Russia has closed the gap on A2/AD.

via Breaking Defense...

“The advantage that we had from the air I can honestly say is shrinking,” Gen. Frank Gorencsaid, “not only from with respect to the aircraft that they’re producing, but the more alarming thing is their ability to create anti-access/area denied [zones] that are very well defended” by batteries of ground-based anti-aircraft missiles.

Then this...

“Some of the array that’s in Kaliningrad extends into Poland today. That’s a fact,” he said. In other words, launchers on Russian soil can hit targets in NATO airspace. In fact, Gorenc has said in the past that a third of Polish airspace is in the Russians’ range.
“Up to this point, we have talked about anti-access/area denial with respect to the Pacific problem, but what I’m telling you is this is not just a Pacific problem, ” Gorenc said. “It’s as significant in Europe as it is anywhere else on the planet.”

Story here. 

A few things pop out to me.  We're finally hearing a US general basically confirm what the people over at Air Power Australia have been saying.  Obviously the S-300/400/500 is a beast.  Remember my scenario where MV-22's are shot down as they lift off the deck of our amphibs?  Seems as if that wasn't too far fetched now.

Next.  Russian launchers reach that far into Polish/NATO airspace?  The USAF has to start taking electronic warfare seriously if this is true....indeed NATO as a whole needs to be buying EA-18's (or a similar airplane) like their lives depend on it.

Last.  I wonder why we're getting this assessment now.  Is it to save the F-35?  Is it part of the internal pentagon budget battle so that the USAF continues to get the lion's share of money?  Is it an effort to scare the Congress into upsizing the defense budget?  I don't know but the timing is suspicious to me.