The S-400 Conundrum: Russia’s Built-in Surprises for China

Russia supplied S-400 missile systems to China with unspecified 'surprises' that limit their capabilities. While the 2014 deal symbolized Sino-Russian cooperation, China believed it received simplified systems. This move reportedly protects Russia’s tech secrets and controls competition, raising questions on military trade policies.

Russia has delivered its advanced S-400 air defense missile systems to China, complete with built-in 'surprises' that have raised eyebrows in Beijing, according to reports from local news portal ABN24.

The S-400 Triumf air defense systems, celebrated globally for their versatility and interceptive capabilities, became a key element of a multi-billion-dollar deal inked between Beijing and Moscow in 2014. This agreement was a symbol of burgeoning Chinese-Russian military cooperation, aimed at bolstering China's national air defense. Yet today, the S-400s are seldom featured in Chinese military reports, leading to speculation over their limited deployment.

Chinese analysts claim Russia supplied a simplified version of the S-400 to protect its technological secrets and limit foreign armies' capabilities. Investigations from China have revealed that military efforts to unlock the systems' full potential were thwarted, pivoting focus towards other defense strategies. Russian sources confirm export variants with limited tech are standard practice, though exceptions exist for trusted allies.

(With inputs from agencies.)