The S-300 is an air defense system designed to target NATO fighters and bombers.

In a recent incident, an S-300 air defense system, of Russian origin, sustained damage in Iran after being hit by an Israeli attack.

This advanced radar system is designed to monitor targets in the vicinity of the central Iranian city of Isfahan, which houses a significant Iranian military installation and a nuclear facility.

Moscow and Tehran have maintained a longstanding amicable relationship, regularly engaging in the exchange of military hardware and other armaments.

In 2016, Iran initially acquired S-300 systems from Russia through a trade agreement valued at approximately $800 million.

The impairment of one of these Russian-manufactured systems deployed by Iran dealt another significant setback to the regime.

The S-300, with its variants including the S-300P, S-300V, and S-300F, has seen decades of evolution since its inception in the late 1960s as the Soviet answer to the threat of long-range air-based cruise missiles.

The S-300P was the first to complete its design in 1979.

Known as the SA-10A Grumble A by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the S-300P encompasses a variety of capabilities and components, such as a fire control system, surveillance radar, and launch vehicles.

The S-300V variant, known as SA-23a Gladiator and SA-23b Giant in NATO parlance, was specifically designed to counter ballistic missiles, among other threats.

The naval version, the S-300F, found its home on battlecruisers and cruisers.

While the S-300 series was a product of the Cold War, its presence in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is a testament to its lasting utility.

The system is employed by both Russian and Ukrainian forces, underscoring the complexity of modern warfare where vintage and cutting-edge technologies collide on the battlefield.

Russia has been using the S-300 in ballistic missile mode to strike targets in Kyiv, while Ukraine has actively targeted these systems to undermine Russian defense capabilities.

Starting from February 2022, Kyiv has successfully disabled several Russian-operated S-300 systems, along with at least one more sophisticated S-400 Triumph air-defense system.

Relevant articles:
– S-300: The Air Defense System Built to Attack NATO Fighters and Bombers, The National Interest
– Missile Threat, Missile Threat
– Greece’s Russian- Built S-300 Air Defense Systems Could Finally be Headed to Ukraine, The National Interest