Russia's Baltic Fleet trains with S-400 air defense systems

Russian military personnel from the country's Baltic Fleet recently completed a training exercise involving an S-400 air defense missile system.

During the event, Russian troops practiced coordinated defenses against a simulated sabotage attempt. The crews also conducted engineer reconnaissance and deployed the S-400 defense missile complexes, according to a Facebook post by Russia's defense ministry.

The S-400 Triumph Air Defense System, designated the SA-21 Growler by NATO forces, is an air defense solution developed by Russia's state-owned Almaz Central Design Bureau. The system replaced Soviet-era S-300P and S-200 platforms.

The system is built to engage a variety of airborne threats including fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ballistic and cruise missiles. The S-400 is capable of striking 36 targets simultaneously.

Kremlin defense officials are currently in talks with the government of Turkey, which has expressed interest in procuring the system to bolster its homeland security capabilities. Russian state media has reported the two entities are close to finalizing an agreement for a purchase.