Russia fulfilling contracts with Syria for Tor, Buk and Bastion systems

Russia has not supplied or signed at least a single contract for the supply of even defensive systems or arms to Syria since 2011, Viktor Komardin, Deputy General Director of Rosoboronexport, said on Friday.

“The contracts Russia is currently fulfilling were signed before 2011 and they are all 100% defensive contracts concerning mostly air defense systems and sea-based defense,” he said. Those are anti-aircraft systems of the Tor and Buk type and the sea-based Bastion systems, Komardin said.

The Buk missile system is a family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile systems designed to engage cruise missiles, smart bombs, fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It is the successor to the SA-6 “Gainful”.

The Tor missile system (NATO reporting name SA-15 “Gauntlet”) is an all-weather low to medium altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile system designed for engaging airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, precision guided munitions, unmanned aerial vehicles and short-range ballistic threats.

The K-300P Bastion-P (NATO reporting name SSC-5) is a Russian mobile coastal defence missile system, designed for destruction of various surface ships from enemy’s landing squadrons, convoys, carrier strike groups, as well as single vessels and land-based radiocontrast targets in conditions of intensive fire and electronic countermeasures. The system uses the P-800 Yakhont (SS-N-26) anti-ship cruise missiles and has a maximum range of 300 km.