Iran's Revolutionary Guards test-fired a new surface-to-air
missile defense system imported from Russia on Wednesday, the first
day of an ongoing two-day drills, the local ISNA news agency
reported.
The report quoted Hossein Salami, a Revolutionary Guards
commander, as saying that "Iranian Revolutionary Guards defense
doctrine was based on the military strategy of deterrence, and we
have test-fired the new modern of Tor-M1 air defense missile
systems within that framework."
"Our forces have received this system to enhance the defense
capabilities," he added.
?
Salami also disclosed the excellent performance of Tor-M1, saying
"it is capable of responding small aircraft with high maneuver and
speed abilities and cruise missiles, and in less than a second it
is ready to spot and be launched again".
"This system can hit targets accurately and is able to immune
itself against diversions carried out by radars and be successful
in electronic war," he stressed.
The state-run television also showed videos of the test. It can
be seen that several missiles from the Tor-M1 defense system being
fired in the desert from locomotive launchers and then successfully
hit their targets in the sky.
Missile units of the air and naval forces of Iran's
Revolutionary Guards launched a new round of two-day drills on
Wednesday.
The war game is being conducted in southern and central parts of
the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and missile interception and
test-fire will be included in the war game, the official IRNA news
agency reported.
Russia and Iran signed a US$700 million contract for the
delivery of 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems in 2005. The
systems have been delivered to Iranian forces recently.
However, the US government has notified the Russian authorities
of its dissatisfaction over the deliveries of air defense systems
to Iran, saying "it was a mistake since the United Nations imposed
sanctions against Iran's ballistic missile industry due to its
refusal to halt enrichment program".
But Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in
January that the delivery was in accordance with norms of the
international law.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also stressed on Jan. 16
that exports of the Tor-M1 systems did not violate UN resolutions
related with sanctions against Iran.
According to Russian media, Tor-M1 is touted as the only system
in the world capable of detecting and tracking up to 48 targets
simultaneously and engaging two of them simultaneously at a height
of 20 to 6,000 meters.
Tor-M1 systems are usually used to protect vital administrative,
economic and military facilities and the first echelons of ground
units from anti-radar and cruise missiles, remote-controlled
aircraft, glide bombs, airplanes and helicopters, including those
using the stealth technology.
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)
