India equips 40N6 long-range missiles for S-400 air defense systems

Delivery of 40N6 ultra-long-range missiles for India's S-400 air defense system has been confirmed. How capable are they?

Recently, Indian Air Force Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh confirmed that the newly purchased S-400 long-range air defense system is capable of attacking enemy aircraft at extremely long distances, and has demonstrated this capability in clashes with Pakistani forces in early May. Photo: @Military Watch Magazine.

Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh commented that the S-400 shot down "two large aircraft including an ELINT aircraft and an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, which were shot down from a distance of about 300km". Photo: @Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

.At the same time, Amar Preet Singh noted that this is "the largest recorded kill of a large aircraft by a surface-to-air system that we can talk about". Photo: @Military Watch Magazine.

Although the S-400 air defense system was first put into service with the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2007, equipped with 48N6E3 surface-to-air missiles, providing a strike range of only 250 km, the maximum strike range of the system was extended to 400 km in the late 2010s, due to the integration of the long-range 40N6 missile. Photo: @Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Therefore, the range as confirmed by Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh is 300 km, making it almost certain that India has been provided with 40N6 missiles for integration into the S-400 air defense system. Photo: @Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Indian Air Force’s deployment of this missile significantly limits Pakistan’s strategic depth and allows six S-400 battalions deployed close to Pakistani territory to target aircraft at any altitude deep into enemy territory. Photo: @Military Watch Magazine.

It is known that the 40N6 missile has dual active or semi-active radar guidance modes. With the active radar guidance head, the missile will fly to the designated altitude, then switch to target search and destroy mode. Photo: @Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The missile also has a proximity fuse with a fragmentation warhead, which can fire and disperse sharp metal fragments when the missile is close to the target if it doesn’t actually hit. The fragments will damage and tear apart the soft body of the target aircraft, disabling it. Photo: @Military Watch Magazine.

The 40N6 missile is also well suited for use with India's A-50 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and Su-30MKI fighters, as these aircraft have exceptionally large and powerful airborne radars that allow them to 'see' deep into Pakistani airspace to guide the 40N6 missile to its target. Photo: @Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

With the Indian Ministry of Defense now considering the purchase of Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, which combines more advanced sensors with stealth capabilities, these could significantly increase the usefulness of integrating the 40N6 missile in India’s arsenal. Photo: @Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Russian Aerospace Forces used the 40N6 missile to target Ukrainian aircraft and are confirmed to have combined it with the A-50 AEW&C aircraft to increase the missile's usefulness. Photo: @ Army Recognition.

Reports of the use of the 40N6 missile in the Ukrainian theater began to emerge in late 2023, with assessments of the downing of a Ukrainian F-16 in April 2025 suggesting it was achieved using the 40N6 missile. Photo: @Military Watch Magazine.

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