Belarus to buy Russian TOR-M2E missile systems within three years

MINSK, February 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia will deliver a first batch of
its TOR-M2E missile systems to the Belarusian armed forces, Belarusian
Defence Minister Yuri Zhlobin said on Monday.
"We continue to work with our strategic partner, I mean the Russian
Federation," he said in an interview with the national television. "We
have rather good relations in the area of military technical cooperation.
This year, we shall receive first state-of-the-art air-defence complexes, or TOR-M2E systems."
According to the minister, Belarus plans to equip its armed forces
with such systems within three years. "We have signed relevant deals on the most beneficial terms," he stressed.
He also said the country's army annually accepts for service some 15
to 17 new weapons or hardware "primarily of the domestic design." Thus, Belarus is completing the design of its fist unmanned aircraft and plans to begin their factory trials by the end of the current year, the minister noted.
The Tor (English for Torus) missile system is an all-weather low to
medium altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile system designed for engaging airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, precision guided
munitions, unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic targets. Originally
developed by the Soviet Union under the designation 9K330, the system is commonly known by its NATO reporting name, SA-15 "Gauntlet".