https://sputnikglobe.com/20260226/russias-s-500-prometey-the-death-knell-for-british-and-french-nuclear-icbms-1123696827.html
Russia’s S-500 Prometey: The Death Knell for British and French Nuclear ICBMs
Russia’s S-500 Prometey: The Death Knell for British and French Nuclear ICBMs
Sputnik International
Russian missile defenses are becoming increasingly sophisticated and may render British and French nuclear weapons ineffective, states the UK-based defense think tank RUSI.
2026-02-26T17:07+0000
2026-02-26T17:07+0000
2026-02-26T17:07+0000
analysis
united kingdom (uk)
s-500 prometey
russia
france
military & intelligence
igor korotchenko
s-500
us
europe
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"The nuclear forces of the UK and France consist of strategic submarines armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles that are on operational patrol," Igor Korotchenko, editor in chief of National Defense magazine, tells Sputnik. "The S-500 [Prometey system] is specifically designed to intercept targets of this type." The S-500 Prometey He notes that the British strategic forces use Trident-2 submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles, while their French counterparts rely on domestically developed M51 ballistic missiles. Mobile and Highly Efficient An important feature of the S-500 is its mobility: The expert underscores that no one can provide accurate estimates of what would happen in an actual nuclear conflict. However, as S-500 production scales and more regiments are deployed, its capacity to intercept increasing numbers of potential enemy ICBMs grows.
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https://sputnikglobe.com/20260225/uk-and-french-elites-cynically-turning-europe-into-nuclear-testing-ground---expert-1123688723.html
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british and french nuclear icbms, british nuclear arsenal, french nuclear arsenal, russia's s-500 prometey, russian missile defense systems, russian missile defense system to render british and french nukes ineffective, rusi, russian strategic forces
british and french nuclear icbms, british nuclear arsenal, french nuclear arsenal, russia's s-500 prometey, russian missile defense systems, russian missile defense system to render british and french nukes ineffective, rusi, russian strategic forces
Russia’s S-500 Prometey: The Death Knell for British and French Nuclear ICBMs
Russian missile defenses are becoming increasingly sophisticated and may render British and French nuclear weapons ineffective, states the UK-based defense think tank RUSI.
"The nuclear forces of the UK and France consist of strategic submarines armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles that are on operational patrol," Igor Korotchenko, editor in chief of National Defense magazine, tells Sputnik. "The S-500 [Prometey system] is specifically designed to intercept targets of this type."
The
S-500 Prometey (lit. ‘Prometheus’ – the Greek Titan who brought divine fire to mortals) is a road-mobile air and missile defense system created by Almaz-Antey
Target detection: up to 800 km
Can engage up to 10 ballistic targets simultaneously at speeds up to 7 km/s
Capable of intercepting hypersonic targets up to Mach 10 (12,348 km/h)
"The S-500 is capable of intercepting and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles during the terminal phase of their flight," Korotchenko says.
He notes that the British strategic forces use Trident-2 submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles, while their French counterparts rely on domestically developed M51 ballistic missiles.
Mobile and Highly Efficient
An important feature of the S-500 is its mobility:
it rides on all-terrain chassis and comes with its own missile interception and target detection systems
the first regiment equipped with the S-500 system went on operational duty in December 2025
"The system’s mobility allows its components to be concentrated on threatening directions or around priority assets for protection," Korotchenko explains. "To date, it is the world’s only fifth-generation mobile missile defense system."
The expert underscores that no one can provide accurate estimates of what would happen in an actual nuclear conflict. However, as S-500 production scales and more regiments are deployed, its capacity to intercept increasing numbers of potential enemy ICBMs grows.
