Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling vs Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz
Full specs: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling and Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz are both air defense system, compared here on public specifications. The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling leads on engagement range (300 vs 120 km). Several Russia-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
Verdict
David's Sling claims the longer reach of the two, a published 300km engagement range against the S-350's 120km, though the S-350 counters with a higher altitude ceiling, 30,000m against 15,000m. The two systems also intercept very differently: David's Sling's two-stage Stunner missile carries no warhead at all, a pure hit-to-kill vehicle with a dual electro-optical and radar seeker, while the S-350's 9M96D/9M100 missiles use more conventional semi-active radar homing with a 24kg fragmentation warhead, the same interceptor family used in Russia's larger S-400. David's Sling has a real, documented combat record, first intercepts in May 2023 and a central role in Israel's defense during the 2026 Iran war, engaging medium-range ballistic missiles in what has been called the largest missile-defense battle ever fought. Russia has not published a comparable combat record for the S-350, which remains a newer, less-tested addition to its layered air-defense network, and its performance claims carry this site's standard state-claim caveat.
Analysis by Cole Merrick, Defense-systems data columnist, WeaponSpecs · Last updated 2026-08-06
Compare systems side by side
Search above to add up to five systems. You’ll get a per-spec winner, relative bars, a normalized spec profile and an honest verdict, every number from public sources.
Building a fleet? Try the Force Builder →
Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 7.5 Mach | 9 Mach ✓ |
| Engagement range (km) | 300 km ✓ | 120 km |
| Engagement altitude (m) | 15,000 m | 30,000 m ✓ |
| Simultaneous targets | 12 | 12 |
| Firepower | ||
| Warhead (kg) | N/A | 24 kg |
| Sensors & avionics | ||
| Radar range (km) | 300 km ✓ | 150 km |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $1,000,000 | N/A |
| Operator countries | 1 | 1 |
Analysis
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling vs Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz: how they match up
Range vs altitude tradeoff
David's Sling's published 300km engagement range exceeds the S-350's 120km by a wide margin, positioning it as Israel's mid-tier shield against long-range rockets, cruise missiles and aircraft, the gap between Iron Dome's short-range work and Arrow's exo-atmospheric intercepts. The S-350 reaches higher, a 30,000m ceiling against David's Sling's 15,000m, reflecting its role replacing the aging S-300PS in both point and wider-area air-defense coverage for Russian forces.
Interceptor design: hit-to-kill vs fragmentation
The Stunner interceptor at the heart of David's Sling is unusual for carrying no explosive warhead whatsoever, relying entirely on kinetic impact guided by a combined electro-optical and active-radar seeker for extreme terminal agility. The S-350's 9M96D and shorter-range 9M100 missiles use a more conventional 24kg fragmentation warhead with semi-active radar homing, the same missile family that arms the far larger S-400, giving Russia commonality across two tiers of its air-defense network rather than a dedicated bespoke interceptor.
Radar and simultaneous targets
David's Sling's ELM-2084 multi-mission radar reaches 300km, matching its own missile range, and each battery ties into the Golden Almond battle management center for up to 16 vertically launched interceptors. The S-350's 50N6A multifunction radar reaches 150km, feeding the Polyana-D4M1 command network. Both systems are credited with engaging 12 simultaneous targets, a rare point of direct parity between an Israeli and a Russian air-defense system.
Cost and combat record
A Stunner interceptor is commonly estimated around $1 million per round, roughly a quarter of a Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptor's cost. Russia has not disclosed an S-350 unit cost. David's Sling recorded its first combat intercepts in May 2023 and became a front-line workhorse during the 2026 Iran war, engaging medium-range ballistic missiles alongside Arrow and Iron Dome. No comparable independently documented combat record exists for the S-350 as of this writing; its performance figures, like other Russian-origin air-defense claims on this site, carry a state-claim caveat.
Frequently asked questions
Which has the longer range, David's Sling or the S-350? +
David's Sling, with a published 300km engagement range against the S-350's 120km, though the S-350 reaches a higher published altitude ceiling of 30,000m against David's Sling's 15,000m.
Why does the Stunner interceptor carry no warhead? +
It is a pure hit-to-kill design, destroying its target through kinetic impact alone, guided by a dual electro-optical and active-radar seeker for the terminal agility needed to physically collide with a fast, maneuvering threat.
Has David's Sling been used in real combat? +
Yes, it recorded its first combat intercepts in May 2023 and played a central role during the 2026 Iran war, engaging medium-range ballistic missiles in what has been described as the largest missile-defense battle ever fought.
Has the S-350 seen combat? +
No independently documented combat record for the S-350 exists as of this writing; it remains a newer addition to Russia's layered air-defense network alongside the more extensively fielded S-400.
Which has the longer engagement range? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling has the longest engagement range at 300 km.
Which is cheaper? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling has the lower public unit-cost figure at 1,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz has the higher max speed (mach) at 9 Mach.
Which has the higher simultaneous targets? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling has the higher simultaneous targets at 12.
Which has the higher engagement altitude? +
The Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz has the higher engagement altitude at 30,000 m.
Which has the higher radar range? +
The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling has the higher radar range at 300 km.
Is the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling better than the Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz? +
On the public specs we track, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling and Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz are closely matched, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems David's Sling leads on engagement range, radar range, while Almaz-Antey S-350 Vityaz leads on max speed (mach), engagement altitude. See the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
Keep exploring
