CIS officials to discuss united air defense system development

 

ASTRAKHAN, September 8. /TASS/. The improvement and development of the united air defense system of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries will be discussed in Astrakhan (southern Russia) on Tuesday by members of the Coordinating Committee on Air Defense under the CIS Council of Defense Ministers, the Russian Defense Ministry press service told reporters.

The Committee’s regular meeting will be attended by delegations from the Defense Ministries of the Russian Federation, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

“The meeting participants will discuss the organization of joint operational and combat training activities of the CIS united air defense system in 2016, the focal areas of the study of problems of air defence and training of military personnel for the united air defence system,” a Russian Defense Ministry official said.

After the meeting, members of the Coordinating Committee will continue their work at the Ashuluk range in the Astrakhan region, where the active phase of the Combat Commonwealth-2015 joint exercise of the CIS united air defence system is underway from September 7 to 10.

“The members of the delegations will get familiarised with the peculiarities of the joint tactical employment of the coalition aviation and air defence forces of the CIS member states in the regions of collective security during anti-terrorist actions and in armed conflicts,” the Defence Ministry said.

During the active phase of the Ashuluk drills the troops will have various tactical episodes, including repelling massive missile and air strikes using the fighter, attack, bomber and long-range aircraft, and will also conduct live firing exercise using the S-400 Triumph, S-300 Favorit, S-125 Pechora-2M, and Buk anti-aircraft missile systems.

The united air defense system of CIS countries was created on the basis of an agreement between 10 Commonwealth countries, signed on February 10, 1995 in Alma-Ata, for an indefinite period.

At present, the united air defense system of the CIS member countries brings together eight states: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The Combat Commonwealth joint manoeuvres are held since 1995.

The exercises involve the Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name: Flanker), MiG-29 (Fulcrum) fighters, MiG-31 (Foxhound) interceptors, Su-24 (Fencer) and Su-34 (Fullback) frontline bombers, Su-25 (Frogfoot) ground attack aircraft, Tupolev Tu-22 (Backfire), Tu-160, Tu-95 long-range bombers, A-50 AWACS aircraft, Mi-8AMTSh Terminator (Hip), Kamov Ka-27 helicopters and other combat hardware.

Since the establishment of the united air defence system, the CIS states have conducted 25 command and staff exercises and more than 10 joint manoeuvres with live firing.

State Trials of Russia’s ‘Sosna’ Air Defense System to Begin in Summer

The new short-range air defense system Sosna can eliminate all types of air threats including high-precision weapons like cruise missiles and guided aircraft missiles.

 

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – State trials of Russia’s new short-range air defense missile system will begin in summer 2015, Tochmash design bureau told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.The system, dubbed Sosna, is expected to replace Strela-10M air defense systems in service with the Russian armed forces.

“Last year, we successfully completed the preliminary tests of this system. In summer, the state trials of the system at testing grounds of the Land forces will begin,” Tochmash Managing Director Vladimir Slobodchikov said.

 

“The outcome of the trials will determine whether this system will be put in service with the Russian Army,” Slobodchikov said.According to Tochmash, the Sosna system “is intended to protect against all types of air threats including high-precision weapons like cruise missiles and guided aircraft missiles in the area of the system responsibility: in range – up to 10 km, in altitude – up to 5 km.”

Slobodchikov noted that a number of foreign countries, including those of the South-East Asia region and the Middle East, have shown interest in acquiring the Russian Sosna system.

Sosna participated in recent military exhibitions in South Africa and United Arab Emirates and will be exhibited in Peru and Brunei.

Air defense missile system Sosna

“Everyone is following this newest system very closely and waiting for the completion of state trials in Russia,” Slobodchikov noted.

Russia, Belarus to Develop New Air Defense System

Russia’s Tochmash design bureau will take part in the development of a new short-range air defense system together with Belarus, the Tochmash Managing Director said.

“We are planning a joint project in the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus to develop a new short-range air defense system,” Slobodchikov said, adding that the work is expected to start in 2016.

Russia and Belarus are closely integrated and are co-members of several regional supranational unions.

 

The most comprehensive of these, the Union State, includes consolidation of the countries’ foreign and defense policies.As part of their close military cooperation, the two countries coordinate air defense systems and routinely conduct joint military drills, both on a bilateral basis and as part of the six-member Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Russia’s Tochmash design bureau is a leading research institute specializing in the development and manufacturing of military equipment. Established in 1934, the company now operates under Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom.

R

Russian FM does not consider supplying S-300 air defense systems to Iran political mistake

Russian S-30 systems in Iran do not create problems for anybody in the region, unless someone wants to attack Iran

S-300 air defense system

MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper Monday that he totally disagrees with the opinion that Russia’s decision to supply S-300 missiles systems to Iran was a political mistake.

“Supplying S-300 to Iran was never banned – neither by UN Security Council nor by unilateral sanctions from Americans or Europeans,” Lavrov said. “Suspending this contract by Russia was in fact initiated by us in response to a request of our Western partners, who said that this step would work in favor of Iran taking a more constructive stance at talks,” he added.

“Since then, enough time has passed, and the considerable quality shift in the positive direction, in general, breakthrough agreements reached in Lausanne, in our view, deserve for us to encourage Iran [to expand] further cooperation. Now, [we do it] not by the means of suspending the contract for S-300 delivery, but on the contrary, by lifting our unilateral restrictive measures and by shifting to fulfilling this contract,” Lavrov noted.

 

“From the point of view of the regional security, these S-300 systems do not threaten anybody. They do not create problems for anybody, unless, of course, someone wants to attack Iran,” Lavrov said. The fact that “such incidents are possible could be witnessed just recently, including in Yemen,” the minister added. “That is why defense systems that prevent risks and reduce temptations to resort to military strikes, are in line with our position which for many years supported the idea of creating the system of regional security in the Persian Gulf, with participation of all Arab countries and with Iran’s participation as well,” Lavrov said.

“I absolutely disagree with those who say that supplying S-300 to Iran was a political mistake,” the foreign minister stressed.

“The world’s reaction which followed after our decision to resume fulfillment of the contract with Iran was not alarmist. It was mostly balanced, objective and reflected the understanding by prominent analysts that this step is justifiable and even inevitable,” the minister added.

Poland chooses US Patriot air defense systems for its missile defense — Defense Ministry

April 21, 
One of the important criteria in the selection of the air defense systems was their capability to resist Russian Iskander missile systems

WARSAW, April 21. /TASS/. Poland has chosen the supplier for its national missile defense system. According to the country’s Defense Ministry, it is the US company Raytheon, the manufacturer of Patriot air defense missile systems.

“The US proposal has been found to be more profitable from the viewpoint of Poland’s security and implementation of commitments within NATO framework. Patriot systems are used in several countries,” the ministry said.

Taking part in the tender was the Italian-French Eurosam corporation that manufactures the SANP/T systems. The Defense Ministry said one of important criteria in the selection of the air defense systems was their capability to resist Russian Iskander missile systems.

The project to form a national missile defense system in Poland is called Wisla. It envisions acquisition of eight medium-range air defense system batteries. Each of them will be equipped with GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE missiles. The Defense Ministry did not mention their quantity.

The signing of the contract is scheduled for 2016. Within three years after signing, the supplier should provide two batteries of one of available versions to Poland. The target configuration with a radar should appear in the republic in 2022-2025.

According to experts, the Wisla project will cost Warsaw 10-12 billion zlotys ($2.8-3.4 billion).

Iranian defense minister says Tehran will get Russia’s S-300 missile systems this year

 

April 15,  TEHRAN
The country’s Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said he is going to sign a contract on S-300 supplies during his forthcoming visit to Moscow

© ITAR-TASS/Donat Sorokin 

TEHRAN, April 15. /TASS/. Iran is due to receive Russia’s S-300 air defense missile systems already this year, the country’s Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan told reporters on Wednesday ahead of flying to Moscow.

“During the visit to Moscow, I will sign a contract according to which Russia will supply these missile systems to Iran,” the minister was quoted by the IRNA news agency as saying.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing S-300 deliveries to Iran on April 13. The document came into force on the day it was signed.

Under the 2007 contract, Moscow was to deliver to Tehran five divisions of the missile systems of medium range worth over $800 million.

The Iranian side paid $166.8 million in advance. However, until mid-2010 the systems were not supplied to Iran.

In September 2010, then-President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on measures on implementing the UN Security Council’s resolution 1929 that in particular banned the S-300 supplies to Iran.

The contract was canceled and the advance payment was sent back to the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s defense minister is arriving in Moscow on a three-day visit on Wednesday at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu. The talks will focus on the issues of S-300 deliveries to Iran.

Dehghan is also due to attend the 4th international security conference in Moscow on April 16-17 organized by the Russian Defense Ministry. The Iranian defense chief is expected to make a speech at the event and hold a number of bilateral meetings with the Russian and foreign participants of the forum.

Russian S-400 Air Defense Systems Good Investment in China’s Security

Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko said that China is making a good investment in its national security by purchasing the Russian S-400 (SA-21 Growler) air defense system.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — By purchasing the Russian S-400 (SA-21 Growler) air defense system Beijing is making a solid investment in China’s national security, Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko told Sputnik Monday.

Earlier on Monday, head of Russia’s state arms trader Rosoboronexport Anatoly Isaykin confirmed that China has become the first foreign buyer of Russia’s S-400 air defense missile system.

“I believe there are two main lines for using these systems: they will cover Beijing as the major political center and one of the sea regions. By purchasing S-400 China is making a good investment in its national security,” Korotchenko said, noting that the S-400 is capable of destroying various targets, including cruise missiles and stealth-type fighter aircraft.

Senior researcher with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Arms and Military Expenditure Program Siemon Wezeman also believes that the new S-400 defense system will be deployed around China’s top political and military headquarters that are currently guarded by the Russian S-300 and Chinese HQ-9 systems.

 

“The S-400 has… a capability against ballistic missiles which for those top targets would be a major threat,” Wezeman told Sputnik Monday.Wezeman added that since the S-400 have substantially longer range than the S-300 air defense system, Beijing would probably also use them to cover the Taiwan Strait and part of the airspace over Taiwan as well as part of the East or South China Sea.

Vassily Kashin, senior research fellow at the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies told Sputnik that the S-400 purchased by China have a range of up to 250 miles – and thus would allow Beijing to engage targets in the East China Sea.

“These missiles are capable of shooting down targets in the Diaoyu [Senkaku] islands airspace from mainland China,” Kashin said.

Wezeman also noted that the purchase of new and modern air defense systems will have an impact on the regional balance of power. However, the change will not be dramatic.

“I would expect countries in the region to take a good look at the new situation and decide how to react to it (likely at least partly to see what they can acquire to offset the S-400 — e.g. stealth combat aircraft, anti-radar missiles, long-range land-attack missiles or electronic warfare system),” Wezeman said.

The Russian S-400 air defense system can engage targets at an altitude of up to 165,000 feet. The system uses a range of missiles, and is optimized for engaging ballistic and cruise missiles.

© Sputnik

Russian S-400 Triumf Air Defense System

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20150413/1020842095.html#ixzz3XGhAk7gc

Putin Gives Go-Ahead for S-300 Missile Systems Delivery to Iran

Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting a ban on the sales of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, according to the Kremlin press service.

 

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to lift a ban on the sales of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, the Kremlin press service said in a statement Monday.”The decree lifts the ban on <…> the transfer of the S-300 air defense systems to the Islamic Republic of Iran outside the boundaries of the Russian Federation with the use of Russian-flagged vessels and aircraft,” the press service said.

The $800-million contract to supply Iran with the missile system was signed at the end of 2007. Moscow was to supply five S-300PMU-1 battalions to Tehran.

However, on September 22, 2010, then President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree cancelling the contract in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1929, which bans supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles and missile systems, tanks, attack helicopters, warplanes and ships.

Iran’s Defense Ministry and The Aerospace Industries Organization responded by launching a $4-billion lawsuit against Rosoboronexport in an international arbitration court in Geneva in April 2011.

Russia, Kyrgyzstan draft agreement on common regional air defense

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The defense ministries of Russia and Kyrgyzstan are drafting an agreement on creating a common regional air defense system, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press-office said …after talks between Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and his Kyrgyz counterpart Abibilla Kudaiberyiev.
“For the purpose of jointly maintaining the security of Kyrgyzstan’s air space the defense ministers made a decision to prepare for signing an agreement on the creation of a common regional air defense system of Russia and Kyrgyzstan,” the Russian Defense Ministry said. “Guidelines have been identified for building up joint efforts to resist challenges and threats in the region of Central Asia,” the press-office said, adding that in view of the current events in Afghanistan Shoigu and Kudaiberdyiev considered ways of enhancing the combat capabilities of the Kyrgyz armed forces and the Russian air base at Kant.

Russian military bases in Kyrgyzstan
Russia has three military facilities in Kyrgyzstan, which should become a part of the united Russian military base under the bilateral agreement to become effective from 2017. These are the Kant air base 45 kilometers from Bishkek, which is guarded by a Russian paratrooper battalion; a Navy space communication center, Marevo, in Chui Region; and the torpedo test center on Lake Issyk-Kul. Kant is a CSTO base, not a Russian military base and operates in the country on special terms.
However, experts say that Russia needs a full-blown military base in Kyrgyzstan in order to secure its national interests there. This issue has been discussed for several years now since 2009 when the presidents of the two countries signed the relevant memorandum. It has not been implemented yet and the Russian base is still a matter of future.

Malaysia Potentially Interested In Russian Air Defense Systems

Russian Military Technologies, 14.04.2014

April 14 – Malaysia is likely highly interested in acquiring Russia’s latest air defense missile systems, building on existing bilateral military-technical cooperation, Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Monday.
“Experts at Rosoboronexport expect an increased interest on the Malaysian side in the medium-range surface-to-air missile system Buk-M2E and the short-to-medium-range ground-based air defense system Pantsir-S1, the Kornet-E/EM and Metis-M1 anti-tank missile systems, and Mirazh, Sobol and Mangust class patrol boats,” the company said in a statement ahead of the DSA-2014 Asian International arms expo.
Rosoboronexport will discuss current and future projects with its Malaysian partners during the exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, which runs from Monday to Thursday.
“Mutually beneficial military-technical cooperation with Malaysia is developing quite dynamically. Russia has good prospects in aviation, primarily for multi-purpose fighter jets and military cargo helicopters, air defense systems, assault weapons and patrol boats,” said Nikolai Dimidyuk, the company’s Director for Special Projects, who is heading the Russian delegation at the exhibition.
In addition, the expo will host a presentation of the Mi-171Sh combat transport helicopter for Malaysian officials, in addition to talks on the operations of a service and repair center for Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighters.

Pantsir-S1 short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system
9P162 Kornet-T is a new anti-tank missile carrier
Metis-M1 anti-tank missile system
Mangust class patrol boat
Mi-171Sh military transport helicopter can carry three crew plus 36 troops, or 12 passengers on stretchers
Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter
(5 photos)

Kazakhstan will receive five battalions of S -300

03.02.2014 Lenta.ru
, Russia will supply Kazahstan with five battalions of air defense missile systems S-300 . On this, as reported by RIA Novosti, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said . According to him, the anti-aircraft complexes will be delivered free of charge. Transfer S-300 willl be done from the stocks of the Russian Defense Ministry , the complexes previously stood on duty in the Armed Forces .
Antonov announced plans to supply five battalions of S-300 to Kazakhstan after meeting of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Kazakh counterpart Adilbek Dzhaksybekov . Earlier Shoigu said that the supply of air defense systems to Kazakhstan will begin in 2014. According to Antonov , thanks to such a step , ” we strengthen not only Kazakhstan , but also CSTO air defense system (Collective Security Treaty Organization)─« Lenta.ru, ” .”
” This is very important because of the new challenges and threats that appear around the perimeter of our borders. Now we are most concerned about what will happen after the withdrawal of Security Assistance forces from Afghanistan », ─ the deputy minister said.
Preparation for delivery of S-300 to Kazakhstan is held since 2010. Then it became known that the anti-aircraft systems will be supplied free of charge . Previously, it was also reported that the delivery of S-300 will be made in Kazakhstan under the agreement about the establishment of a unified regional air defense zone . The agreement was signed by Moscow and Astana in January 2013 .