Posted on 01/16/2007 10:14:58 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Middle East Newsline reports that on his recent trip to Moscow, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad received briefings on the technical specifications and potential applications of one of Russia’s most effective air- and missile defense systems: the S-300PMU2. The reason for Assad’s interest in the advanced weaponry appears to be the need for expanded deterrence against Israel. "Syria wants a strategic air defense system that would present a major threat to Israeli warplanes," a source has told the news agency. "I think Assad will buy and deploy the S-300 over the next few months."
Why not? They supported Sadamns Iraq. They support Iran. China and probably North Korea. Why not Syria? They keep getting away with it with no consequences and the looking into the eyes of Putin and seeing his soul remark by Bush didn't help matters either. Don't have a clue what he was thinking there.
Russians defenses didn't do them any good in the summer of '82, and they won't do them any good now.
I don't know. 25 years later. They helped shoot down an F-117 and got all that good tech from the wreck.
yitbos
well, say there are advanced drones [supersonic ones, say, the old jets refitted]. Say, there is a swarm of them- it could be enough to provoke them into expending the advanced interceptors, for there could not be that many of them..
"The Damascus A*slift"
The S-300 is actually a very lethal missile.
The Russians are clever... Expect them to sell hardware that will mot work.
mot=not
Syria should remember the last time they spent a bunch of money on Russia defensive weapons aka the "Bakaa Valley Turkey Shoot".
HOWEVER, while missiles cannot offer immunity, there are certain SAM systems that are formidable enough to give pause. For instance penetrating the AEGIS umbrella of a US Naval group (yep, the AEGIS is not a SAM but a radar system, and even that is an understatement since it is the processing that really adds extra magic, but for simplicity let's take the Standard Missiles slaved to the AEGIS system as such). Is it possible? Technically yes. Is it probable? Unless you have a saturation attack to end all saturation attacks it can be termed as highly improbable. The Patriot missile system is also very good at hitting whatever it is aimed at (be it a missile or a plane, although generally the US armed forces use the Patriot for anti-missile duties since the USAF will already have wiped out any enemy air threats to speak of).
So is the S-300 (particularly the latets versions). Syria getting the S-300 doesn't provide them with an impenetrable defense, but you can be certain that if 'X' number of Israeli jets head in then the jets heading out will definitely NOT be 'X' in number.
But the point still remains ....if Israel wants to take out a target in Syria it WILL take out that target. What the S-300 does is ensure that Syria gets its pound of flesh in the process. Although if Israel really wants to, and its politicians don't go all soft and pulpy like last time, then they will go in an whack the Syrians. (Although didn't I read that the two nations got into some agreement? I know such an agreement is probably not worth the paper it is printed on, but that was weird).
In 1995 MKB Fakel developed a new 48N6E2 missile for the S-300PMU system, the Favorit. This had a capability against medium range ballistic missiles, incorporating lessons learened from Scud attacks on Israel and Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Gulf War. In that war the surface-to-air missiles would successfully intercept the incoming rockets but the incoming warheads would still get through. Favorit was tested against a series of Scud launches at Kapustin Yar and succeeded in destroying every warhead. As with other modern Russian surface-to-air missiles, the Favorit is launched verticallly, and only in the air after clearing the launcher does it pitch over in the direction of the target. This technique proved of great interest to other surface-to-air missile developers, notably France.
The S-300PMU-2 Favorit modification of the system was first shown in August 1997 at the MAKS-97 air show in Moscow.
Radars: 96L6 target acquisition radar, L band, range 300 km. 64N6E2 Big Bird target acquisition radar, C band, range 300 km. 30N6E2 Tomb Stone target tracking radar, I/J band, range 300 km.
Vehicles:
54K6 command vehicle
5P85T/5P85TE trailer (towed by KRAZ-260 truck) with 4 missile tubes
5P85SU/5P85SE TEL with 4 missile tubes and command post
5P85DU/5P85DE TEL with 4 missile tubes
1T12-2M site survey vehicle
5T58 missile transport vehicle
22T6 loading vehicle
TOMB STONE mounted on MAZ-543M heavy truck
Total Mass: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb). Core Diameter: 0.52 m (1.69 ft). Total Length: 6.98 m (22.91 ft). Span: 1.04 m (3.40 ft). Standard warhead mass: 180 kg (390 lb). Maximum range: 195 km (121 mi). Boost Propulsion: Solid rocket. Guidance: Track-via-Missile Active Radar Homing. Minimum range: 3.00 km (1.80 mi). Ceiling: 27,000 m (88,000 ft). Floor: 10 m (32 ft).
I thought they wanted peace.
Didn't Condi broker a peace deal?
Condi is fooled again. She is a failure.
yitbos
ok.
Those of you with more knowledge can you add anymore on our/allies current capabilities to defeat?
They supported Sadamns Iraq.==
Just before 1990 Saddam Iraq was supported by USA not USSR, Russia didn't exist at time.
Well, I'd have to say that Russian defenses stood the Egyptians and Syrians in good stead in '73.
Like Spetnaz mentioned, there's no one weapon system that will render a country invulnerable.
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with Russia's sale of weapons to the Syrians. They're just running a business, same as U.S. defense contractors. It's interesting to note that both countries' defense industries might be causing future harm to themselves (Russia's trade with China, and our trade with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to a lesser extent, etc.).
Anyhoo, the Syrians will be getting the watered down export version, I suspect (unlike India, Syria can't demand that its weapons systems from Russia be top of the line).
I have to say the Syrians have a legitimate right to purchase defensive weapons. Its the offensive ones we have a right to complain about.
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