Iran says it tested radar and Bavar-373 air defense
The air defense drill is a message against adversaries and a potential sales pitch as it wants to sell its systems.
By SETH J. FRANTZMANA gas flare on an oil production platform in the Soroush oil fields is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Persian Gulf, Iran, July 25, 2005(photo credit: RAHEB HOMAVANDI/REUTERS)Iran is showcasing its capabilities with radar and the Bavar-373 air-defense system in nationwide drills.An arms embargo expired this week, and Iran is openly challenging the US and demonstrating that it can defend against aerial threats.Iran frequently threatens Israel, the US and Gulf states. The air-defense drill is a message against adversaries and a potential sales pitch, as it wants to sell its systems.According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the Qadir radar was tested by the IRGC Aerospace Force to track targets at long distances. It detected and identified aircraft flown by other Iranian units as part of the drill.This is part of an indigenous radar network that helps Iran enter the club of hi-tech, radar-producing countries, it said. The system can detect low-flying objects, ballistic missiles and other missiles, it said.“The native surveillance radar systems, produced by experts of the Army Air Defense Self-Sufficiency Research and Jihad Organization is capable of identifying 300 targets at a range up to 400 km.,” Tasnim reported.Iran also tested its Bavar-373 air-defense system as part of the drills, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency. It was successfully tested for the first time as part of an integrated air-defense network drill, it said.Iran said the weapon system tracked down a target that had a “very low radar cross section,” Far reported.Iran calls this a “strategic” air-defense system. It is also an indigenous system, part of Iran’s expanding air-defense network.Iran has pioneered successful air defenses, including using its 3rd Khordad system, which shot down a US Global Hawk drone in 2019. It also tried to deploy this system to Syria in 2018, but the system was destroyed by an air strike at the T-4 base, according to reports.
Iran’s air defenders are proud of the success. Iran said the successful deployment of the system will cause Iran’s enemies “despair.” This is because Iran’s enemies will not “face an increased interactive joint command that will be a strong barrier.”Iran’s air defense has made mistakes in the past, most notably when it shot down a civilian Ukrainian airliner in January.The Bavar-373 was unveiled in 2016. It is clear that Iran is upgrading these systems and trying to knit them together over long distances. Iran’s radar now gives it hundreds of miles of scan range beyond Iran’s borders, covering Iraq, Syria and the Gulf.Iran may seek to export these systems to Syria and threaten Israel. It has already sent precision munitions via Syria to Hezbollah, drones to Yemen’s Houthis and ballistic missiles to its Shi’ite proxies in Iraq.
