In watching for the Second Signpost, there are a few distinct themes we keep our eyes on. One is the growth of the power of the second horn, i.e. the IRGC. Another is any sign for an actual invasion – things like mobilization of troops, and traded insults with sworn enemies. Yet another is monitoring for things that would make Iran successful per Daniel 8:3b:

“No animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.”     (NIV1984)

The nuclear weapons deal with its toothless enforcement is one development along these lines. Another would be developments preventing the USA from somehow deploying its forces halfway around the world to take on the entire IRGC. Yet another is Russia’s naval and air bases on the west coast of Syria.

On top of these things, another development has just been realized to add to Iran’s ability to resist anyone from stopping them in their invasion: the deployment of the S-300 missile system. We knew Iran was purchasing such systems from Russia. So what’s new?

Iran taking delivery of the S-300 earlier this year. Each tube contains one S-300 missile. A typical installation includes 25 missiles.

This piece from Irantracker.org is what’s new; a pdf article by a Chris Harmer titled, The Strategic Impact of the S-300 In Iran.  This is the site run by the AEI, one of the few sites that gives reliable information on Iran’s military and regime. Most other sites can be inaccurate and other sites like Debka dish out wishful thinking in many instances.

Anyway, the take away is this, according to the article: there is only one force on earth that can take out and neutralize a deployed S-300 installation and that is the US Air Force. I didn’t realize the S-300 had a radar that was as advanced as that. American F-117s (stealth fighters) and the B-2s (stealth bombers) coming in low could defeat the system. But no one else has these aircraft offensive capabilities – not even the Israelis.  Harmer writes in the Executive Summary of his article,

“The US military can defeat the S-300, it is true, but only by devoting significantly more aircraft, including our most advanced stealth aircraft, to a major military effort aimed at eliminating that system before proceeding to any other targets. Arab and Israeli militaries do not now have the capability to reliably defeat the S-300 with conventional means.”

This is remarkable.  The only nation on earth that can take this system out right now is deciding it does not want to thanks to the Obama Administration.  God is indeed orchestrating the Second Signpost.

The S-300 has been deployed so far to two places as the map shows: the uranium enrichment plant at Fordow, and the IRGC headquarters base which develops its rocketry (both places shown as red dots). In other words, the two places responsible for further development of Iran’s rocket forces and nuclear weapons are now impervious to attack unless the USA were so motivated as to do something about it.

The IRGC Air Base, and Fordow the fuel enrichment facility are shown as red dots. The circles are the basic 60-mile range. The range can double if the Iranians have purchased the enhanced version which is unknown at this time.

The circles on the map show the basic 60-mile range of the missiles and the areas covered.  Tehran and the holy city of Qom are also covered by the S-300s.

This is big. The window is closing to the possibility of aerial attacks stopping the Iranian regime unless a major offensive is carried out. And the chance of that happening until January 20, 2017 is nil.  This article says the S-300 will be deployed and running by March 2017 but I wouldn’t count on it.  It might be sooner.

Of course we can only see things clearly in hindsight, but this may have just been the event that has locked in the ram getting to do all it wants.

Categories: In The News, Signpost #2: Iran

Tags: Iran, Iranian invasion, Russia, S-300 missile, Second Signpost