Article Summary – The S-400 Triumf is billed by Moscow as the ultimate air defense system, able to spot and kill even fifth-generation jets like the F-22 and F-35.
-On paper, its layered radars and long-range missiles are impressive, but U.S. veterans argue that detecting stealth with low-frequency radar isn’t the same as getting a lethal fire-control lock in time.
F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing and 192nd Fighter Wing, participate in a total force exercise at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Feb. 28, 2019. Both wings partnered with the 633rd Air Base Wing during the Phase I exercise to showcase their readiness and deployability of the F-22s. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech Sgt. Carlin Leslie)
-Real-world combat only deepens the ambiguity: a Houthi missile once locked onto an F-35, proving stealth is no shield against complacency.
-Both Russian boasts and Western overconfidence are dangerous—and that only real war would settle the debate.
Can Russia’s S-400 Really Shoot Down F-35s and F-22s?
The S-400 Triumf (NATO designation: Growler) is one of Russia’s most advanced medium-to-long-range air defense systems in use.
With a range of 40-400 km, depending on the missile, the S-400 is capable of intercepting multiple targets, from aircraft to ballistic missiles.
According to Russian claims, the system can detect and intercept fifth-generation aircraft like the F-22 and F-35. How accurate is this claim?
Is the S-400 really capable of taking on some of America’s most advanced fighters, or is this claim simply propaganda?
The S-400’s Architecture
The architecture of the S-400 system is highly integrated, comprising several key components. At its core are advanced radar systems that provide long-range detection and engagement capabilities.
The 91N6E “Big Bird” acquisition radar can detect targets up to 600 kilometers away and track as many as 300 simultaneously. In contrast, the 92N6E “Grave Stone” engagement radar can lock onto 36 targets and guide missiles to 72 at once.
An optional radar, the 96L6E all-altitude detector, enhances the system’s ability to detect low-flying threats in complex terrain.
These radars feed data into a mobile command post, the 55K6E, which integrates information from all sensors and external sources to automate threat classification and engagement decisions.
The system employs a layered defense approach using multiple missile types, each optimized for different ranges and targets.
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor performs a high speed pass during the 2025 Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) Kaneohe Bay Air Show, at MCBH, Aug. 9, 2025. The Kaneohe Bay Air Show provided an opportunity to showcase the aircraft, equipment, and capabilities of the armed forces in the Indo-Pacific region to the local community. The air show, which contained aerial performances, static displays, demonstrations, and vendors, was designed to celebrate MCBH’s longstanding relationship with the local community. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Peter Bannister)
The 40N6 missile can engage targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers, including AWACS aircraft and ballistic missiles, traveling at speeds approaching Mach 14.
The 48N6DM missile offers a range of 250 kilometers and is effective against fighters, cruise missiles, and UAVs. For medium-range engagements, the 9M96E2 missile covers up to 120 kilometers, while the 9M96E handles close-in threats at 40 kilometers.
All rockets are cold-launched vertically, allowing for 360-degree engagement without repositioning the launch vehicle.
The S-400 in Operation
The S-400 is designed for rapid deployment and high mobility.
It can become fully operational within five minutes of arriving at a location, making it ideal for dynamic battlefields. Its detection range extends up to 600 kilometers for large targets, and it can engage threats at altitudes ranging from just 10 meters to 30 kilometers.
The system can track hundreds of targets and engage dozens simultaneously, providing robust coverage against saturation attacks.
The system has been deployed by Russia across strategic regions and exported to several countries, including China, India, and Turkey.
China acquired the system in 2018 to strengthen its eastern defenses, while India signed a $5.4 billion deal in 2018, with deliveries beginning in 2021. Turkey’s purchase in 2019 caused tensions within NATO and led to U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Belarus, have also expressed interest in acquiring the system.
U.S. Air Force Airmen load a munition onto an F-35 Lightning II in preparation to conduct a scenario during Checkered Flag 24-1 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 1, 2023. Checkered Flag is a large-force aerial exercise held at Tyndall Air Force Base which fosters readiness and interoperability through the incorporation of 4th and 5th-generation aircraft during air-to-air combat training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jake Carter)
The S-400 vs Stealth Aircraft: More Propaganda From Moscow?
Russia has long touted the S-400s ability to detect and intercept stealth targets like the F-22 or F-35. However, this claim is contentious. Eric Wicklund, a former US Navy Operations Specialist, commented on the matter, claiming that Moscow’s claims were nothing but propaganda.
According to him, Russia’s radars are simply not powerful enough to achieve a lock on to any stealth aircraft before it is too late.
As he writes, “Pundits will claim that the Nebo-M radar used in the S-400 system can ‘detect’ a stealth fighter from further out. That is true, but since it is doing this with an L-band radar, about all it can do it ‘detect…’ ‘detection’ isn’t good enough to attack a stealth aircraft. You need that “weapons lock” and Russia needs their X-band radars to get that. But they won’t get that before missiles and bombs, set on destroying the Russian radars, are already screaming in.”
In other words, the S-400 system can detect an incoming stealth aircraft, but it will not achieve a lock until the plane has released its munitions.
This is bad news for the Russians and good news for American pilots who can operate uncontested in Russian airspace.
This is, of course, assuming that Wicklund’s assumptions are valid.
On paper, the Russians claim that the S-400 can intercept any American fighter jet. On paper, Wicklund claims it is impossible (or at least very unlikely) for the system to engage a stealth aircraft.
Still, neither of these claims can be verified until a stealth fighter meets an S-400 in battle, which will hopefully never happen.
Paper vs Practice: The Inconvenient Complexities of Warfare
One interesting aspect of this debate is the case of the F-35 during the conflict against the Houthis in Yemen.
According to an article written by The War Zone, a U.S. Navy F-35 had to use evasive maneuvers to avoid getting hit by a missile that had locked onto the aircraft.
Thankfully, the aircraft was not hit, but somehow the Houthis, using obsolete Soviet technology, had managed to detect and lock on to an American stealth fighter.
If the Houthis can lock on to an F-35, why should anyone assume the Russians or Chinese cannot do so with state-of-the-art radar and missile systems?
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu famously advised never to underestimate your enemy. This advice should be ingrained in the hearts of every overconfident decision maker or armchair general.
The Russians made a similar mistake when they first launched their invasion into Ukraine, a mistake that has cost them greatly.
The war in Ukraine has revealed many holes in Russia’s air defense, but it has also shown that the Russians are capable of adapting to their present circumstances.
While the Russians still have no experience countering stealth craft, in an actual war, they would not take them long to adapt. Assuming your aircraft is untouchable is a surefire way to get shot down.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
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