Russian-Built BuK-M2 Air Defence Systems Shoot Down 4/4 Israeli Missiles Over Syria

An Israeli air strike strike on neighbouring Syria on July 22 saw the Syrian Arab Army respond by deploying its most modern air defence system, the Russian-made Buk-M2, to intercept four air to surface missiles of unknown designation. All the missiles were fired at the Syrian governate of Homs, and all four were reportedly intercepted by the BuK-M2 according to Russian Navy Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit. The BuK-M2 is a medium range mobile system system able to intercept aircraft and cruise missiles, and was designed to complement more expensive longer ranged systems such as the S-300 and S-400. Although Syria fields longer ranged air defence systems such as the S-200, which has approximately six times the engagement range of the BuK, these older systems date back to the Vietnam War era and are much less sophisticated. Syrian S-200s have neverthless had some successes against down both Israeli and U.S. aircraft.

The BuK-M2 entered service in the mid-2000s, and has repeatedly proven highly effective in combat. It has since been superseded by the BuK-M3 and S-350 systems which have similar roles. Syria notably also fields the S-300PMU-2 long range system, which first became operational in Russian service in 1997, although Damascus has not yet been granted operational control of its own S-300s by Russia. The defence systems were delivered late in 2019. The BuK-M2 has been widely exported with Egypt, Algeria, Iran and Venezuela being among the operators and older variants being even more widely used. Syria received its first units in 2011, and is reported to have acquired eight BuK-M2 complexes. The Russian military has also deployed the BuK-M2 to guard its own facilities in Syria.