Three new regiments of S-400 Triumf air defense systems will enter operational service of the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2018, Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Colonel General Sergei Surovikin said.

“Modern S-400 Triumf, S-300 Favorit air defense systems, Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun systems are operational in anti-aircraft missile troops of the Russian Air Force. In 2017 only, four anti-aircraft missile regiments were re-equipped with S-400 Triumf. Another three S-400 will enter service of the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2018,” Surovikin told reporters.

He added that a total of five anti-aircraft missile regiments equipped with S-400 systems were maintaining air defense of Moscow and Russia’s central industrial district.

“The task of air defense of Moscow and the central industrial district of the country is assigned to the air and missile defense special operations unit of the Russian Aerospace Forces… At present, five anti-aircraft missile regiments, equipped with the latest S-400 Triumf air defense systems, are maintaining air defense of the area within this unit,” Surovikin added.

The S-400 Triumph is Russia’s next-generation mobile surface-to-air missile system and can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range. The weapon is designed to track and destroy various types of aerial targets, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles.