Iran Starts Production of Advanced Radar System

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps started mass-production of a highly advanced air-defense radar system named, Ra’d (Thunder), IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari announced on Sunday.

“The Ra’d air-defense system, which is more advanced than the Buckeye system has recently been developed and is now being mass-produced,” Jafari told reporters in a press conference here in Tehran today.

“In ranges up to 50km and in altitudes from 25 to 27km (70,000 feet), Ra’d is ranked as a mid-range radar system,” added the General.

“The air-defense system will boost the Islamic Republic’s ability to counter aerial threats,” he continued.

In May 2012, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said Iran is mass-producing Ghadir Radar systems in great numbers, adding that the radar system covers areas over 1,000km in distance.

“This radar system can cover areas around 1,100 in range and its designing and production project ended early last (Iranian) year and is now being mass-produced,” Hajizadeh told FNA at the time.

In June 2011, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps put into operation the new home-made long-range Ghadir radar system that enables its forces to monitor low-altitude satellites.

The Ghadir radar system which covers areas (maximum) 1,100km in distance and 300km in altitude has been designed and built to identify aerial targets, radar-evading aircrafts, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles as well as low-altitude satellites.

Last December, senior Iranian military commanders announced that the country has equipped its air defense units with advanced radars capable of detecting Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Commander of Khatom ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli said now Iran can trace and shoot down small UAVs over its airspace.

Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli also said that air defense units are closely monitoring overflights of foreign aircraft and are fully prepared to detect and shoot down unauthorized UAVs.

Iran has locally made radar systems with different ranges up to some 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers).