KEY POINTS
- The export version of the Vityaz was displayed at the Aero India 2023 air show held in Bengaluru
- The U.S. also showcased advanced fighter jet, the F-35, alongside F-16s, Super Hornets and B-1B bombers
- India currently faces pressure to distance itself from Russia over the ongoing Ukraine war
Russia’s latest S-350 Vityaz surface-to-air missile system is cheaper and more accurate than the American Patriot missile system, a top military analyst from Moscow has claimed.
“The American equipment is always more overestimated. The Vityaz will be far cheaper than the similar Patriot system. It is far more advantageous to buy Vityaz systems as Russia is a considerably more reliable partner than the U.S.,” Alexander Mikhailov, the director of the Military-Political Analysis Bureau–a think tank based in Moscow–told Russia state-owned TASS news agency, during the Aero India 2023 international air show.
Mikhailov was attending the air show held at Yelahanka Air Force base in the southern Indian city of Bangalore on Thursday. The international air show was held from Feb. 13-17.
Mikhailov said the Vityaz anti-aircraft missile system was also capable of striking low-flying targets.
“The Patriot does not shoot down targets flying at an altitude of lower than 100 meters, whereas the Vityaz knocks out targets at an altitude of 10 meters and higher,” the Russian expert told TASS.
The export version of the Vityaz was displayed at the Aero India 2023 air show.
According to Mikhailov, one of the potential buyers for the Vityaz was India.
“India is traditionally our serious partner in anti-missile and air defense, and they buy our military hardware well. India is in first place among our military-technical partners regarding the contracts signed. Therefore, I believe that the Vityaz will also evoke the great interest of our potential buyers in the Asian market. The task of this system is to be our major brand for export sales,” he said.
India currently faces pressure to distance itself from Moscow over the ongoing Ukraine war.
Meanwhile, the United States tried to grab India’s attention with its most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, alongside F-16s, Super Hornets and B-1B bombers.
The American delegation that arrived in Bengaluru is the biggest in the 27-year history of the show.
“Even if weapons sales aren’t the cornerstone of the relationship, there is a cooperation and collaboration at the military level between India and the U.S.,” Angad Singh, an independent defense analyst, said, according to Reuters.
