The Belarusian Armed Forces have placeda Russian-made 96L6 all-altitude lengthy vary air defence C-band radar system on fight responsibility, marking a significant milestone within the modernisation of its ground-based air defence community at a time of excessive tensions with neighbouring NATO members. Belarusian defence officers have described the brand new system pressure multiplier that considerably enhances the early-warning and fire-control structure of the nation’s surface-to-air missile community, which is construct across the S-400 lengthy vary missile system. The brand new high-performance surveillance and focusing on radar can detect and observe objects throughout the complete altitude spectrum, from low-flying cruise missiles and loitering munitions, to bombers flying excessive into the stratosphere. It was designed to feed goal info immediately into air defence battle administration networks.
Commenting on the capabilities of the 96L6 system, Belarusian Air Pressure Colonel Kirill Novopoltsev, who instructions an air defence missile regiment concerned within the deployment, pressured it supplies the dramatic leap in operational capabilities. “Reconnaissance capabilities of our air defence missile regiment have been multiplied by a number of occasions,” he stated in an official briefing. “This technique is nearly absolutely automated in contrast with its predecessors. Our operators have accomplished intensive coaching and might function the radar in each handbook and absolutely computerized modes,” he added. The event seems to be a part of the Belarusian Air Pressure’s response to elevated reconnaissance flights and drone operations by a number of NATO member states alongside its western borders, in addition to its the anticipated rise in deployments of F-35 fifth era fighters close to its territory.
The 96L6 was deployed as a part of the S-400 lengthy vary surface-to-air missile system, which makes use of a number of complementary radar methods to maximise scenario consciousness. These embrace the 30K6E panoramic radar detection system with a 600km vary and the power to trace as much as 300 targets, the 96N6E radar with a 400km vary able to monitoring as much as 96 targets, and elective further sensors such because the 96L6E with a 300km detection vary and the Protivnik-GE with a 400km vary and a specialisation in detecting stealth targets. S-400 methods are additionally able to relaying focusing on information from supporting plane to supply steering to their missiles throughout flight, together with to realize extra correct ‘over the horizon’ strikes towards airborne targets. The power to information missiles towards targets 300-400 kilometres away has been demonstrated each by Russian methods within the Ukrainian theatre, and by Indian methods in Could 2025 throughout engagements with the Pakistan Air Pressure.
Belarusian S-400 methods have been deployed for joint workout routines with Russian forces on a number of events, together with in Could 2022, and extra just lately in September 2025 as a part of the Zapad 2025 joint strategic drills, with a significant settlement on collectively sustaining the methods having been signed in late December. The methods present an amazing enchancment in capabilities over the S-300PT methods beforehand acquired from Russia. Belarus has complemented its rising S-400 stock by procuring Su-30SM2 fighter plane, which carry a few of the largest and strongest sensors of any fighter kind on this planet, roughly triple the scale of the F-35’s personal AN/APG-81 radars. The Su-30SM is taken into account an optimum elevated sensor platform to help S-400 operations, and might make use of R-37M air-to-air missiles with 350 kilometre engagement ranges. The deployment of extra superior goal acquisition radars just like the 96L6 has the potential to function a key pressure multiplier for this broader community.
