Iran’s S-300 from Russia ‘operational’ in weeks, would limit Israel’s air force

Special to WorldTribune.com

Russian military personnel are in the process of assembling the first S-300 air defense systems that Moscow recently delivered to Iran, according to Israeli intelligence.

“It [S-300] will be operational over the next few weeks in Iran,” Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said.

S-300 air defense system.
S-300 air defense system.

Russian state arms producer Almaz-Antey said in June it would supply Teheran with a modernized version of the S-300. The S-300 system has comparable capabilities to the U.S.-made Patriot missile system.

Russia and Iran originally had signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems in 2007. Moscow suspended the contract in 2010, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an arms embargo on Teheran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the S-300 delivery ban in April of this year after the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers.

Israel is concerned that Iran obtaining the S-300 will hinder its air force’s operations not only over Iran but in Syria if Teheran deploys the system to assist its ally Bashar Assad.

“The nature of the employment of S-300 in Iran would be defensive, and trying to prevent the capability of our air force to operate there as it may be capable today,” said Arieh Herzog, former head of missile defense at Israel’s ministry of defense.

Deployment of the system in Syria “will be a dramatic change in their capability,” Herzog said. “It does not create a reasonable environment to any operation of our air force.”

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