by debkaFile
Russia threatens to "jam satellite navigation, on-board radars and communication systems of combat aircraft, which attack targets in the Syrian territory”...
Within two weeks, Russia will arm Syria with S-300
air defense systems and start jamming navigation in the E. Mediterranean
– two of the three measures announced by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu
in Moscow on Monday, Sept. 24 “in response to Israel’s role in downing
the Russian IL-20” on Sept. 17.
Syria’s air defense electronic capacities will be
boosted to level that of Russian forces in the country. But the most
significant measure announced by Shoigu was: “Russia will jam satellite
navigation, on-board radars and communication systems of combat
aircraft, which attack targets in the Syrian territory, in the regions
over the waters of the Mediterranean Sea bordering with Syria.”
The Russian minister stressed that if these
measures “fail to cool hotheads, [He was obviously referring to
Israel.], we will have to respond in line with the current situation.”
The crucial measure he announced is not the arming
of Syria for the first time with S-300 systems – which Moscow withheld
in the past at Israel’s request – but the jamming of
navigation. DEBKAfile’s military experts point out that this the first
time a major world power has declared electronic war against any
country. After rejecting Israel’s version of the Ilyushin crash with 15
Russian servicemen aboard as untruthful, Moscow has thrown down the
electronic gauntlet before the IDF and pitched the dispute onto a much
higher elevation. This challenge confronts Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gady Eisenkot with three tough
options:
- They could have sought a way out of this high-stakes showdown with Moscow up until Monday. But now, it is too late. Shoigu slammed the door shut on a quiet exit. However, Israel is even more unable to give up on its air offensive against Iranian and its proxies’ presence in Syria, despite the escalated risk of a clash with the Russians, because it would constitute a humiliating comedown against Iran and Hizballah. However, in future, the IDF may be more cautious and select its targets with greater circumspection.
- They could meet Moscow’s challenge for an electronic duel. In
previous encounters, Israel came of best. In 1982, the Israeli Air Force
destroyed a Russian air defense network installed by Russia in the
Lebanese Beqaa Valley; and more recently, in 2007, Israeli planes,
before destroying the Iranian-North Korean plutonium reactor in Deir
Ez-Zour, activated its “Suter” system to “blind” the Syrian/Russian
radar protecting the site.
Russian electronic warfare specialists have since sought answers for Israel’s jamming measures, but have found it difficult to catch up with is constant advances. However, this time may be different. DEBKAfile reports that the latest Russian challenge may stretch Israel’s Air Force and Navies beyond their capacity. While successful in coping with electronic antagonists over small targets in the past, they now see the Russian Defense Minister painting a large arena of many hundreds of kilometers covering Syria and the eastern Mediterranean for the new challenge. Israel lacks operational experience on this scale of electronic warfare. - The IDF is much less worried about the impending delivery of S-300 missiles systems to Bashar Assad’s army. For years, the IAF has been practicing combat against these batteries. But for taking on massive Russian jamming across the eastern Mediterranean, Israel may have to turn to the United States for assistance. This request may be raised when Netanyahu meets President Donald Trump on Wednesday Sept. 26, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
debkaFile
Source: https://www.debka.com/russia-declares-electronic-war-on-israel-ranging-over-syria-e-mediterranean/
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