Russia's Sale of the S-300 Air Defense System to Iran

The S-300 would be a tremendous boon to Iran's Air Defense network. This is the top of the line system from Russia and it rivals any systems the U.S.A. has in place at this time. Russia's Prime Minister Putin has claimed recently that he doesn't want anyone to interdict Iran's attempts at gaining peaceful nuclear power. He doesn't want the U.S. or Israel to do any pre-emptive strikes against Iran. He has firmly stated that it will not be tolerated and he believes Iran has only "peaceful" intent in pursuing nuclear capabilities for power. The following article is informative and delivers some notable points to ponder while dealing with Russia's re-arming of countries that are at odds with U.S. policies. Namely Venezuela and Iran. Both countries are obtaining missile weapons systems. .... lakotahope
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The S-300: Why so important?

September 12, 2009 - 1:09 PM | by: Michael Tobin

There has been a great deal of mention recently about Russia’s potential sale of S-300 air defense systems to Iran and Israel’s interest in stopping that sale. It’s been reported but not proven that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s disappearance last Monday was for a Secret meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was an effort to prevent that sale.

To understand why the S-300 is so important, first you need to understand that Iran does not have a conventional, modern military that can defend a line on a map. Its fleet of fighter planes is so old it includes a US F-14 Tomcat given to Iran before the Islamic revolution. If Israel were to order air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities with their modern F-15s and brand new fleet of F-16Is (The ‘I’ indicates customized for Israel) Israeli fighter crews would make such easy work of destroying the Iranian air force, prudence dictates that Iran never clear a single fighter for takeoff. According to KT McFarland Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Reagan, the S-300 “Is a game changer.”

The S-300 is Russia’s version of the Patriot or Arrow missile system. It is a state of the art surface to air defense system involving radars, which can track 100 targets at a time, and interceptors or missiles, which can be fired simultaneously at 12 different inbound targets. The S-300 would not put an impenetrable virtual dome over Iran but it would dramatically increase for Israel the complications and risk of a strike.

Although the weapon is designed to be defensive, there is no guarantee it will only used for that. Israeli Rocket Scientist Uzi Rubin, a designer of the Arrow system, fears that Iran could give missile batteries to its allies or proxies closer to Israel’s border. “They don’t hesitate to pass weapons along to Syria or Hizbollah,” Says Rubin. And Iran need not aim the S-300 only at Israeli targets. KT McFarland says, “If they deploy it on he Afghan or Iraq borders. It could even threaten US and allied aircraft.” In Iranian control, the weapons system would be nearly as effective as actual nuclear weapons in terms of increasing tension and stoking the embers of paranoia in the region. “The S-300 could destabilize the whole Middle East,” According to Rubin.

There is also a tremendous political element if Russia makes this sale. This would be the leaders of a major world power approving Iran’s nuclear program in such certain terms that they are “putting an umbrella of protection over it,” according to Rubin. Russian experts would need to train the Iranians on the system. It would require parts, upkeep and updates with changing technology. If the S-300s are delivered to Iran it is more than a weapons sale, it is an alliance. According to Rubin it means that “Russia is back in the game in the Middle East.”