Russia's Growler' anti-aircraft missile system now in Syria?

It is being reported in the Daily Mail that Vladimir Putin has deployed an advanced anti-aircraft missile defence system (S-400) to Syria with a range capable of taking down jets as far away as Tel Aviv. It is is capable of bringing down an aircraft at a maximum altitude of 90,000 feet. The S-400 is also able to intercept cruise missiles and other potential airborne threats.

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Although the DM stated that the Russian Ministry of Defence invited a group of 50 foreign journalists to the airbase where the air-defence radar system could be clearly seen, the Russians deny it according to RT

"There have not been and there are no S-400s [at the Khmeimim airbase]. This is incorrect,” Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said in a daily briefing.

“It’s just bewildering, if not outright laughable when looking at some of the reports about our airbase, which are regularly appearing in foreign newspapers and publications,” he mentioned."

Not sure what to believe but why would Russia need this system in the fight against ISIS? If true could this be a sign that Putin is not going to allow the US/UK to take out the Assad regime without a fight?

a reply to: deliberator

The same reason for the Pantsir-S1 to be deployed. These systems have never been tested against Western aircraft in combat situations, especially the F-22. This is the perfect opportunity for them to be there, knowing that we aren't going to go after them, while they sit there absorbing every electronic signal they can get, and recording radar signatures of various aircraft for their database.

a reply to: deliberator

It is a 96L6 radar. It can be deployed completely outside of an S-300 or S-400 missile battery. This is why the Russian Ministry of Defence are having a good laugh at whoever ran with the story. Simply because an associated radar is deployed doesn't mean that is is part of a SAM battery. The 96L6 just like its predecessor radars can be deployed entirely as a surveillance radar.

It all came about because someone viewed the second image in the following Russian Ministry of Defence gallery. The radar on the extreme right is the 96L6. Whoever did the "analysis" didn't know that the radar can be deployed purely as a surveillance radar. This is nothing new as the earlier Tin Shield radars associated with the S-300 could also be deployed purely as surveillance.

eng.mil.ru...

a reply to: tommyjo

Russia is going to have a nice little electronic database after this is over. They're going to get a lot of data from the coalition planes flying missions around them.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: tommyjo

Russia is going to have a nice little electronic database after this is over. They're going to get a lot of data from the coalition planes flying missions around them.

And vice versa, I'm sure we are logging tons of data on their capabilities as well.

a reply to: GuidedKill

They'll get more than we will, because they'll get information from countermeasures systems as well, but yes, both sides will get a lot of data.

Thanks for the info Zaphod58 and tommyjo. It makes a lot of sense.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I really wonder why the moment Russia stepped in we did not simply let them handle it to avoid giving them this data, and only use platforms they had data on already.

In a permissive air environment, they could fly legacy fighters. They can do the ground attack jobs w/o giving anything away.

a reply to: FlyingFox

You still run jammers and defensive systems. There are also F-22s, E-3s with upgraded systems, E-8s and others in the area, all of which are giving off data they are grabbing.

In light of recent events, this could mean a whole lot more than you would've thought before now.