Russia will supply Syria with “the modern S-300 surface-to-air missile system” within two weeks, defense minister General Sergei Shoigu said in a televised broadcast on Monday, September 24, a week after 15 Russian personnel lost their lives when their Il-20 aircraft was accidentally shot down by a Syrian air defense battery. He added that the command and control centers of the Syrian Arab Army’s air defense arm will receive “automated control systems,” which so far “have never been delivered” to any of Moscow’s foreign clients. In the minister’s words, “This shall enable a centralized control over all means and equipment of the Syrian air defense system, as well as surveillance of the airspace over the country and timely targeting.” Most important, this will ensure that the Syrian military can correctly identify Russian aircraft flying in Syrian airspace.
In addition to re-equipping President Bashar Al-Assad’s army, Shoigu also announced additional measures concerning the Mediterranean waters off the Syrian province of Latakia, where the Russian expeditionary force is based. They include the suppression of satellite-aided navigation, onboard radars, and communication systems in use on “combat aircraft committing attacks on targets in the Syrian territory.” He explained that these measures are necessary “to cool down the hotheads” and deter actions that threaten the safety of Russian servicemen deployed in Syria. He promised additional steps “in accordance with the situation as events unfold.”
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