With the increasing emphasis on the development of air defence means, higher demands are currently placed on their modelling and simulation (M&S). The key challenges of air defence M&S include the complexity of the systems involved, the need for accurate data and models, and the need for effective communication between different systems and stakeholders. The evolving missions of the Surface Based Air Defence (SBAD) forces put heavy and new demands on the modelling, simulation, and analysis capabilities. There are numerous reasons why the use of simulations has become increasingly important in the air defence domain. One of the most important reasons is that it allows for testing and evaluation of new systems before they are deployed as well as cost effective training or the new operational procedures verification. The article deals with the SBAD M&S tools comparison taking into consideration the various factors that affect the performance of modelled air defence systems. Furthermore, it includes the proposal of the number of weighted criteria that are essential for the effective use of these tools as well as for the effective SBAD war-game conduction.