18th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment
Unit Identification
The 18th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment is referenced in open sources as a Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) air defense unit designated as military unit 85388. The Guards title signifies a historical honorific. Public mentions associate the regiment with service on S-300PM series systems and subsequent operation of S-400 systems. Authoritative, detailed public disclosures on its current garrison location, full order of battle, and present equipment mix are limited.
Alternate Designations and Abbreviations
Russian nomenclature: 18th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment is commonly abbreviated as 18th Gv. ZRP (zenitnyy raketnyy polk). The administrative identifier v/ch 85388 corresponds to the military unit number used in Russian-language references.
Mission and Role
The regiment’s mission is area air defense within Russia’s Integrated Air Defense System (IADS). It provides layered coverage against aerodynamic threats (manned aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs) and limited defense against certain ballistic targets, contingent on the missile family in use. It operates in coordination with early-warning radars, adjacent SAM units, and fighter aviation to protect critical military, industrial, and population centers.
Higher Command and Subordination
Anti-aircraft missile regiments of the VKS are typically subordinated to an Air Defense Division within an Air and Air Defense Army aligned to a Military District. They receive tasking via automated command-and-control networks, integrating with regional radar brigades and aviation units. Specific divisional or army-level subordination for military unit 85388 is not consistently documented in open sources.
Equipment Overview: S-300PM
The S-300PM (NATO reporting name SA-20) is a long-range SAM system fielded in multiple variants. Typical components include the 64N6 family long-range surveillance radar, the 30N6 series engagement radar, and 5P85S/5P85D launchers (four canisters per launcher). Missiles are from the 48N6 family, with commonly cited nominal ranges of roughly 150–200+ km depending on variant. Later upgrades (often referred to as S-300PM2 Favorit) improved electronics and missile performance. Many S-300PM/PM2 regiments have been re-equipped with S-400 since the mid-2010s.
Equipment Overview: S-400
The S-400 Triumf (SA-21) is a newer long-range SAM system introduced in 2007. A typical divizion includes the 91N6 surveillance radar, 92N6 engagement radar, 96L6 all-altitude detector, and a 55K6 command post. Launchers are usually 5P85TE2 (towed) or 5P85SE2 (self-propelled), each carrying four canisterized missiles. Common missiles are the 48N6DM (nominal range up to ~250 km) and 9M96/9M96D (active radar seeker; ~40–120 km class), with the 40N6 providing claimed extended reach (up to ~380–400 km) against select targets. Manufacturer claims for S-400 include the ability to engage up to 36 targets simultaneously with guidance for up to 72 missiles, subject to configuration and line-of-sight conditions.
Transition and Modernization
References to both S-300PM and S-400 in connection with the regiment indicate a transition from legacy systems to S-400 consistent with broader VKS modernization trends after 2015. Open sources do not provide authoritative, regiment-specific dates for the transition of military unit 85388, nor the current number of S-400 firing battalions in service within this regiment.
Organizational Structure (Typical)
A PVO anti-aircraft missile regiment generally fields two to four firing battalions (divizions). Each divizion typically comprises a command post, engagement radar, surveillance/all-altitude radar, and 8–12 launchers (commonly four 48N6-class missiles per launcher). Regimental echelons include the command post (e.g., 55K6 for S-400), communications, a technical battery for missile preparation and maintenance, logistics and transport, security, engineering, and medical sections. Actual composition varies with equipment set and modernization level.
Infrastructure and Site Characteristics
Permanent sites for regimental and divizion elements commonly feature prepared, paved launch pads or hardstands, radar locations with unobstructed sectors, command-post vehicles or shelters, missile technical positions for storage and conditioning, power supply and maintenance facilities, and protected explosive storage that conforms to Russian safety-distance standards. Alternate and dispersal positions are often maintained to enable rotation and survivability. Precise site coordinates, layouts, and storage details for military unit 85388 are not publicly disclosed here.
Operational Integration
Regiments integrate into the IADS via automated control systems, receiving cueing from long-range and high-altitude radars (e.g., Nebo-M family, Protivnik-GE, Gamma-series, and 96L6). Coordination with adjacent SAM units and fighter aircraft supports layered interception. Mast systems (e.g., 40V6 series) may be employed to raise sensors to improve radar horizon in complex terrain. Data links allow the regiment to operate under sector control from higher echelons while retaining local engagement authority when required.
Training and Readiness
Air-defense regiments conduct command-post exercises, march and rapid-deployment drills, electronic launches, and periodic live-fire events at Russian ranges such as Ashuluk (Astrakhan Oblast) and Telemba (Zabaykalsky Krai). Training emphasizes displacement between primary and alternate positions, radar management under jamming conditions, and multi-unit engagement coordination. Regiment-specific training schedules and performance metrics for military unit 85388 are not publicly reported in authoritative sources.
Mobility and Support
S-300PM and S-400 systems are road-mobile on heavy wheeled chassis (MAZ/BAZ family tractors and vehicles). Emplacement and displacement are designed to be accomplished on the order of minutes to tens of minutes, depending on site preparation and system configuration. Support vehicles include power units, transloaders, and maintenance assets for missile handling and system sustainment. Fuel, spares, and environmental control for missiles are managed by the technical battery.
HQ and Administration
The regiment maintains a headquarters overseeing operations, intelligence, communications, logistics, personnel administration, and technical/missile services. Military unit number 85388 is the administrative identifier associated with this regiment in Russian-language references. Detailed leadership rosters, exact HQ address, and internal staffing levels are not publicly available in authoritative open sources.
Security and Disclosure Notes
Information such as exact site coordinates, on-hand missile stocks, alert posture, real-time deployment status, internal communications, and electronic order of battle is either operationally sensitive or classified and is not provided. Where open-source data are limited or conflicting, unverified details are omitted to maintain accuracy and objectivity.