Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said on Wednesday that Iran’s homegrown long-range air defense system, the “Bavar-373”, will be unveiled later this month, reports the Tehran Times.
The advanced air defense system will be unveiled on the National Day of the Defense Industry, which falls on August 22 this year, he said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet session, Hatami announced that the Defense Ministry will put on display some of Iran’s latest air defense achievements on August 22, and promised to announce good news on the occasion.
Iran first claimed it had developed the Bavar 373 in 2016. The system is allegedly a home-made version of the Russian S-300 anti-missile system which Iran purchased bought from Russia, but the sale was repeatedly delayed due to Western pressure as UN nuclear sanctions ban the delivery to Iran.
Last year, a senior Iranian military official said that the Bavar 373 will be put into action “in the near future” though he did not provide a timeline.
According to the Tehran Times, a distinguishing feature of Bavar-373 is its vertical launching system with square launchers, mostly used for air defense on warships.
The missile system uses a long-range, phased array fire-control radar, dubbed Me’raj-4. It employs three different types of missiles to hit targets at various altitudes, according to the report.
The Islamic Republic regularly boasts of its military achievements but does not always provide proof of its accomplishments.
In 2017, Iran’s Defense Minister claimed the country had developed a tank named "Karrar", which is supposedly equipped with an electro-optical fire control system and laser range-finder and is capable of firing at both stable and mobile targets day or night.
In 2013, Iran’s then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad first unveiled the Qaher 313, claiming at the time it is able to evade radar systems.
