Tehran, Iran, Oct. 1
Iran says the range of its domestically made Bavar-373 missile is 1.5 times that of the long-range Russian-made S-300.
The announcement was made by Khatam ul-Anbiya Air Defense Base Commander Farzad Esmaili, Tasnim news agency reported October 1.
What is in the meantime unclear is whether the commander was speaking about the engagement or reconnaissance range.
The S-300PMU-2 or Favorit air defense missile system was developed specially for export. It evolved from the S-300PM-2, which was developed for the Russian Armed Forces. The S-300PMU-2 has the highest capabilities in the S-300P family. It was introduced in 1997.
As of 2016 this system is 19 years old. The S-300PMU-2 is referred in the West as SA-20B Gargoyle. It uses a 30N6E1 (Tomb Stone) radar. This radar has a range of 300 km, can detect 100 targets, track and engage 36 of them and guide 72 missiles.
It is worth noting that earlier radars of the S-300 family could simultaneously engage only 6 targets and guide 12 missiles.
Iran signed a contract with and paid Russia for four battalions of the S-300. Political problems and sanctions postponed the delivery of the missiles until this year when Iran received half of the order. The rest will be delivered by the end of 2016.
But shortly after receiving the first consignment, Iran showcased the Bavar-373, calling it an Iranian version of S-300.