Russia has started delivery of the second batch of its S-400 Air defense missile system, destined for service in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force (PLARF), according to Russian sources.
“A transport vessel with the first batch of hardware from the second S-400 regiment set for China has taken to the sea from the port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic coast,” the source informed Russian news agency TASS on July 24.
“Therefore, like in the case with Turkey, the deliveries of the systems have started several months ahead of the term stipulated in the contract,” it added.
The source revealed that three cargo vessels will be launched to depart in very short intervals to deliver the entire regimental set of S-400 to China.
The first Delivery of S-400 was successfully carried out in May 2018 and Russia has already delivered multiple replacement missiles for the S-400 to China, as one Russian cargo ship, carrying an export variant of the S-400’s most advanced interceptor, the 40N6E, was bound to return home due to damages caused by a storm in the English Channel.
Most importantly, while the 40N6E missile was cleared for mass production in the mid of 2018, it is not clear whether the production of the missile has begun or not. PLARF interns have been carrying out hands-on practice over the S-400 air defense system since 2018.
In September 2018, the U.S. State Department and Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on the People’s Liberation Army’s Equipment Development Department for the procurement of S-400 and fourth-generation fighter jets SU-35s.
SU-35 is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jet made by Sukhoi, a Russia aircraft manufacturer.