Air Defense

5P85SM2-01 TEL

Also known as
  • 5P85SM2-01
  • 5P85SM2
  • 5P85SM2-01 TEL
  • 5P85SM2 TEL
  • 5P85SM2-01 launcher
  • 5P85SM2-01 transporter erector launcher
  • 5P85SM2-01 S-400
  • S-400 5P85SM2-01
  • 40R6 5P85SM2-01
  • SA-21 5P85SM2-01
  • 5П85СМ2-01
  • 5П85СМ2
  • ПУ 5П85СМ2-01
  • 5П85СМ2-01 ПУ

The 5P85SM2-01 is a self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher associated with Russia's S-400 Triumf long-range air-defense system. It carries four launch canisters on a MAZ-543M-family heavy wheeled chassis and depends on the S-400 battery's command post, search radars, and 92N6E engagement radar for target data and missile guidance. Visual-loss tracking has separately documented Russian 5P85SM2-01 launchers in Ukraine, making the TEL identifiable beyond generic S-400 system references.

5P85SM2-01 TEL, S-400 self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense
Image source: Alabino05042017-69.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Russia
Built in
RussiaBelarus
Type
S-400 self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher
Service note
S-400 service-era launcher documented in the 2022 phase of the Russia-Ukraine War
Designer
Almaz-Antey parent S-400 system; MAZ heavy wheeled chassis lineage
Designed
S-400 development began in the 1990s; the system entered Russian service in 2007
Produced
2000s-present S-400 service period
Developed from
S-300P / S-300PM-family launcher and battery architecture

Specifications

Role
Self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher for the 40R6 S-400 Triumf air-defense system
Launcher load
Four missile transport-launch canisters
Parent system
S-400 Triumf / SA-21 Growler
Chassis
MAZ-543M-family heavy wheeled chassis in image-identification sources
Launch method
Vertical surface-to-air missile launch from elevated canisters
Battery launcher count
Rosoboronexport lists up to 12 launchers in one S-400 ADMS set
Command relationship
Works with S-400 command and radar vehicles, including 55K6E, 91N6E, 92N6E, and 96L6E2 elements in export descriptions
Missile compatibility context
S-400 references describe 48N6-series, 40N6-family, and 9M96-family interceptor options for the parent system
Variants

Open sources distinguish several S-400 launcher branches. The 5P85SM2-01 is the MAZ-543M-family self-propelled launcher seen in Russian service imagery and visual-loss records, while towed 5P85T2 / 5P85TE2 and newer 51P6E or 5P90-series launchers appear in S-400 component descriptions.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
5P85TE2 TEL, S-400 towed transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense5P85TE2 TELTowed S-400 launcher branch

S-400 launcher references distinguish the towed 5P85TE2 semitrailer, normally pulled by a BAZ-64022 tractor, from the MAZ-family self-propelled 5P85SM2-01 TEL.

Sources: Air Power Australia S-300P TEL Vehicles, Air Power Australia S-400 Components, Army Recognition S-400

51P6E / 5P85TE3 / 5P85SE3Later export launcher designation set

Rosoboronexport's export description names the 51P6E launcher and 5P85TE3 / 5P85SE3 launchers in the S-400 ADMS launcher set.

Sources: Rosoboronexport S-400 Triumph

5P90SNewer self-propelled TEL line

Specialist references describe 5P90S as a later self-propelled S-400 TEL on the BAZ-6909 series, distinct from the MAZ-hosted 5P85SM/SE2 lineage.

Sources: Air Power Australia S-400 Components

5P85SM TEL, S-300PM-series self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense5P85SM TELEarlier S-300PM-family launcher

The cataloged 5P85SM belongs to the S-300PM / S-300PM1 / S-300PM2 launcher lineage; the 5P85SM2-01 page separates the S-400 launcher designation used in later visual references.

Sources: Air Power Australia S-400 Components, VDayRehearsal05052016-40.jpg

Parent Air-Defense System

The 5P85SM2-01 is meaningful as a launcher component of the S-400 battery rather than as an independent air-defense system.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
S-400 Triumf, Long-range mobile surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseS-400 TriumfLong-range surface-to-air missile system

Rosoboronexport describes the S-400 as a mobile multi-channel air-defense missile system with command, radar, and launcher elements; the launcher count can reach twelve in one ADMS set.

Sources: Rosoboronexport S-400 Triumph

5P85SM TEL, S-300PM-series self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense5P85SM TELRelated S-300PM-family self-propelled launcher

Specialist launcher references place the 5P85SM/SE2 lineage between S-300PM-family launcher development and later S-400 launcher variants, making it the closest existing catalog neighbor.

Sources: Air Power Australia S-400 Components

5P85TE2 TEL, S-400 towed transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense5P85TE2 TELRelated S-400 towed launcher

Air Power Australia identifies the 5P85TE2 as a baseline S-400 semitrailer towed by a BAZ-64022 tractor, a separate launcher branch from the self-propelled 5P85SM2-01.

Sources: Air Power Australia S-300P TEL Vehicles

Why the TEL is tracked separately

S-400 reporting often names the whole battery, but visual-loss and imagery sources can identify a particular launcher model. A separate TEL page preserves that distinction without treating the vehicle as a self-contained radar-and-command system.

Sources: Oryx Russian Equipment Losses, Rosoboronexport S-400 Triumph

Launcher Role In The S-400 Battery

The 5P85SM2-01 carries ready missile canisters, raises them for vertical launch, and receives the battery-level firing solution through the S-400 command-and-radar architecture. Rosoboronexport's S-400 export description separates the launcher from the 55K6E command post, 91N6E radar system, 92N6E multifunctional radar, and 96L6E2 all-altitude detector.

Launcher load

Four full-size S-400 missile canisters on the TEL.

Battery dependency

The launcher depends on S-400 command and radar vehicles for target processing, target designation, launch preparation, and missile guidance.

Chassis identity

Commons and image-catalog sources identify the 5P85SM2-01 with a MAZ-543M-family chassis, distinguishing it from towed BAZ-based S-400 launchers.

Sources: Rosoboronexport S-400 Triumph; VDayRehearsal05052016-40.jpg; Alabino05042017-69.jpg.

Timeline

5P85SM2-01 TEL Key Events

  1. S-400 enters Russian service

    CSIS places Russian S-400 service entry in 2007, establishing the service generation for the launcher family.

    Sources: CSIS S-400 Triumf

  2. 5P85SM2-01 photographed in Moscow

    A Wikimedia Commons file from a 2016 Moscow Victory Day rehearsal identifies the photographed vehicle as a 5P85SM2-01 TEL for the S-400 system.

    Sources: VDayRehearsal05052016-40.jpg

  3. Alabino rehearsal image identifies the launcher

    A second Commons-hosted Vitaly Kuzmin image from Alabino identifies the vehicle as a 5P85SM2-01 launcher from an S-400 system.

    Sources: Alabino05042017-69.jpg

  4. 5P85SM2-01 losses tracked in Ukraine

    Oryx's Russian loss list separately tracks 5P85SM2-01 launchers for S-400 among visually documented air-defense losses during the full-scale invasion.

    Sources: Oryx Russian Equipment Losses

  5. First visually reported combat loss emerges

    Militarnyi reported that a destroyed S-400 component found in Zaporizhzhia Oblast was identified as a 5P85SM2-01 transporter-erector-launcher.

    Sources: Militarnyi Zaporizhzhia S-400 Component

  6. Dzhankoi S-400 launcher loss recorded

    WarSpotting records a Russian 5P85SM2-01 TEL for the 40R6 S-400 as destroyed at Dzhankoi airbase after earlier operation at the same site.

    Sources: WarSpotting 5P85SM2-01 Dzhankoi

Media

5P85SM2-01 TEL Videos

5P85SM2-01 TEL Images

5P85SM2-01 TEL, S-400 self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense - view 1
Source: Alabino05042017-72.jpg
5P85SM2-01 TEL, S-400 self-propelled transporter-erector-launcher, Air Defense - view 2
Source: VDayRehearsal05052016-40.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
S-400 Triumf, Long-range mobile surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseAir DefenseS-400 TriumfLong-range mobile surface-to-air missile systemThe S-400 Triumf, NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler, is a Russian road-mobile long-range air defense system built around networked command, search radar, engagement radar, and transporter-erector-launchers. It uses multiple interceptor families for layered engagements against aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and selected ballistic missile threats, and Russian S-400 batteries in occupied Crimea have been recurring targets in Ukraine's campaign against Russian air defenses.
9A317 TELAR, Tracked Buk-M2 transporter erector launcher and radar, Air DefenseAir Defense9A317 TELARTracked Buk-M2 transporter erector launcher and radarThe 9A317 TELAR is the tracked self-propelled firing vehicle for the 9K317 Buk-M2 medium-range surface-to-air missile system. Open technical and export-system references describe it as a GM-569-based launcher-radar vehicle with four ready 9M317-family missiles, onboard target detection and illumination, electro-optical backup channels in the 9A317E export version, and autonomous firing capability inside a wider Buk-M2 battery; Ukraine-war loss reporting ties Russian 9A317 TELARs to visually documented battlefield losses.
55K6A command post, Mobile S-400 air-defense command post, Air DefenseAir Defense55K6A command postMobile S-400 air-defense command postThe 55K6A is the Russian-service command-post component associated with the S-400 Triumf air-defense system. Open export literature describes the closely related 55K6E combat control post as the node that processes radar information, distributes targets, issues target designations, and links S-400 batteries with higher or neighboring command systems. In Ukraine, open-source loss trackers identify Russian 55K6A command posts destroyed during the full-scale war, making the component useful as a separately tracked command-and-control target rather than only as part of the broader S-400 launcher family.

Sources

Rosoboronexport S-400 TriumphPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports S-400 system role, component architecture, 55K6E, 91N6E, 92N6E, 96L6E2 context, launcher set descriptions, launcher count, and parent-system performance figures. | Accessed: 2026-07-03CSIS S-400 TriumfPublisher: CSIS Missile Threat | Note: Supports S-400 origin, SA-21 Growler reporting name, development period, 2007 service entry, S-300P inheritance, and missile-family background. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Air Power Australia S-400 ComponentsPublisher: Air Power Australia | Note: Supports S-400 battery component distinctions, 5P85SM/SE2 self-propelled TEL context, 5P85TE2 towed launcher branch, 5P90S launcher distinction, radar and command-vehicle relationships, and missile-family context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Air Power Australia S-300P TEL VehiclesPublisher: Air Power Australia | Note: Supports S-300P/S-400 launcher-family distinctions, including the S-400 5P85TE2 semitrailer towed by a BAZ-64022 tractor, 5P90 launcher context, and visual-identification differences among TEL branches. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Army Recognition S-400Publisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports S-400 launcher-unit description, four-canister launcher load, missile-family overview, mobility notes, and 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct used by Russia context through reported 2023 destruction of a Russian 5P85SM2 TEL in Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Oryx Russian Equipment LossesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct used by Russia context by separately listing visually documented Russian 5P85SM2-01 launchers for S-400 as destroyed or damaged equipment losses. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Militarnyi Zaporizhzhia S-400 ComponentPublisher: Militarnyi | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct fielded/loss context for a destroyed 5P85SM2-01 transporter-erector-launcher component of the S-400 system in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. | Accessed: 2026-07-03WarSpotting 5P85SM2-01 DzhankoiPublisher: WarSpotting | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct fielded/loss context for a Russian 5P85SM2-01 TEL for the 40R6 S-400, recorded as operated and then destroyed at Dzhankoi airbase. | Accessed: 2026-07-03VDayRehearsal05052016-40.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and exact visual identification of a 5P85SM2-01 TEL for the S-400 system, photographed by Vitaly V. Kuzmin and hosted under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 terms. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Alabino05042017-69.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and exact visual identification of a 5P85SM2-01 launcher from an S-400 system, photographed by Vitaly V. Kuzmin and hosted under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 terms. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Alabino05042017-72.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and exact visual identification of a 5P85SM2-01 launcher from an S-400 system, photographed by Vitaly V. Kuzmin and hosted under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 terms. | Accessed: 2026-07-03