(Zaman Al Wasl)- Russia has built a base for its S-400 long-range air defense missile systems in Hama province, well-informed sources said, 15 km (10 miles) far from the newly-discovered Iranian missile facilities in the most loyal area to Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The key ally of Damascus has first deployed batteries of this advanced missile platform at the Hmeimym airbase. The new deployment in 'Dhahaer rama Ahmed' hilltop near Masyaf city northwestern Syria comes as an outcome to Russia's fevered efforts to fortify the Alawite-dominated territories as to secure Iran's long-range missile facilities, military sources said.
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The S-400 system is designed to destroy aircraft, drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles up to 400 kilometers away; it is also equipped with a radar able to detect targets at a range of 600km. Since its installation in Syrian territory, the action of Western and Turkish warplanes in support of rebel forces has been limited, according to Asia Times.
The presence of S-400 platforms in the Syrian theater possibly influenced the US strategy of attack against the Assad regime, analyst Emanuele Scimia said. The USS Porter and USS Ross, two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, bombarded the Shayrat airbase in central Syria, which the Syrian Air Force used to launch suspected chemical attacks that left dozens of civilians dead in rebel-held Khan Shaykhun.
Satellite images and military experts assured to Zaman al-Wasl that Russia has also installed batteries for the P-800 Oniks, also known as Yakhont (supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles) in the air defence base.
Iran controls Syria's missile facilities
The Israeli and Western media, in the last week, shed the light on Iran-run missile facilities in Syria, almost two months since Zaman al-Wasl news site had revealed an exclusive data and satellite images for Iran’s main long-range-rocket factories in coastal Tartus province.
The first research center for developing long-range missiles built by Iran in Wadi Jehanam, also known as the Hell Valley, the abysmal valley that separates between Hama and Tartus provinces.
Military experts from Iran, Russia and N.Korea are working to develop FATIH 110, The Iran-made ballistic missiles, Zaman al-Wasl’s source said.
In June, Bashar Assad has made a secret visit to o a research center after visiting Hama city where he delivered Eid al-Fiter prayers, showing more confident after six years of daily bombing that claimed lives of half million Syrians.
The center is working on developing long-range missiles and it will be inaugurated by the end of the year, according to sources who provided Zaman al-Wasl by photos for the site.
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The second Iranian facility was set up in al-Sheikh al-Ghadhban area, 25 km (17 miles) southeast Hell Valley.
A well-informed source confirmed that at the end of 2013, the regime began building new facilities to the north-east of Masyaf city in an area called al-Sheikh al-Ghadhban. The area includes the site of Project 111 which the source described as a failure.
The source added that by the end of 2016 the regime began installing Institute 4000’s production lines, for the manufacture of medium range missiles (220 mm, 302 mm) at the site in al-Sheikh al-Ghadhban. These are the same lines the regime previously moved from lines the New Aleppo site to this site.
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Iran guaranteed to provide the necessary machines for the project regardless of whether the machines were damaged or the regime unable to transfer them from Aleppo for the project to begin production in early 2017, according to the source.
Zaman al-Wasl’s source confirmed that the production of M600 long-range rockets known as Maysalun and Tishreen will be carried out at the Wadi Jehanam site, which is still being prepared for production. According to the source, the site is expected to be ready for production by the end of 2017.
The Assad regime has transferred the management of the Fourth Sector (which supervises the al-Sheikh al-Ghadhban and Wadi Jehanam sites) to a camp near the two sites. The move increased the sensitivity of the area and the security measures implemented in the area. The al-Sheikh al-Ghadban site is barely 25 kilometers south-east of the Wadi Jehanam site based on aerial photographs the source provided with his testimony.
Dr. Aziz Esber manages this sensitive sector (the Fourth Sector), which lies within the strongholds of sectarian pro-regime areas.
According to the source, the transfer of the missile production lines to the pro-regime strongholds coincides with the demobilization of the remaining Sunni experts. The source indicated that Iran is training pro-regime personnel to compensate for the lack of experts who have either been demobilized or dissented.
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