EU ponders easing Syria arms embargo

[Jimbuna]

Can any of the western countries (NATO) actually afford to send arms in the quantities that would be needed?

[Jimbuna]

Syria crisis: How arms reach Syria, explained:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22694603

[soopaman2]

John McCain to the rescue!

I am sure his MIC warmonger benefactors will sell the rebels something, they can use.

Then feign remembering, like Reagan did during the Iran Contra affair, after it backfires..

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Syria crisis: How arms reach Syria, explained:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22694603

A bit earlier, Israel just commented on the Russian SAMs, saying something like "If S-300 missiles reach Syrioa, Israel will know how to react to that."

Bluffing? Serious? Whatever, the plans are ready in their drawers, I think.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Skybird

A bit earlier, Israel just commented on the Russian SAMs, saying something like "If S-300 missiles reach Syrioa, Israel will know how to react to that."

Bluffing? Serious? Whatever, the plans are ready in their drawers, I think.

Not entirely sure what they could do about it without suffering casualties, the S-300 is not exactly a toothless tiger.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Skybird

A bit earlier, Israel just commented on the Russian SAMs, saying something like "If S-300 missiles reach Syrioa, Israel will know how to react to that."

Bluffing? Serious? Whatever, the plans are ready in their drawers, I think.

Originally Posted by Oberon

Not entirely sure what they could do about it without suffering casualties, the S-300 is not exactly a toothless tiger.

Cruise missiles or some kind of radar jamming perhaps?

[Skybird]

Israeli technology inventions are in practically every computer, smartphone and laptop being produced anywhere in the world, and most computers have components "made in Israel". The list of electronics patents Israeli people hold, is impressive. Not even mentioning patents in other fields.

What I mean is - if they really go after it, I'm quite certain they find a way to defeat the SAMs - even more when not running into them and getting surprised, but expecting them to be there. And when S-300s get moved towards southern Syria, closer to Lebanon, closer to Hezbollah, closer to positions from where they reach into Israeli air space - then at the latest they will take them out.

They have no other choice then anyway. No nation able to confront the other would sit still with somebody else's spear tip pointing at his throat, over the border. The air force is too important for Israel.

There are many different versions of the S-300, with ranges varying between 70 km (SA-10 Grumble) and almost 200 km (SA-20 Gargoyle). We do not know which version the Russian deliver, do we? If they deliver the Gargoyle-armed variant, then they really provoke Israel and indeed ask for Israel striking at them.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Cruise missiles or some kind of radar jamming perhaps?

Jammers might work but the S-300 is said to be pretty good at defeating ECM and is designed to be able to intercept cruise and ballistic missiles. In a way, it's quite similar to the US Patriot systems.

Originally Posted by Skybird

Israeli technology inventions are in practically every computer, smartphone and laptop being produced anywhere in the world, and most computers have components "made in Israel". The list of electronics patents Israeli people hold, is impressive. Not even mentioning patents in other fields.

What I mean is - if they really go after it, I'm quite certain they find a way to defeat the SAMs - even more when not running into them and getting surprised, but expecting them to be there. And when S-300s get moved towards southern Syria, closer to Lebanon, closer to Hezbollah, closer to positions from where they reach into Israeli air space - then at the latest they will take them out.

They have no other choice then anyway. No nation able to confront the other would sit still with somebody else's spear tip pointing at his throat, over the border. The air force is too important for Israel.

There are many different versions of the S-300, with ranges varying between 70 km (SA-10 Grumble) and almost 200 km (SA-20 Gargoyle). We do not know which version the Russian deliver, do we? If they deliver the Gargoyle-armed variant, then they really provoke Israel and indeed ask for Israel striking at them.

This is true, if there's one thing I have learnt through history books that is to never underestimate Israel, because when they seek to undertake a mission, they don't hold back and they don't cut corners.
It's likely that there are plenty of Israeli agents inside Syria at the moment, they could be tasked to sabotage the S-300, all they'd need to do is blow up the radar truck after all, unless the S-300 has a backup system installed.
In regards to which system the Syrians are getting of the 300, it's hard to tell, but given that the Russians have already given Assad the P-800 ASM, I'd wager that they'd not think twice about giving them the Gargoyle over the Grumble, or a mixture of both as a multi-layered SAM defence.

[Jimbuna]

A small piece on the S-300PMU-1 missile defence system:

The US and Germany have called on Russia not to supply Syria's military with an advanced missile system they say could prolong the conflict there.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the delivery of Russian weaponry would have a "profoundly negative impact" and put Israel's security at risk.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22734537

1. The long-range surveillance radar tracks objects over a range of 300km (185 miles) and relays information to the command vehicle, which assesses potential targets.
2. A target is identified and the command vehicle orders the engagement radar to launch missiles.
3. Launch data is sent to the best placed of the battalion's six launch vehicles and it releases two surface-to-air missiles.
4. The engagement radar helps guide the missiles towards the target. It can guide up to 12 missiles simultaneously, engaging up to six targets at once.