The S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is a series of long-range surface-to-air missile systems developed by the former Soviet Union.

An S-300PT unit consists of a 36D6 (NATO reporting name Tin Shield) surveillance radar, a 30N6 (FLAP LID) fire control system, and 5P85-1 launch vehicles.

[12] The S-300PT had a passive electronically scanned array radar and had the ability to engage multiple targets with a single fire-control system.

To improve tracking of low-altitude targets, a command-guidance system was added to guide the missile for the initial part of the flight.

The time it took to set the system up was reduced to 30 minutes and trajectory optimizations allowed the 5V55KD to reach ranges up to 75 kilometres (47 mi).

[13] The S-300PS/S-300PM (Russian С-300ПC/С-300ПМ, NATO reporting name SA-10B Grumble B[11]) was introduced in 1985 (according to Russia)[14] and is the only version thought to have been fitted with a nuclear warhead.

[1] This model also featured new 5V55R missiles, which increased the maximum engagement range to 75 km (47 mi) and introduced a terminal semi-active radar homing (SARH) guidance mode.

Development of a modernized variant for export, called the S-300PMU (Russian: С-300ПМУ, NATO reporting name SA-10C Grumble C[11]), was completed in 1985.

[21][clarification needed] The S-300PMU-1 (Russian: С-300ПМУ-1, NATO reporting name SA-20A Gargoyle[11]) was also introduced in 1993, with the new and larger 48N6 missiles for the first time in a land-based system, and keeping all the same performance improvements from the S-300PM version, including the increased speed, range, SAGG guidance, and ABM capability.

Rather than just relying on aerodynamic fins for manoeuvring, they use a gas-dynamic system which allows them to have an excellent probability of kill (Pk) despite the much smaller warhead.

[24] The S-300PMU-2 Favorit (Russian: С-300ПМУ-2 Фаворит, NATO reporting name SA-20B Gargoyle[11]), introduced in 1997 (presented ready 1996), is an upgrade to the S-300PMU-1 with a range of 195 km (121 mi) with the introduction of the 48N6E2 missile.

[25][24] The S-300F Fort (Russian: С-300Ф, DoD designation SA-N-6, F suffix for Russian: Флотская or Naval) was introduced in 1984 as the original ship-based (naval) version of the S-300P system developed by Altair, with the new 5V55RM missile with range extended to 7–90 km (4.3–56 mi; 3.8–49 nmi) and maximum target speed up to Mach 4, while the engagement altitude was reduced to 25–25,000 m (82–82,021 ft).

[citation needed] The S-300FM Fort-M (Russian: С-300ФМ, DoD designation SA-N-20) is another naval version of the system, installed only on the Kirov-class cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, and introducing the new 48N6 missile.

The export version is called the Rif-M. Two Rif-M systems were purchased by China in 2002 and installed on the Type 051C air-defence guided-missile destroyers.

The early 30N6 FLAP LID on the S-300P handles tracking and illumination, but is not equipped with an autonomous search capability (later upgraded).

With an engagement range of up to 400 km (250 mi), depending on the missile variant used, it was specifically designed to counter stealth aircraft.

In addition a 64N6 BIG BIRD E/F band target-acquisition radar can be used, which has a maximum detection range of 300 km (190 mi).

Decoys – sometimes equipped with additional devices to simulate electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, optical, and radar - are used for imitating components of S-300 system.

In April 2005, NATO held a combat exercise in France and Germany called Trial Hammer 05 to practice Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses missions.

Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing this incident, and announced that to keep its troops safe, it would supply Syria with modern S-300 anti-missile rocket systems.

[83][84] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu objected to the move in a telephone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin, stating that the delivery of S-300 anti-missile rocket systems to "irresponsible players" would be dangerous for the region.

[89][90] On 26 July, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz confirmed the initial report of one missile being fired by a Russian-operated S-300 system.

On 29 September 2020, Azerbaijan reported that Armenia was moving its S-300 systems closer to the conflict zone,[92] and vowed their destruction.

[96][97] On 17 October 2020, Azerbaijani Armed Forces claimed the destruction of two radar elements[98] that were part of an active Armenian S-300 SAM site being hit by a Bayraktar TB2 UCAV.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his message of 16 March to the U.S. Congress, had consequently asked specifically for help acquiring more of the long-range missiles.

Moscow claimed to have hit four S-300 missile launchers provided by a European country it did not name, but never showed any concrete evidence of that.

[citation needed] In early April, Iran also reportedly returned a large number of S-300 systems, for use against Ukraine, which it had purchased from Russia in 2007, along with a quantity of its own Iranian-made version, the Bavar-373, which has similar capabilities.

[106] On 30 September, The Wall Street Journal reported the claim of Kyrylo Tymoshenko, an adviser to President Zelenskyy, that 16 Russian S-300 missiles configured for ground-attack struck near Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 30 civilians and wounding 50 others.

The most notable case of such unintentional strikes occurred on 15 November 2022, when a stray S-300 missile on a ballistic trajectory fell near the village of Przewodow in Poland, killing 2.

[113] On 21 August 2024, the Ukrainian military claimed to have struck a Russian S-300 air defense system in Rostov Oblast possibly with a Neptune missile.