Russia began delivering air-defense systems to Syria

Moscow seeks to strengthen its influence in the Middle East by selling weapons to Iran and Syria. After unconfirmed information about the sale of missile systems S-300 Iran, Russia has started delivering bulletproof defense system S-1 Syria

Russia has started delivery of missile systems bulletproof S1 Syria, and it is assumed that much of the equipment went through Iran, which is financed and execute the largest part of this agreement. Tehran has, otherwise, one of the biggest strategic partner of Syria in this seismic region.

Yuri Savenkoj, Deputy Director General of the Russian KBP-which products mentioned weapons, said that the delivery of the defense complex began a few weeks ago, reported the Russian agency Interfax.

At the same time, Alexei Fedorov, head of Russia's United Erkroft Corporation, confirmed that Russia has with Syria 2007th year reached an agreement on the export of 8 combat aircraft MiG-31E, which can move at a speed three times faster than the speed of sound and simultaneously destroy multiple targets ranging up to 150 kilometers.

Fedorov, however, says that none of these fighters was delivered to Syria because izrgradnja these aircraft factory in Nizhny Novgorod lost due to Israeli objections directed against additional equipping and strengthening the Syrian army.

It is assumed that this agreement was worth between 400 and 500 million dollars. And about this, as in the case of several recent mysterious Russian contracts with the countries of the Middle East, there are various contradictory information and conflicting statements by authorized persons. The only thing that can say with certainty is that Russia wants to regain influence in this region during the Cold War, which is now one of the most important spheres of interest for the United States. Although the Russian media on several occasions reported on the existence of the Russian-Iranian-Syrian agreement, officials in Moscow have denied their existence.

In late May, the daily "Kommersant" reported that Russia withdraws from the sale of MiG-31 Syria, to Damascus four days later denied that in executing the agreement there are any problems. No MiG then, however, did not show up in Syria. In the event that latest information which came to Interfax accurate, delivery system bulletproof S1 was performed four years after reaching an agreement Moscow and Damascus, worth 730 million dollars.

Syria has ordered 36 pieces of weapons designed primarily for the protection of key industrial and military facilities of the country, and the Syrian air defense units. Syria has neglected the necessary reform of the defense sector and the acquisition of modern equipment, which could be best seen in September 2007. when Israel is destroyed without too much difficulty controversial Syrian nuclear rector of which, according to information Tel Aviv, located near the border with Turkey. The largest part of the Syrian arms dates from the Cold War, when the main supplier was the Soviet Union.

The only possible reason why Russia is only now being delivered by the equipment ordered Syria to pressure the U.S. and Israel constantly performed in Moscow to strengthen the military potential of Syria or Iran. Israel has even threatened on several occasions that Tehran would conduct preventive strikes on this country ukolkiko not prove that you do not develop a nuclear program for military purposes. U.S. looking for a diplomatic settlement of these disputes, but does not oppose the Israeli military intervention as a last resort.



And Iran gets bulletproof S-1

According to the magazine Jane's Difens, "a source sent the details of the Russian-Syrian agreement" that Iran claims for itself require 10 units of bulletproof Russia missile targets Syria, as compensation for helping in the implementation of the agreement. Referred-to-air missiles would be further strengthened Iran's defensive sector and have made any attack from the much riskier and more expensive. Magazine points out that, according to the contract signed two years ago, the complex missile to be equipped with the latest radar at the time. If Syria has zaistra and MiG-31, it now has much greater opportunities for prestretanje Israeli aircraft, and thus is able to help its ally Iran in case of attack Tel Aviv. Damascus, according to the magazine, said a number of Russian combat aircraft MiG-29M/M2, which operate at greater range from the MiG-31, armed with greater capacity and more advanced radar.



Bulletproof system S-1

Bulletproof S1 Russian mainland missile missile system with a short or medium range, for whose management they need two or three people. The system is a combination of surface-to-air and artillery intended for fighting enemy aircraft and can be installed on a moving basis, such as trucks or fixed terrestrial base station. The maximum range that covers bulletproof S1 is 20 kilometers in width, and is able to guess the aircraft at the maximum height of 15 kilometers. Potential targets of rocket systems are aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and other missiles visokoprecizni type of earth-air. Experts say that the system is effective in the fight against the stealth technology. Russia's production of this system began 1990th , as successor to the complex type M1 Tunguska River. Finally, the designed four years later, and one anti-missile units of the system costs about $ 15 million.