Armenia will receive Russian Tor-M2 air defense missile systems.

Armenia’s armed forces will receive Russian-made Tor-M2 (NATO reporting name: SA-15 Gauntlet) air defense missile systems in the coming months, Armenia’s Zinuj TV program reported with reference to sources in the Armenian Defense Ministry.

Russian army 9A331M combat vehicle 9K331M Tor-M2 short-range air defense missile system.  (Picture source Vitaly Kuzmin)

"Within several months, Russian-made Tor-M2 air defense missile systems will occupy a special place among air defense systems," the program’s host said.

Armenian Air Defense Force Deputy Chief Colonel Artur Poghosyan commented on the system’s combat capabilities. "The Tor is an advanced air defense missile system able to hit aerial targets of all types, including precision-guided missiles, automatically without the participation of military personnel," Poghosyan said in the program.

The Russian-made Tor air defense missile system is designed to defend military personnel and civilian facilities against aerial attacks. It can hit various missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, air bombs, planes and helicopters.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the development of the armed forces was a priority for the country. Russia remains Armenia’s main defense partner, he added.

The Tor-M2 is an upgraded version of the Tor-M1 short-range air defense missile system. The TOR-M2/M2E is designed by the Russian Defense Company Almaz-Antey. The TOR-M2 was presented for the first time to the public during the Moscow Air Show, MAKS in 2007.

The Tor-M2 can simultaneously engage up to 48 processed targets and ten tracked targets.The TOR-M2 can engage a target at the range from 1,000 to 12,000 m and to an altitude from 10 to 10,000 m.