Originally Posted By: ckfinite
I think that he's referring to the poor endgame kinematics of very large missiles. It's hard for a missile as big as S-200 (and, for that matter, likely 40N6) to keep up with tactical aircraft, think F-15E or F/A-18. The only realistic targets are bombers and ISR aircraft, and the former have evolved somewhat out of the reach of S-200 (B-1B flies below the altitude floor, and B-2 has good LO characteristics against Square Pair).

Furthermore, truly fixed systems like S-200 are extremely vulnerable to cruise missiles, especially given S-200's engagement floor. S-200 isn't truly viable anymore, with even S-75 and S-125 surpassing its usefulness.


Interestingly, the Vega missile could achieve higher pull than the other SAMs at his time...
SA-5B V-880V - 10g
SA-4B 3M8M3 - 6g
SA-3B V-601P - 6g
SA-2E V-759 - 9g


Hpasp
Free SAM Simulator, "Realistic to the Switch"

(U-2 over Sverdlovsk, B-52's over Hanoi, F-4 Phantoms over the Sinai, F-16's and the F-117A Stealth bomber over the Balkans.)
http://sites.google.com/site/samsimulator1972/home

Book from the author - Soviet Nuclear Weapons in Hungary 1961-1991
https://sites.google.com/view/nuclear-weapons-in-hungary/

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