challenge the F-35 and F-22, especially if the Russians sell it someday to Iran and China.
American Stealth Jets Have Many Attributes
It’s important not to get carried away. The F-35 and F-22 have excellent electronic warfare capabilities.
They can be effective when flying in multi-threat environments. The stealth attributes are top-notch. Plus, they have the speed and maneuverability to outrun a SAM launch and then they can use chaff and flares to spoof the interceptor.
The S-500 Is Already Deployed
The S-500 is a worthy adversary, though.
The first S-500 battery is finally operational, and the Russians have deployed it to protect “the Kerch Strait from a site in Russian-occupied Crimea,” according to Army Recognition.
This SAM Could Be Part of a Larger Military Strategy
The S-500 could become a weapons system that encapsulates all that Russia is trying to achieve strategically, operationally, and tactically.
It can deny Americans the ability to fly in certain areas.
And it can keep the U.S. Air Force (and allied air forces that fly the F-35) from accessing the skies over Europe should the S-500 be deployed in other parts of Russia.
This is the same anti-access/ area denial gambit that the Chinese have successfully employed with its navy and anti-ship missiles.
The Kremlin and Vladimir Putin’s generals hope that the S-500 can create an anti-air technique that frustrates pilots of F-35s and F-22s.
S-500 Prometheus Carries a Big Stick
The S-500 is nicknamed “Prometheus” and that about sums up its mammoth capabilities. It’s a mobile system. It can counter not just enemy airplanes but also incoming ballistic missiles and could even eliminate bogies in near space environments, so spy planes and low-orbit satellites could also be in danger of succumbing to a S-500 interceptor.
The S-500 started its procurement journey in 2010. Russia needed to counteract fifth-generation stealth airplanes that the S-300 and S-400 could not address as successfully. Moscow had to endure several delays and kept pushing the deployment date back.
It was supposed to be ready way before 2025, but the technology was complicated, and delays were almost inevitable, considering it was going to take on stealth fighters.
It was successfully tested in 2018. This was “the world’s ‘longest surface-to-air missile test’ using the S-500, striking a target nearly 482 km (300 miles) away,” according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The S-500 has several different interceptors, CSIS explains, and they can be specified for different targets and ranges.
Some interceptors are for cruise and ballistic missiles. Others are for enemy airplanes and satellites.
China is likely to be an export target for the S-500. Turkey wants to jointly-develop an S-500 model specifically for the needs of its military.
Russia’s S-400 Air Defense System. Image: Russian Military.
The radars are incredibly advanced. “The system features four radar vehicles per battery, including the 91N6E(M) S-band acquisition radar, 96L6-TsP C-band acquisition radar, 76T6 multi-mode engagement radar, and 77T6 anti-ballistic missile engagement radar, according to The War Zone.
The Russians want ten battalions of active S-500s deployed all around its borders especially in the West aligning against Ukraine. This should allow Putin’s rocket forces to shoot down Ukrainian-operated F-16s and Mirage 2000s.
Those airplanes are not stealthy, and whether the S-500 could eliminate an F-22 or F-35 remains to be seen.
S-500 vs. F-22 or F-35: Who Wins?
My bet is on the two stealth jets. Russia often over-hypes its military hardware. The S-500 is still immature, and the crews are learning its ins and outs.
It is not combat-proven yet. But it does have great range and could give the F-35 and F-22 a run for their money. The radars on the S-500 are excellent, and the different types of interceptors make it hard to beat.
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot from the 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., flies over the Baltic Sea Sept. 4, 2015. The U.S. Air Force has deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III, approximately 60 Airmen and associated equipment to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. While these aircraft and Airmen are in Europe, they will conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson/Released)
It will be interesting to see whether the Russians can build this SAM system in numbers and deploy it around the country. Some could even protect the Kremlin someday.
Putin would be pleased to have the extra oomph provided to his missile defense umbrella around Moscow.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
