S-300 PMU (missile)

S-300 PMU is the starting designation of a series of highly respected, Soviet-designed surface-to-air missiles, the land version of which is designated SA-10 GRUMBLE in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)/North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) system. The ship-based version, mounted on the Kirov-class and Slava-class, is SA-N-6 GRUMBLE. Later versions have anti-ballistic missile against theater ballistic missiles and also against cruise missiles.

It is comparable to the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot in a land-based version and the RIM-156 Standard SM-2 at sea, although the Russians argue it is superior to Patriot. While surface-to-air missiles are defensive, missiles of this quality affect the strategic balance: if Iran, for example, puts a significant S-300 system around its nuclear facilities, the Israeli Air Force may not have sufficient suppression of enemy air defense capability to penetrate it. There are conflicting reports, however, if Russia has actually shipped them to Iraq.