Well, only a few months after Russia decided not to sell the advanced S-300 surface to air missile system to Iran, spinsters in Tehran are touting a homegrown version of that very missile.
From the AP:
Iran has successfully tested a newly developed air defense missile system during the country’s biggest ever air defense drill, the country’s military announced Thursday.
Iran’s state television said the test was Tehran’s response to Moscow’s refusal to deliver the advanced Russian S-300 air defense system amid U.N. and international sanctions on the country.
Gen. Hamid Arjangi, a spokesman for the five-day exercise, said the system — known as Mersad, or Ambush in Farsi — and Shahin, or Hawk, were developed by Iranian scientists and is capable of identifying and hitting targets at low and medium altitudes.
The article goes on to say:
The locally developed missiles were similar to the anti-aircraft missile system that Russia has refused to deliver, citing the latest round of U.N. sanctions imposed in response to Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The Iranian-made missile system is an upgraded version of the anti-aircraft Russian S-200 missile system and has the same capability as that of the Russian S-300 missile,” the television reported.
So this means Tehran is already “mass producing” a SAM comparable to the ones it was desperate to buy from Russia until the Kremlin nixed the deal last summer (much to the relief of certain Western air force planners). Right.
Russia’s missile, the S-300, is “capable of shooting down aircraft and missiles at ranges of over 90 miles (144 kilometers) and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet (27,430 meters).” It’s long been used to justify planes like the F-22 Raptor.
You’ve got to doubt whether Iran really could field such technology this quickly. Remember when it doctored the pics of a missile test in 2008? And don’t forget this display of military might.
Just sayin’, Iranian officials have a way of exaggerating.
Here’s the whole AP article.
– John Reed
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Call the Iranian claim a near equivalent to "MIssion Accomplished!" The main difference being it doesn't include 30,000 friendly troop casualties, 100,000+ civilian casualties and millions of disposed refugees.
Looks like a bunch of new drone targets to me.
How about we call it shovel ready, shoot a few innocent protesters or gay people and let them distribute this wealth of missiles? You pick a strange forum to toss political (and inaccurate at that) commentary onto.
The SA-300 is a bad system for pilots opposing it, so I'm just satisfied they didn't receive it. Your nonsense comments however made me chuckle, thanks!
Imbeciles.
The plastic s300 mattel model doesn't count Iran.
So if anything it's a S-200 upgrade purported to be equivalent to S-300.
Someone is going to find out in the near future…
Long range drones the answer?
The S-200 cannot be converted into the S-300… Dear god man, all they share is the 'S' in the name. Goes double with Iran's level of technology.
Just another boring piece of lying propaganda from the Iranians. Which if the Israeli's attack will be doubly as humorous since they now cannot blame Russia for defective weapons.
There's another option to Iran just jury-rigging their S-200…
China does have the license to manufacture their own S-300, and we all know they are less than scrupulous with who they sell to.
Axis of Evil and Chicom paranoia aside, China doesn't have much of a vested interest in Iran. If anything, they want stability in the region. Stability means stable oil prices.
Cash is as good an interest as any, China's already pumping weapon into the region.
Nasr (Chinese TL-6), Noor(Chinese C-802), and Kowsar (Chinese TL-10) are the only thing I can think of over the top of my head.
Granted they have been giving out weapons in the past, but I don't see them destabilizing the region and giving Iran the S-300. Israel has stated that the Iranians receiving the S-300 is a red line, at which point they will have to strike or deal with the very real threat of nuclear annihilation.
This move I figure would hurt Chinese interests.
China DOES NOT have the license to manufacture their own S-300. They bought some S-300's from Russia and now producing their own illegal clone of S-300 (known as HQ-9), but with poor capabilities compared to original one system.
I wonder if this one will launch the barrel stacks, or just explode on the launcher.
I'd be more interested to see if anyone has any output/pictures/etcetera from this 'biggest ever air defence drill'….. sounds like the sort of thing that would provide an interesting insight.
your wish is granted http://uskowioniran.blogspot.com/2010/11/defender…
JASSM and JASSM-ER
Definitely; too bad it got canceled……
AGM-158 ER is about to be deployed. the 1000th JASSM has just been delivered to the AF. give me a source for that cancellation..
http://www.defencetalk.com/jassm-er-test-flights-…
no word about being cancelled.
Similar products are in the pipline or already fielded i.e. JSOW although rather being a bomb but the JSOW-ER.
Sorry, my military aviation info is about 13-14 years old (curse of the Tom Clancy Air Wing book). Last I had heard it had been defunded, but it looks like its back :).
AGM-130?
once the big systems are destroyed or offline the AGM-130 would be a good deal to fight low-end systems (anti-air guns, stinger-like systems, low-end sams).
But it ain't intent to fight S-300 like systems because of it's range. Maybe it could even be shot down by a modern anti-air system while in flight/drop.
Iran has a few Tor-M1 short to middle range mobile air defense systems. That system is intended to seek and shot down targets similar to AGM-130, to protect the bigger, long range and more expensive systems like a S-300.
Kinda reminds me of Iran's "stealth fighter" – can't recall the name – looks a lot like a warmed over F-5
It was.
Just a natively produced F-5 with some minor modifications, wouldn't stand a chance to anything more than a Skyhawk.
The only way they have a chance of the above is if the insidious Chinese give them the tech . But to be honest I doubt the Iranians have the tech to manufacture these systems .
We do need to remember that a new cold war is upon us and this time we have both the Chinese and Russians to contend with , although the Russians to be fair could barely mount a piss up in a brewery at the moment .
Care to develop your argument??I dont see any Cold War in the near future.
I would suspect Isreal is planning to deal with the potential Iranian nuclear threat. This story jibes well with Iran's efforts to bide their time to produce a usable weapon. I can only hope that intel is accurate enough to allow those in command to make the right decisions.
A senior official with the Revolutionary Guards said the system was developed locally, "by updating the S-200", but would give no further details. It remains unclear whether the system was tested during s recent wide-scale defense drill held in Iran, to be completed Saturday
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3986514…
If they got S-300 from someone else, things turned to be interesting …
Geez, someone needs to send six aircraft over Tehran and stage an airshow. Don't shoot a thing, mebbe send the blue angels or t-birds on their very first operational deployment. Embarrass the living Pelosi out of Ahmadi-nejad.
Hey you predicted the future! (almost) The NK bombed the South yesterday with new artillary.
What makes you think it was new?