 TEHRAN, Iran - Russia is preparing to equip Iran with a powerful new air defense system that would dramatically increase its ability to repel an attack, Iran's defense minister said Wednesday.
The S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense system is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet. Russian military officials boast that its capabilities outstrip the U.S. Patriot missile system. The S-300 is an improvement over the Tor-M1 air defense missile system. Russia delivered 29 Tor-M1s to Iran this year under a $700 million contract signed in December 2005.
| The Iranians also have a bunch of older I-HAWKs, SA-2s and SA-5s which wouldn't bother American or Israeli strike aircraft too much. |
"The S-300 air defense system will be delivered to Iran on the basis of a contract signed with Russia in the past," Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said, according to state television. Najjar didn't say when or how many of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems would be shipped to Iran, and Russian officials declined to comment.
| According to Spook 86, each S-300 battery weighs in at ~$300 million, plus more in 'service' after the sale. That's a lot of oil to pump, and it may also mean having Russians 'advisors' sitting at each site telling them when they can play with their toy. |
The Tor-M1 is capable of hitting aerial targets flying at up to 20,000 feet. "While Tor-M1 missiles can hit targets at low altitude, S-300 missile have an extraordinary performance against targets at high altitude," Najjar said.
| The Tor-M1 is the system the Israelis beat in Syria when they launched their September raid. I'm betting that the S-300 purchase has a lot to do with that. Perhaps everything to do with that. |
Russian officials wouldn't comment on the Iranian statement. Russian officials have consistently denied they were selling the S-300 to Iran. Iranian media reports have claimed the S-300 missile systems could inflict significant damage to the U.S. or Israeli forces, were they to attack Iran.
| Unless we can turn it off the way the Israelis turned off the Tor-M1. Just saying ... |
Teams led by Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, and Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, regarded as the father of Iran's missile program, held talks in Tehran this week on ways to step up defense cooperation. Dmitriyev told the Russian Itar-Tass news agency Wednesday said air defense and radar systems were priorities in Russian-Iranian defense discussions.
Big priorities, I'd say, since the main Iranian air-defense system, the vaunted Tor-M1, has been demonstrated to be a failure against American/Israeli air strike squadrons. The Iranians got a wake-up call that buying cheap doesn't always pay off, and the Russians have realized, to their dismay, that one of their more dependable export weapons systems can't play with the first team. And they need to stroke the Iranians who I suspect have been jawing in their ears about the failure in Syria.
Memo to the Iranians: it's not just the Tor-M1. Lots of Russian weapon systems don't work very well. Just a happy thought to remember as you threaten Uncle Sam with Dire Consequences™. Cheers. |
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