Riyadh mulls big Russian missile buy

UPI ^ | 3/21/2010 | UPI

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Riyadh has reportedly been mulling the purchase of S-300PMU Russian air-defense missile systems and other arms worth as much as $4 billion, possibly as an inducement to Moscow not to supply such advanced weapons to Iran.

The Russians are doing just that and their relations with Tehran appear to going sour. So what's holding up a deal with Riyadh that would signal a potentially major geopolitical shift in the Middle East?

According to Mark N. Katz, professor of government and politics at George Mason University in Virginia, "Russia's relationship may not be the most important factor in Saudi-Russian arms negotiations and the delay in reaching a deal on air-defense missile systems in particular may be because of other reasons."

Russia has refused to deliver five S-300 batteries to Tehran under a 2007 contract, citing "technical difficulties." But this is almost certainly the result of intense pressure from the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

This has incensed Tehran, which desperately wants the S-300s to protect Iran's nuclear sites against Israeli, or U.S., attack. On March 8, it ordered all Russian commercial pilots operating in Iran to leave within two months.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

Feel free to add “dfens” as a keyword to any defense related stuff you post. From armor to avionics..r+d, abm whatver. :)

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Thank you very much for telling me

:)