Russia demonstrates the S-300 air defense system

There is an export version of this system called the S-300P that Russia will sell to Syria. Iran is currently suing the Russians for $ 4 billion  because it failed to deliver this missile.

See http://en.rian.ru/military_news/20120801/174912552.html

S-300 SAM missile systems successfully repelled a mass air strike launched by an “aggressor” at the Ashuluk training ground near Astrakhan.

Watch this RIA Novosti video for glimpses of the surprise maneuvers.

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NK army officers in Iran and other saber rattling

Commentary wonders  North Korean military officers are doing in Iran? Rightardia would expect it probably has something to do with air defense. 


The North Koreans have a board assortment of air defense weapons including the SA-10 grumble and the SA-17  Gadfly. It is believed both are produced locally in NK. NK is believed to have a handful of the SA-10 but 500 of the SA-17s. 


The SA-10 is the basis of the S-300 air defense system the Russians have refused to sell Iran. 


It is possible that Iran is trying to get some of this air defense hardware in the event the conference in Turkey falls apart. 


Would the NK missiles be as good as the Russian? Probably not. 


Meanwhile, the Israels are rattling sabers. DEBKAfile reports that Israel’s chief of staff Gen. Benny Gantz said:


other countries have readied their armed forces for a potential strike against Iran’s nuclear sites to keep Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Who could that be?

Israel's major allies are USA, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and Canada. 

SU-25KM Scorpions

We can't imagine any of the above with the possible exception of Singapore that would help Israel. Support form any NATO country is unlikely. 

Israel has also worked with the Republic of Georgia in the past. Israel modified 6-8 of the the SU-25 Frogfoot ground attack aircraft to meet NATO standards, but it not known how many of these aircraft are  still operational  

This aircraft has a combat radius of 235 miles and can carry 11 9,700 pound bombs.

sources: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_People's_Air_Force

http://www.debka.com/article/21945/

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Al Jazeera English: US and Israel: Good cop/bad cop on Iran

New York, NY - "Everyone who goes to the movies knows about a game police interrogators play called "Good Cop/Bad Cop". The "good" cop tries to seduce the accused, promising he will go easy if there is co-operation.

The "bad" cop is more menacing, threatening and sometimes inflicts brutality to force admissions or a confession. The duo coordinates their approaches to give their victims a false sense that they can wriggle out of their problems with the bad by cooperating with the good. Tel Aviv and Washington are playing this game with Iran."

With all of the posturing, it is easy to lose site that Israel lacks the air capability to attack Iran. The US would need to support an Israeli attack with KC-10 tankers and the B-2 bombers carrying two 30,000 pound Mother of All Bombs (MOB) bunker busters.

Israel would also have to overfly Iraqi airspace both inbound and outbound and would likely have some aircraft shot down. Iran would probably get warning of the attacks because the Russians upgraded a big radar site in Syria. 

Russia could up the ante by deploying the S-300 air defense system into Iran. The Russians may be restrained by Obama suggesting the Jackson-Vanik amendment could be rescinded in his second term.

The Russians want to trade with the US and this is probably the only reason they are restrained in Iran.

Of course, if the GOP wins the 2012 election, something that seems improbable, they would never trade with Russia.  Republicans see Russia as an ideological enemy.

Enemies are needed to justify massive defense spending that the GOP prefers. 

See the complete article at: US and Israel: Good cop/bad cop on Iran - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

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Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News: U.S. has military plan should Iran conflict erupt, says air force chief

US Massive Ordnance Penetrator

"U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz said Wednesday that Washington has prepared military options to strike Iran's nuclear sites should conflict erupt, Bloomberg reported.

Just four days before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, Schwartz told reporters that military options are being prepared in the event of a conflict."

As Rightardia predicted, Israel would require US bomber and tanker support to launch a successful military attack against Iranian nuclear facilities. This report indicates that detailed combined planning has been occurring between US and Israel for military operations.

This report also suggests US Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), was upgraded so it can penetrate nuclear fortifications in Iran.

The laser guided 20-foot long MOP carries more than 5,300 pounds of explosive. It is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground, according to a WSJ article. .

The B-2 bomber can carry two MOP 15,000 pound bombs. The Israel F-15I Strike Eagles most formidable bunker buster is the GBU-28. The F15I  can carry two of these 5,000 pound bomb.

The Us announcement could spur the Russians to deploy the S-300 air defense system to Iran. This system is considered superior by many analysts to the US Patriot missile system.

see the complete article: U.S. has military plan should Iran conflict erupt, says air force chief - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

source: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/mopping-up-the-usas-30000-pound-bomb-03172/

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Iran claims to have S-300 missiles

ALI AKBAR DAREINI | 08/ 4/10 05:37 AM | AP
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has obtained four S-300 surface-to-air missile systems despite Russia's refusal to deliver them to Tehran under a valid contract, a semiofficial Iranian news agency claimed Wednesday.

The Fars news agency, which has ties to Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, Iran's most powerful military force, said Iran received two S-300s from Belarus and two others from another unspecified source. Fars didn't elaborate, and there was no official confirmation of the report.

Russia signed a 2007 contract to sell the S-300s, but so far has not delivered. The powerful, long-range missiles would significantly boost Iran's defense capability, and Israel and the United States have strongly objected to the deal.

The S-300 is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles (144 kilometers) and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet (27,432 meters). It is the export version of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

The report comes as Iran faces increasing pressure from the West over its nuclear program.

The U.S. accuses Tehran of seeking to build an atomic weapon, a claim Iran denies. The United Nations has imposed four rounds of financial sanctions on Tehran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to produce fuel for a reactor or a warhead.

Iran says it has a right to conduct enrichment for what it says is its peaceful nuclear program.

Moscow said in June that the latest round of U.N. sanctions would prevent it from delivering the S-300s to Iran. The U.S. State Department said that Washington appreciates Russia's restraint.

But last month, Sergei Chemezov, the head of the state-owned industrial giant Russian Technologies, said the contract for the delivery of S-300s to Iran had not been annulled yet pending a decision by President Dmitry Medvedev.

Asked to comment on the Iranian report, Vyacheslav Davidenko, a spokesman for the Russian state arms trader Rosoboronexport, said that his company hadn't delivered any S-300s to Iran. "We are abiding by the U.N. sanctions," he said. Russia stands to lose $ billions in sales to Iran.

The Iranian announcement that it had S-300s followed on the heels of a US announcement that it had operations plans to attack Iranian nuclear facilities.

The nuclear standoff in Iran appears to be escalating. Neither Al Jazeera or Ria Novosti has commented on this story.

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev: Israel won't strike Iran

21:5220/09/2009

MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) Medvedev said in an interview with CNN aired Sunday that Israeli President Shimon Peres, when on a visit to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi in August to discuss Russia's arms deals with Iran, told him: "Israel is not going to make any strikes on Iran, we are a peaceful country."

Medvedev said Russia supplies purely defensive armaments to Iran. "Our task is not to strengthen Iran and weaken Israel or vice versa, but [to establish] a normal, quiet situation in the Middle East," he said.

Asked what could happen should Israel nevertheless make a strike, Medvedev said: "This is the worst thing that could be imagined... This would be the most unwise development of events. But my Israeli colleagues told me they are not going to act like this, and I trust them."

Peres said in August that Russia could review its plans to deliver advanced air defense systems to Iran.

"President [Dmitry] Medvedev gave a promise he will reconsider the sales of S-300s because it affects the delicate balance which exists in the Middle East," Peres said during his visit to Sochi.

Russia has until recently delayed the implementation of a 2007 deal with Iran on the supply of S-300s. The contract is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Israel and the United States have been making proactive diplomatic efforts to influence Russia to drop the plans. They suspect the Islamic Republic of secretly seeking to build nuclear weapons, and have refused to rule out a military strike on its nuclear facilities.

Russian officials said in March that Iran had not yet received any missiles, but Moscow reaffirmed its commitment to fulfill the contract. Medvedev earlier said some payments under the contract had already been made.

S-300s are considered one of the world's most effective all-altitude regional air defense systems, comparable in performance to the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot system.

The latest version of the S-300 family is the S-300PMU2 Favorit, which has a range of up to 195 kilometers (about 120 miles) and can intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles at altitudes from 10 meters to 27 kilometers.

source: http://en.rian.ru/world/20090920/156195202.html

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