Polish S-125 Newa SC SAM are already operating in Ukraine

First photos of Polish S-125 Newa SC anti-aircraft missile systems in Ukraine were released on social media. The transfer of the systems was not reported by either party.

The photo was published on the NMFTE telegram channel.

Judging by the environment, it can be assumed that anti-aircraft systems were transferred to Ukraine in the summer.

S-125 Newa SC

S-125 Newa SC (System Cyfrowy – digital system) is a Polish modernization of the Soviet-era S-125 Neva-M anti-aircraft missile system. The system was developed to engage low-altitude manned and unmanned aerodynamic targets within the altitude range of 20-18,000 meters, at distances of 3.5-25 km.

Until 2012, the system had been undergoing two-stage modernization as part of the Concept for the Development of Armed Forces adopted by the Polish government in the late 90s.

The first stage of the Neva modernization was carried out in 1992. The stage comprised the installation of the launcher on the Т-55 tank chassis. The radar system, part of the air defense system, was mounted on the wheeled chassis from the Scud missile system (MAZ-type). This solution turned the system into a self-propelled one and significantly increased its mobility.

The next phase of modernization began in 1996. Except for the missiles in the Neva SAM, almost everything has been replaced since then. Now the new system has two processors for processing information about the course of targets and missiles. Their computational ability allows them to detect an aerial target under difficult radar suppression conditions.

The upgrade allowed for increased target detection range. The defeat range remained unchanged, since it is mainly determined by the rocket propulsion system, and it has not been upgraded.

In the old Neva SAM version, the radar equipment occupied more than ten slots. After modernization, it takes up only 1 cubic meter. The modified indication system in the modernized version gained four monitors required by target tracking operators, replaced by one. It digitally displays information from both radar and TV channels. An additional screen with the ability to switch display modes has been superimposed on the monitor of the operator. Selection of the mode of operation of radar during interference control has been made easier.

As a result of the modernization, the SAM calculation was reduced by half. Neva SC receives information about the air situation from the Polish-made NUR reconnaissance station of the third generation at a range of up to 300 km.

In particular, the efficiency and rate of fire of the system has been increased. The modernization made it possible to reduce the number of launchers in the division from four to three (4 combat-ready missiles each) and at the same time increase the number of missiles transported to eight. It was only achieved to decrease the number of SAM vehicles by 11.

The new Neva is more resistant to interference and as the first air defense system has received its own IFF system, which is produced under the Thomson-CSF license. Computerization and simplification of service made it possible to reduce the number of combat calculations of air defense systems.