Israel tested Greek S-300 anti-aircraft system, says Reuters

Israel tested secretly, with Greece’s permission, ways of defeating an advanced S-300 air-defence system that Russia has deployed in the Middle East, as Reuters reports citing military and diplomatic sources said.

According to the sources, a Russian S-300 anti-aircraft system sold to Cyprus 18 years ago but it is now located on Crete island and had been activated during joint drills between the Greek and Israeli air forces last April-May.

This activation enabled Israel’s warplanes to test how the lock-on system of the S-300 works, how it gathers data on its radar and how it could be blinded or bluffed.

Reuters mentions citing a source that Greece had enabled its anti-aircraft system after US had requested so. It was unclear whether Israel had shared its findings with its allies.

“Part of the maneuvers involved pitting Israeli jets against Greek anti-aircraft systems,” one source said.

As sources said to Reuters, Greek and Israeli militaries declined to confirm or deny any use of the S-300 system during exercises held last April-May.

A senior Greek Defence Ministry official, asked whether the system was enabled during Greek-Israeli military exercises, said: “At this moment the S-300 is not in operation.” adding that it’s Athens’ general policy not permitting any other country to test the system’s abilities.