The Russian Air Force is all set to deploy latest S-300 air defense systems during a five-day combined air defense exercise in the south of the country this week, a military spokesman revealed on Monday.
"The active phase of a command-and-staff exercise at the Ashuluk test range on August 15-19 will be supervised by Colonel General Yury Solovyev, the head of the Russian Air Force Special Command," Alexander Drobyshevsky said.
The official said 10 S-300 air defense systems and more than 30 aircraft, including MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker fighters, would participate in the exercise.
S-300 Favorit (NATO designation SA-10 Grumble) air defense system can simultaneously engage up to six targets at altitudes from 30 feet to 16.7 miles.
Russia completed in May 2006 the delivery of S-300 systems to Belarus to improve the effectiveness of the Integrated Air Defense System of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Of course, if a stray Iranian missile just happens to go off course and head to Moscow on the 22nd, it will just be pure luck that they were all there doing a live-fire exercise. |