At the beginning of this May, the Belarusian company “ALEVKURP” issued a press release confirming advances in the modernization of an S-125-2BM “Pechora-2BM” surface-to-air missile system. The most notable detail was the mention that the tests had been carried out in a “…friendly country in the Caribbean,” implying—thanks to viralized images—that the upgraded systems belong to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba.
Currently, focusing on the countries in the Caribbean region, the only two operators of the Pechora surface-to-air missile system (NATO designation SA-3 Goa) are the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Cuba, with the main differences lying in the platforms used for their operation. In the case of the Venezuelan National Armed Forces, the system is mounted on 6×6 Volat trucks, whereas the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba use Pechora systems mounted on T-55 tank chassis, as seen in the photos released by the Belarusian company on May 2.
Although the official statement does not provide further details, the modernization work on the S-125-2BM systems was reportedly carried out in cooperation with experts from the Belspetsvneshtechnika State University, and validated through a series of test launches against aerial targets. It was noted that a total of four missiles were launched, all successfully hitting their targets.
The company also added: “The test firings confirmed the declared capabilities of the ‘Pechora-2BM’ system, this being the seventh unit of the model.”
Originally designed and produced by the Soviet Union, the S-125 Neva/Pechora is a short-range air defense system still in use by many countries. Although it has undergone various improvements and updates through different variants, it could experience a second life to address new aerial threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles.
However, with no further information provided by the company responsible for modernizing the Cuban systems, it is not possible to determine the specific upgrades implemented, although it is also presumed that the missiles may have undergone recertification tasks to ensure their operational status within Cuba’s air defense system.
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