1724th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment
Unit Identification
The 1724th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Russian: 1724-й зенитный ракетный полк), identified in open sources as military unit (v/ch) 22459, is attributed to operating the S-300V family of army air and missile defense systems. The S-300V series is designated 9K81 (S-300V), with later variants 9K81M (S-300VM/Antey-2500, export designation) and 9K81-4 (S-300V4). Multiple secondary references associate v/ch 22459 with the S-300V system; however, official, authoritative publication of the regiment’s current headquarters location and detailed order of battle is not publicly available.
Service Branch and Mission
S-300V-series formations belong to the Ground Forces’ Air Defense (PVO-SV) rather than the Aerospace Forces’ fixed-site air defense. The regiment’s mission set, consistent with S-300V employment, is army-level layered air and missile defense: protection of operational groupings, critical ground-force infrastructure, and maneuver formations against aerodynamic targets (fixed-wing, rotary-wing, cruise missiles) and selected ballistic threats (SRBM/MRBM-class) within the system’s engagement envelope.
System Portfolio and Capabilities (S-300V Family)
The S-300V family (NATO: SA-12 for S-300V; SA-23 for S-300VM/Antey-2500) uses tracked TELARs and loaders to match ground-force mobility. Typical components include the 9S15M2 Obzor-3 (Bill Board) all-round surveillance radar, 9S19M2 Imbir (High Screen) sector radar optimized for ballistic threats, 9S32-series engagement radar (Grill Pan), command post 9S457-series, and mixed batteries of 9A82/9A83 TELARs with 9A84/9A85 loader-launchers. Missile types include the 9M83-series (“Gladiator”) for medium/long-range aerodynamic targets and the 9M82-series (“Giant”) for extended-range and ballistic targets. Public technical reporting for modernized variants cites aerodynamic target engagement ranges on the order of 100–200+ km (missile-dependent) and, for S-300V4 with 9M82MD, extended reach reported up to approximately 350–400 km; ballistic intercept capability is against short- to some medium-range ballistic missile classes, with engagement altitudes reported up to several tens of kilometers, all subject to variant and tactical conditions.
Typical Organizational Structure (S-300V Regiment/Brigade Model)
While S-300V formations are most commonly fielded as brigades in the Ground Forces, regimental structures have also existed. A typical S-300V battalion (divizion) comprises one 9S32-series engagement radar and two firing batteries. A battery commonly fields a mix of 9A83 TELARs (four ready-to-fire 9M83 missiles per TELAR) and 9A82 TELARs (two ready-to-fire 9M82 missiles per TELAR), each paired with corresponding 9A85 and 9A84 loader-launchers. Higher echelons provide the 9S15M2 and 9S19M2 radars and the command post with communications and automated control. The exact number of battalions and battery composition in the 1724th Regiment is not publicly disclosed; the preceding layout reflects established S-300V-series norms.
Basing and Infrastructure
S-300V units require garrison facilities for tracked combat vehicles and specialized technical positions (TP) for missile storage, preparation, and checkout. Operational sites typically include pre-surveyed firing positions with revetments for TELARs/loader-launchers, emplacement areas for the 9S15M2/9S19M2 radars and 9S32-series engagement radar, field power generation, and secure C2 shelters for the 9S457-series command post. Due to the tracked chassis, these formations can disperse onto unprepared ground; however, sustained operations generally rely on prepared positions and robust logistic support (fuel, spares, missile handling equipment). No authoritative public source specifies the current headquarters location or permanent garrison coordinates for military unit 22459.
Command and Control
S-300V formations integrate into Ground Forces automated air-defense control systems. The command post (9S457-series) manages target assignment, engagement sequencing, and deconfliction across battalions, with data feeds from the 9S15M2 and 9S19M2 radars and external early-warning sources where available. Engagement radars (9S32-series) provide target illumination and guidance for TELAR-launched missiles. The regiment’s C2 architecture is designed for mobility and survivability, allowing rapid displacement and reconstitution. Specific higher-echelon subordination for the 1724th Regiment (e.g., to a particular combined-arms army or corps) is not stated in publicly released official documentation.
Training and Live-Fire Activity
Russian S-300V units conduct live-fire evaluations primarily at established ranges such as Ashuluk (Astrakhan Oblast) under inter-service air-defense exercises and dedicated Ground Forces air-defense drills. Training cycles typically include march discipline for tracked columns, rapid emplacement/displacement, electronic warfare resilience, multi-target engagement procedures, ballistic target profiles, and missile technical maintenance. There is no publicly available, authoritative schedule or published exercise record explicitly tied to military unit 22459; references to S-300V live fires in national-level exercises are common but rarely identify specific regiments.
Operational Employment Notes
Open-source imagery and media since 2014 have documented S-300V/VM/V4 deployments and movements in multiple Russian military districts and in active theaters. Attribution to specific regiments is often ambiguous in public reporting due to unit-level operational security and overlapping equipment sets across formations. No official, verifiable releases specifically detailing the 1724th Regiment’s operational deployments, combat actions, or current area of responsibility were identified in open, authoritative sources.
Modernization and Sustainment
The Russian Ministry of Defence and Almaz-Antey have publicly reported serial deliveries of S-300V4 sets to Ground Forces units beginning in the mid-2010s, with periodic announcements of new brigade/regimental sets and upgrades. S-300V4 enhancements include increased engagement ranges, improved counter-tactical ballistic missile performance, modernized electronics, and updated communications. Whether military unit 22459 has received the S-300V4 configuration, retains earlier S-300V/VM elements, or operates a mixed fleet has not been disclosed in official public documentation.
Threat Environment and Countermeasures (General)
S-300V-series systems are designed to operate under intensive electronic attack and against complex target sets. Defensive measures include mobility (tracked chassis), emission control, radar decoys, networked sensor inputs, and layered firing doctrines. Conversely, like other radar-dependent SAM complexes, their performance can be degraded by sustained electronic warfare, anti-radiation missile threats, and coordinated saturation tactics. These characteristics are documented at a general level across multiple public technical references; no unit-specific tactics, techniques, or procedures for military unit 22459 are publicly released.
OSINT Notes and Confidence Assessment
Key facts that are supported by public, verifiable information are: (1) the existence of the 1724th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment designation, (2) the association of military unit number 22459 with that regiment in multiple secondary listings, and (3) attribution of the S-300V family to the unit. Specifics such as current headquarters location, exact higher-echelon subordination, precise battalion count, live-fire records, and modernization status lack authoritative open publication. As a result, confidence is moderate for the unit’s designation/equipment association and low for detailed order-of-battle or basing particulars.