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Iskander-E 'designed to counter Western TMDs' By ALON BEN-DAVID JDW Correspondent Tel Aviv Russia's Iskander-E short-range ballistic missile is designed to defeat Western ballistic missile defence systems, particularly the Patriot Advanced Capability PAC-2/3 low-to-high altitude air-defence system, according to Uzi Rubin, former director of Israel's Missile Defence Agency. The Iskander-E is the export version of the Kolomna-designed 9M72 short-range ballistic missile currently in service with the Russian Armed Forces. The 9M72 has a given range of 400 km; Iskander-E a given range of 280 km. Following a 21 February Russian TV report, which presented the missile's features, Rubin concluded that...

A diplomatic crisis is brewing over Russia's potential sale of advanced missiles to Syria, a sworn enemy of Israel accused of supporting Hezbollah and Palestinian Arab terrorists. Israel's Channel Two TV reported yesterday that Russia plans to sell arms to Syria, including shoulder-fired missiles, which could threaten Israeli aircraft. In a separate report, the Russian newspaper Kommersant said the sale would include Iskander-E ground-to-ground missiles, which would give Syria the capability to strike almost anywhere in Israel. ...Russia last sold weapons to Syria two years ago, when Damascus purchased more than $130 million worth of Kornet and Metis anti-tank missiles......