Iran boasts of broader radar and air defence capabilities

A senior Iranian air defence commander has claimed further advances in EW with the domestic development and production of new advanced radar systems.

In remarks to state-run news agency IRNA on 6 September, Brig Gen Abbas Azimi, Commander of Air Defence Forces in Northwestern Iran, referred to a radar called Pseo.

He highlighted that a long-standing UN arms embargo stimulated development of Pseo and other indigenous systems, saying: ‘If we wanted to obtain this [equipment] from abroad, they would not sell it to us.’

Iran often announces the development of new radar and EW systems – in April this year, for instance – but the accuracy of its claims are open to doubt.

Azimi also referred to the Bavar 373 long-range air defence missile system, noting that production is under way and the system has entered operational service. Shephard Defence Insight notes that the Bavar 373 can fire 12 missiles against six targets simultaneously. Its radar can detect 300 targets at a range of 320 km and track 60 of them up to 260 km. The Bavar 373 is believed to fire a 7-m long Sayyad-4 missile.

Azimi added that Iran also has the capability to export UAVs, without going into further details. The most likely destinations would be Syria or client groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

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