US decides to give Israel S-300 nemesis?
According to Reuters, the US has just decided to provide a record military aid package to Israel, which includes advanced weapons that can counter the S-300.
Record aid
RT reported on October 3 that the US has begun implementing a 10-year, $38 billion aid package for Israel, the largest aid package in US history for an allied country.
This aid package is part of an agreement reached between Israel and the administration of former President Barack Obama in 2016.
The 10-year support package was officially activated on October 1, at a time when tensions between Israel and its arch-rival in the Middle East - Iran - are escalating and in particular, Tel Aviv is showing concern when Russia transfers the S-300 to counter its airstrikes.
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| Russia transfers S-300 system to Syria. |
According to the US State Department announcement, the aid package is aimed at protecting Israel against all potential opponents in the region, but primarily against the alleged "Iranian government's sponsorship of terrorist groups."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on Twitter: "Israel and the world are facing security challenges, primarily from Iranian aggression. America's steadfast support for Israel's right to self-defense is one of the pillars of the strong diplomatic relationship between our two countries."
The deal, detailed in the 2018 US-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act, would see Washington provide Israel with $3.3 billion in foreign military financing annually and $500 million for missile defense cooperation programs.
Specifically, the US has approved the transfer of precision-guided munitions from its stockpile to Israel to help the Jewish state respond promptly to the missile threat. The law also allows for the expansion of the US arsenal in Israel.
It is no coincidence that the US officially activated a record aid package for Israel right before Russia announced that it had completed the delivery of the S-300 air defense missile system - a weapon that is causing Israel a headache in finding ways to deal with it.
Therefore, Reuters believes that it is very likely that in this first disbursement, the US will transfer to Israel long-range weapons or weapons considered to be the nemesis of the air defense system to help Tel Aviv neutralize Syria's air defense if necessary. So, what types of weapons could the batch include?
Advanced weapons
According to experts, the US is the country with the most experience in dealing with the S-300 as they have acquired a complete set of S-300V and S-300P air defense missiles through many different channels and suppliers to practice countermeasures over the years.
The weapons that the US is said to be able to penetrate the S-300 defense umbrella that Israel may soon receive include the AGM-158 JASSM standoff cruise missile. With a range of 370 km, a very low flight path to avoid radar and a stealthy shell, it will easily penetrate Syria's air defense systems.
In addition, the US plans to transfer to Israel ADM-160 MALD decoy missiles to coordinate with other attack weapons in a large salvo, causing Syria's air defense to be overloaded and unable to distinguish between real targets.
Finally, it is almost certain that Tel Aviv will receive the latest generation of American anti-radar missiles, the AGM-158E HARM. This is the killer of the S-300's long-range radar stations thanks to its very sensitive seeker, the ability to remember the target's location and is extremely difficult to shoot down.
It is clear that both Syria and Israel are preparing their weapons for the big game, so the situation in the Middle East is predicted to be extremely tense in the next phase. Especially when Russia has completed the transfer of the S-300 system to Syria.
