511th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment
Unit Identification
The 511th Guards Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Russian: 511-й гвардейский зенитный ракетный полк), military unit number 40218 (в/ч 40218), is a formation of the Russian Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno‑Kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS) within the Air and Missile Defense Troops (PVO). Open-source references attribute S‑400 Triumf (NATO: SA‑21 Growler) equipment to this regiment. The specific garrison location and higher-echelon subordination for military unit 40218 are not consistently disclosed in publicly available, authoritative sources; therefore, those details cannot be confirmed here.
Mission and Role
The regiment’s role is area air and missile defense of assigned sectors and critical facilities, operating as part of Russia’s integrated air defense system (IADS). Tasks include detection, tracking, and engagement of hostile aircraft, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and certain short‑ to medium‑range ballistic threats within the engagement envelope of the S‑400 system, while sharing air picture and command-and-control data with adjacent VKS/PVO assets.
Primary Equipment: S-400 Triumf System
The S‑400 Triumf is a long-range SAM system produced by Almaz‑Antey. Typical components include: 55K6E command post; 91N6E long‑range acquisition radar (NATO: Big Bird); 92N6E multi‑function engagement radar (NATO: Grave Stone); 96L6(E) all‑altitude radar (NATO: Cheese Board) often on 40V6M/40V6MD masts; and 5P85TE2/5P85SE2 transporter‑erector‑launchers (TELs). Missiles commonly associated with S‑400 include the 48N6DM (approx. 250 km range), 9M96E2 (up to approx. 120 km), 9M96E (approx. 40 km), and the 40N6 (up to approx. 400 km against aerodynamic targets). Engagement altitudes vary by missile but generally span low altitude to roughly 30–35 km. Russian official claims state multi‑target engagement capability against dozens of targets system‑wide; exact defended footprint depends on terrain, radar siting, and missile mix.
Organizational Structure (Typical for S-400 Regiments)
While specific internal composition for military unit 40218 is not published, Russian S‑400 regiments typically field two to three battalions (diviziony). A standard battalion usually includes 6–8 TELs (each TEL holds four missile canisters), one 92N6E engagement radar, and access to supporting all‑altitude radar coverage and command posts. A two‑battalion regiment thus commonly deploys 48–64 ready‑to‑fire missiles across its TELs, with additional reloads carried by dedicated transloaders. Actual numbers can vary by unit and mission.
Command Relationships and Integration
S‑400 regiments operate within the PVO command architecture and are integrated via automated command-and-control systems (e.g., the 30K6E system incorporating the 55K6E CP). They receive and share track data with VKS early‑warning radars (e.g., Nebo family) and can be cued by airborne early warning platforms (e.g., A‑50U). Publicly available sources do not definitively identify the current higher headquarters for the 511th Guards Regiment (military unit 40218); the unit’s precise placement within an air defense division/army structure is therefore not stated here.
Location Analysis
Authoritative, up‑to‑date public disclosures identifying the garrison or permanent deployment sites for military unit 40218 are limited. Russian air defense regiments equipped with S‑400 are typically sited to protect high‑value regions such as major cities, strategic airbases, naval facilities, and critical infrastructure corridors. Site selection emphasizes line‑of‑sight for radars, overlapping coverage with adjacent SAM units, and access to road networks that support dispersal and resupply. Absent official confirmation or unambiguous, current imagery-based evidence, specific coordinates for the 511th Guards Regiment’s locations cannot be provided.
Infrastructure Characteristics (Typical S-400 Sites)
Fixed or semi‑fixed S‑400 positions commonly exhibit: paved radar pads (for 92N6E and 96L6), mast sections (40V6 series) for elevated radar placement, multiple 25–35 m hardstands for TELs arranged in arcs or clusters with clear fields of fire, separate pads for command post vehicles, and nearby ammunition handling/reload areas with transloaders. Supporting infrastructure often includes perimeter fencing, access control points, garages or shelters for maintenance, fuel and generator support, field communications nodes, and hardened or revetment features where available.
Point Defense and Layering
Russian S‑400 emplacements are frequently co‑located with short‑range air defense (SHORAD) systems for point protection, most commonly Pantsir‑S1/S2 (SA‑22). This pairing is intended to defend high‑value S‑400 radars and launchers against low‑altitude, low‑RCS threats and standoff munitions. Integration with medium‑range systems (e.g., S‑300 variants or Buk‑M2/M3 in other formations) contributes to a layered IADS.
Training and Exercises
Air defense regiments equipped with S‑400 typically conduct live‑fire evaluations and large‑scale drills at established ranges such as the Ashuluk/‘Kapustin Yar’ range complex in Astrakhan Oblast and the Telemba range in the Republic of Buryatia. Training events practice rapid emplacement and march order, radar discipline, multi‑target engagement, electronic counter‑countermeasures, and coordinated operations with adjacent air defense units and aviation assets. Public reporting of any specific training deployments by military unit 40218 has been limited; without official records, unit‑specific training movements cannot be confirmed.
Logistics and Sustainment
S‑400 regiments rely on a fleet of specialized support vehicles for missile transport and reload (e.g., 22T6-series transloaders), power generation, communications, and maintenance. Road mobility enables periodic site rotation and dispersal. Sustainment includes periodic radar maintenance, missile canister shelf‑life management, and adherence to technical servicing cycles specified by the manufacturer and VKS regulations. Munition loads are tailored to mission—mixing long‑range (40N6/48N6) and medium/short‑range (9M96 family) interceptors as required.
Operational Indicators (General)
Observable indicators of an active S‑400 position typically include deployed 92N6E and 96L6 radars (the latter often on masts), multiple occupied TEL pads with canistered launchers elevated or at-the-ready, and the presence of command post vehicles and generator sets. Units may use dispersal to secondary pads in periods of heightened alert. Specific operational patterns for the 511th Guards Regiment are not publicly documented in a manner that can be verified here.
Public Identifiers and Nomenclature
Known designations include: 511th Guards Anti‑Aircraft Missile Regiment; 511-й гв. ЗРП (зенитный ракетный полк); military unit (в/ч) 40218. The regiment is associated in open sources with the S‑400 Triumf system. Additional honorific titles or historical lineages, if any, are not conclusively documented in accessible, authoritative public references suitable for citation here.
Constraints and Information Gaps
Several details pertinent to the 511th Guards Regiment—including exact garrison, current higher‑echelon subordination, precise number of battalions and TELs, missile load distribution, and current deployment coordinates—are not consistently available in authoritative public records and may be subject to operational security restrictions or classification. Therefore, those specifics are not provided. The equipment and organizational descriptions above reflect characteristics typical of Russian S‑400 regiments and should not be taken as a confirmed unit‑specific order of battle without corroborating official or imagery‑based evidence.
Summary
The 511th Guards Anti‑Aircraft Missile Regiment (military unit 40218) is publicly associated with the S‑400 Triumf long‑range SAM system and functions within the VKS/PVO as part of Russia’s integrated air and missile defense network. The regiment’s mission set, equipment suite, and site infrastructure are consistent with established S‑400 regimental practices. Specifics such as garrison location, higher headquarters, and exact order of battle are not reliably documented in open sources suitable for confirmation; consequently, they are not stated. The capabilities described reflect standard S‑400 performance claims and typical Russian PVO organizational patterns as publicly reported through 2024.