DEBKAfile Exclusive: Russian experts arrive to install Russian TOR-M1 air defense batteries at Iran's nuclear facilities
December 25, 2007, 1:11 PM (GMT+02:00)
 |
| Russian TOR-M1 protects Iran's nuclear plants |
Tuesday, Dec. 25, Mikhail Dmitriev, head of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, announced the imminent installment of sophisticated Russian TOR-M1 missile batteries at Iran’s nuclear installations. Our Iranian and Moscow sources report that, only a few days ago, Moscow shipped nuclear fuel to Iran for its atomic reactor at Bushehr and committed to have the reactor up and running next year.
DEBKAfile’s military sources assert that the multi-functional, multiple layer hardware substantially upgrades the shield protecting Iran’s banned uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Isfahan, as well as Bushehr, from many types or air and missile attack.
The TOR-M1 is designed to intercept “stealth” aircraft, helicopters and drones as well as laser-guided precision bombs, rockets and cruise missiles. Traveling at a speed of 700 kph up to a range of 25km, it can destroy any of these incoming objects 12 km before they makes contact with target.
Another outstanding feature is the weapon’s ability to function in all weather conditions day and night against two simultaneous targets.
The eight-missile battery mounted aboard an armored vehicle (see picture) functions as an autonomous command platform for intelligence-gathering, determining targets, firing missiles and their in-flight guidance. Its 3D pulse Doppler electronic beam feeds data on 48 targets simultaneously to the system’s firing computers, selecting the ten most dangerous and responding in 5-8 seconds. Its crew are protected against nuclear, chemical and biological warfare.
