Iran Promises Not to Reverse Engineer Russian S-300 Missile Defense System. (
Algemeiner).
Brig. Gen. Farzad Esmayeeli, the Commander of Iran’s Khatamul Anbia
Air Defense Base, announced on Monday that his country does not intend
to reverse engineer the sophisticated Russian S-300 missile air defense system.
According to Esmayeeli, “S-300 is an operational system and doesn’t
need reverse engineering,” and “since the S-300 is a defensive
operational system, it will be deployed in specific spots and will not
be reverse engineered.”
According to semi-official state news agency Fars, Esmayeeli also
emphasized that the Khatamul Anbia Air Defense Base’s experts have
undergone the necessary training, and are ready to use the Russian-made
missile defense shield.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his decision
to end a ban on the sale of the S-300 missile defense shield to Iran.
Iran’s Defense Minister, Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan said the “decision
came as a result of the two countries’ political leaders’ will to
develop and promote cooperation in all fields.”
Dehqan also announced that Iran would be testing its own, home-made
version of the S-300 system, called the Bavar 373 - which it claims was
designed and developed after the Russians embargoed the delivery of
their systems - before the end of the current Iranian year.
He told
reporters, “we expect to be able to test the [domestic] production model
of the S-300 by the end of the current [Iranian] year.”
In April, Iran displayed its Bavar 373 missile defense system during
military parades south of Tehran. The Iranians claimed their domestic
version is superior to the Russian original, with increased mobility,
agility and reduced launch-preparation time.
Israel has long lobbied against the sale of the advanced weaponry to
Iran, fearing it may hinder a military operation against Iran’s nuclear
sites.
The Algemeiner Journal
