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Russia to send Iran anti-aircraft systems in early 2007

"Russia does not violate any accords and is resolved to fulfill it," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said.

In 2005, Iran ordered 29 TOR-M1 short-range air defense systems from Almaz-Antey in a reported $1.4 billion deal. Officials said Iran would receive batteries sufficient to equip one Iranian air defense battalion. This would include four command posts, 16 combat vehicles, trainers, surface-to-air missiles and spare parts.

The sources said Iran, the third largest military client of Russia, has demanded the immediate delivery of TOR-M1 to help protect the nation's nuclear facilities from Israeli or U.S. air strikes. They said the first facilities to receive the air defense system would be the nuclear installations at Isfahan and Bushehr.

The TOR-M1 could intercept low- and medium-altitude targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles. Almaz-Antey said the system could track 48 air targets simultaneously and fire two missiles at a time toward two separate targets.

The system has an interception range of 12 kilometers and a detection range of 40 kilometers. Greece has also procured the TOR-M1.


Copyright © 2006 East West Services, Inc.

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