The Russian Defense Ministry said that they will deliver S-300 air defense systems to Syria within two weeks in order to develop the air defenses.
In a statement, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow will deliver the S-300 air defense systems to Syria within two weeks, adding that the systems are capable of intercepting air threats at a range of more than 250 kilometers and simultaneously hitting several aerial targets.
Shoigu said that the S-300 would significantly boost Syria’s combat capabilities, adding that Syria’s air defense will be equipped with an automatic control system, which has been supplied only to the Russian Armed Forces.
“This will ensure the centralized management of all Syrian air defense forces and facilities, monitoring of the situation in Syrian airspace and prompt target designation. Most importantly, it will ensure identification of all Russian aircraft by the Syrian air defense forces,” he added.
The Russian Minister clarified that “Russia will jam satellite navigation, on-board radars and communication systems of combat aircraft that attack targets in Syria and over it territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea.”
According to Shoigu, “An Israeli F-16 jet used the Russian IL-20 aircraft as a shield, which resulted in the downing of the plane by Syrian air defense systems,” adding “this forced us to take adequate measures aimed at improving the security of Russian troops combating international terrorism in Syria.”
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
