Documents
Russia Almaz-Antey
S-300PMU2 Favorit
An upgraded long-range variant of Russia's S-300 family capable of engaging aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles. Widely exported and the direct predecessor of the S-400 Triumf.
In service since 1997 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
195
km range
27,000
m altitude
36
targets
300
km radar
💲 ≈ $130,000,000, Heavily disputed and previously overstated on this page. China's 2008 to 2009 deal for eight S-300PMU2 battalions and 300 missiles was reported at about USD 890 million, roughly USD 110 million per battalion set, while Vietnam's purchase of two full systems totaled near USD 300 million combined, not per unit. This figure reflects a per-battalion estimate, not a multi-battalion contract total.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 1997. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$325M – $455M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 8.5 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 195 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 27,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 36 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 48N6E2 interceptor missile |
|---|---|
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 150 kg |
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Track-via-missile, Inertial + datalink |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | 83M6E2 command and control system with 30N6E2 engagement radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 300 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Baikal command network |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $130,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 8 |
Specifications compiled from public Almaz-Antey and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Rheinmetall Skyranger 30 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit? +
The Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit has a maximum engagement range of 195 km.
What is the main armament of the Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit? +
The Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit's primary weapon is the 48N6E2 interceptor missile.
What is the Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit used for? +
The Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit? +
The Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit cost? +
The Almaz-Antey S-300PMU2 Favorit has an approximate unit cost of 130,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Almaz-Antey
Buk-M2
Almaz-Antey
S-400 Triumf
Almaz-Antey
Tor-M2
KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Pantsir-S1
Related coverage
