What is special about the S-125-VT air defense missile system improved by Vietnam?

(Dan Tri) - The S-125-VT missile complex is a modernized version, improved by Vietnam itself, with many outstanding features compared to the standard version, helping to increase the firing range and improve the ability to hit targets.

The S-125-VT air defense missile system is an upgraded and modernized version of the Soviet-developed S-125 Pechora-2TM (also known as SAM-3) missile system, designed to destroy airborne attack vehicles, especially low-flying and small targets such as cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—commonly used weapons in modern warfare.

The S-125-VT missile system moves across Ba Dinh Square during the first rehearsal for the parade and march commemorating the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd (Photo: Manh Quan).

The upgrade and modernization process was carried out by the Viettel Aerospace Institute, a subsidiary of the Viettel Group (Vietnam's military-owned telecommunications technology corporation). The upgrade focused on improving radar, fire control systems, combat capabilities in modern environments, and increasing firing range.

The S-125-VT missile system, upgraded and modernized independently by Vietnam, possesses outstanding features, high mobility, effectiveness, and combat capabilities (Photo: Hai Long).

In addition to its air defense role, the S-125-VT system can also be used for attacking ground and surface targets.

After the upgrade, the S-125-VT system's radar is capable of detecting targets at a range of approximately 90km, and the missiles can destroy targets at a maximum range of 30km, with missile speeds reaching 800m/s (2,880km/h, equivalent to Mach 2.3).

The S-125-VT system is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, UAVs, and other weapons commonly used in modern warfare (Photo: Hai Long).

In addition to its radar guidance and surveillance system, the S-125-VT also incorporates an electro-optical observation unit, allowing it to detect and lock onto low-flying targets or in cases where the radar is completely suppressed electronically.

Notably, the S-125-VT features a guidance system that can simultaneously guide two missiles to two different targets, achieving a hit rate of up to 90%, a significant increase compared to the 45-87% rate of the original version.

The S-125-VT missile system is capable of destroying targets at a range of 30km, with a hit rate of up to 90% (Photo: Viettel).

The components of the S-125-VT system (control vehicle, power supply vehicle, launcher) are all mounted on a field truck chassis, increasing mobility. This allows the S-125-VT system to deploy into combat formation in just 20 minutes, a significant upgrade compared to the previous S-125 Pechora version which took 90 minutes to deploy.

The UNK-VT control vehicle is considered the "brain" of the S-125-VT. The control system allows simultaneous guidance of two missiles to two different targets (Photo: Hai Long).

The self-reliance in upgrading and modernizing the S-125-VT missile system is considered a significant achievement of Vietnam's defense industry, demonstrating its ability to master technology and modernize older weapon systems to meet the requirements of modern warfare.

On the evening of August 24th, during a parade rehearsal, a convoy of military vehicles moved along Giang Vo Street (Hanoi), passing in front of the Dan Tri newspaper headquarters. The convoy included a vehicle carrying an S-125-VT missile launcher (Photo: Nguyen Son).

With its high mobility, upgraded range, and improved hit rate, the S-125-VT system plays an extremely important role in Vietnam's air defense network, helping to protect the nation's airspace and national security.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/to-hop-ten-lua-phong-khong-s-125-vt-do-viet-nam-cai-tien-co-gi-dac-biet-20250825132125309.htm