"Now Russia Won’t Sell Badass Missile to Syria" Topic

Good news!.

"American pilots can officially exhale. If they're called upon to enforce a no-fly zone over Syria, they won't have to outmaneuver one of the most advanced air-defense systems in the world. That's because of a fateful decision made by Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's last major international benefactor.

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, ended nervous Washington and Pentagon speculation today by telling the ITAR-TASS news agency that the Kremlin isn't actually going to sell the S-300 air defense missile to Assad. Whatever other arms deals Russia will honor with Syria, the S-300 won't be included.

U.S. officials had worried to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that the Russians were prepared to ship Assad as many as 144 operational 3-000s, along with six (presumably mobile) launchers. Syria already has about five times the air defenses that Moammar Gadhafi's Libya did, packed within a fifth of Libya's territory, something that Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey has warned about for over a year.

It's unclear how formidable those air defenses actually are. (For a sober, wonky exploration of the subject, Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies has you covered.) What's very clear is that the S-300 would be an instant upgrade. It ranges 125 miles a shot; and can shoot down missiles as well as fighter planes. However unenthusiastic the U.S. military is about a no-fly zone right now, confronting the S-300 would make it instantly worried about losing many, many pilots. "This is a system that scares every Western air force," Lexington Institute defense analyst Dan Goure once remarked.

This is getting to be something of a pattern with the Russians and American adversaries. In 2010, thanks in part to American entreaties, Russia canceled a long-planned sale of S-300s to Iran. Had the Russians gone through with the deal, the Israeli and-occasionally-American planning for a bombing run on Iran would be immediately become more complicated. (So, kind of a mixed blessing?) The Iranian misfortune now extends to Iran's proxy in Damascus, although who knows if Assad ever actually had a deal for the air-defense missiles — Syria has tried and failed to buy S-300s for decades…"
Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Surprised by that.

Of course, I was under the impression both had, or were going to receive them years ago.

Given the Russians penchant for double speak, this might mean they will actually be giving them for free, or in exchange for oil, or other assets/allegiances, down the road.

..or then they just realized how bad press would it be for S-300 if the Syrians would screw up with them like Iraqs did with T-72M1. Or they simply uderstood that if the goverment would fall, the S-300 in the hands of anti-russian "militants" wouldnt be good idea either?

I guess the Russians don't want to sell them to a country where it would be relatively easy for them to fall into US/Israeli hands.

Or they simply uderstood that if the goverment would fall, the S-300 in the hands of anti-russian "militants" wouldnt be good idea either?

I doubt there's any risk there. Operating advanced long range SAMs is a complicated affair that requires highly trained staff, proper storage facilities and spares support.

The rebels have been unable to make operational even the older SA-2/-3 sites they've captured, despite having a whole air defence battalion desert to them.

Instead, they're using old 1970s SA-7 MANPADS and old fashioned Anti-Aircraft Artillery.

They're doing a good job too – lack of advanced guided capability has meant Syrian aircraft have had to do low level strafing runs.

In some cases rebels have set up AAA at the outskirts of bases, thus being able to shoot down aircraft as they take off.

A list of rebel claims – a number have been confirmed:

link