Russia develops air–droppable air defence missile system

Moscow, May 4: Russia has started developing an air–droppable air

defence missile system for its airborne forces, which is believed to be

the world’s first system of its kind, sources said on Wednesday.

The system, code–med Ptitselov (Fowler), will be based on the

BMD–4M Sadovnitsa (Lady Gardener) airborne armored assault vehicle, a

source of the Russian defense ministry was quoted as saying. The tracked

BMD–4M Sadovnitsa vehicle is fitted with the Bakhcha–U (Gourd Field)

turret, comprising a 100–mm and a 30–mm caliber gun as well as a 7.62–mm

machine gun, Xinhua news agency reported.

The vehicle, commissioned in 2015, is meant to be used during raids

behind the enemy’s lines and is capable of reaching a speed of 70 km per

hour.

Currently, the main anti–aircraft battlefield assets of the Russian

Airborne Forces are various modifications of the Strela–10 (Arrow–10)

missile system, whose basic model was put into service in 1976. (IANS)