Defense officials say Iran likely to begin receiving state-of-the-art air defense system by year's end.
By YAAKOV KATZs-300 224.88(photo credit: AP)
Iran is likely to begin receiving advanced S-300 anti-aircraft systems by the end of the year, defense officials said Wednesday.
The S-300 is one of the best multi-target anti-aircraft-missile systems in the world today and has a reported ability to track up to 100 targets simultaneously while engaging up to 12 at the same time.
Iran has already procured several S-300 systems to protect its nuclear facilities although reports have differed as to whether the systems have already been supplied by Russia.
The systems will likely be supplied to Iran via Belarus.
Earlier this month, award-winning journalist Edwin Black reported that the IAF exercise over Greece last month was conducted so Israeli fighter jets could study the S-300 air-defense missile system, which is deployed on the island of Crete.
According to the report on The Cutting Edge News Web site, in December 2007 Greece installed the S-300 system in Crete following several years when it was stationed in Cyprus.
According to The Cutting Edge, by flying within range of the Greek S-300, Israel was able to record invaluable information which could assist the IAF in developing means of jamming and defeating the advanced air-defense system.