Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan announced that the Russian S-300 missile defense system which was delivered to Tehran by Moscow recently has been deployed and integrated into the country’s missile defense network, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.
“The S-300 system has been delivered and a part of it was deployed,” Rapporteur of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Seyed Hossein Naqavi Hosseini quoted General Dehqan as saying in his Tuesday meeting with the Commission members in Tehran.
Naqavi Hosseini also said that General Dehqan had underlined continued projects to design and produce different radars and satellites by the Defense Ministry experts, reiterating that the country wants to keep up advancements in the field.
Iran announced on Wednesday that the new defense systems integrated into the country’s home-made missile shield have increased its air defense capability.
“Integration of the indigenized systems with the new systems has increased (Iran's) air defense capability,” Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli said, addressing the Air Defense Base staff in Tehran only a day after reports said Iran has received the missiles of a battalion of the S-300 air defense system that it imported from Russia a few months ago.
Esmayeeli underlined that the equipment needed in the Air Defense Base are built and supplied based on standing needs and requirements and future threats.
His remarks came after reports said earlier this week that the first cargo of missiles special to the Russian S-300 missile defense system which was delivered to Tehran by Moscow in April has arrived in Iran.
The recently-delivered missiles can be used in the S-300 PMU2 defense shield which is known as the most advanced and deadliest missile defense system in the S-300 family.
According to the Russian arms manufacturer, the PMU2 needs only 5 minutes to prepare for action against hostile flying objects.
The radar used in the missile shield, N6E Big Bird 64, can simultaneously identify 200 targets, trace 12 targets and send the information to the fire control radar.
General Esmayeeli announced on Sunday that the Iran-Russia contract on the supply of several S-300 missile defense systems to Tehran will be accomplished by the end of the current Iranian year (that ends on March 20, 2017).
Noting that Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base has deployed the S-300 missile shield that it has received from Russia, he said that the missile defense system monitors and defends the country’s airspace as part of Iran’s integrated defense network round the clock.
Esmayeeli also announced his forces’ plan to stage different drills in the country and unveil new technologies and productions in the missile field.
General Dehqan also announced that building of the home-made Bavar 373 defense shield is in its last stages, adding: “This defense system which can engage with multiple targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles, drones and warplanes, will be manufactured and its production line will be inaugurated this year.”
Dehqan added that the long-range defense system can target several targets simultaneously.
Iran designed and developed its own version of the S-300 missile shield, known as Bavar 373.
Iran claims its version has superior features over the original Russian model as it enjoys increased mobility and reduced launch-preparation time.
