Iran Uses Sayyad Missiles in S-200 Defense System, Readying to Test S-300

Iran announced on Saturday that it has used the latest home-made missile production, Sayyad (Hunter) 2, in its sophisticated S-200 anti-aircraft system, and added that it will soon test Bavar (Belief) 373 missile defense system – the Iranian version of the sophisticated S-300 long-range air-defense missile system.
Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli told reporters in Tehran today that the country has used “Sayyad 2 missiles in its S-200 defense systems”, adding that the restructring of the system was the result of the industrious efforts made by experts at the Iranian defense industries and his base.

In similar remarks in July 2011, Esmayeeli had announced that the country’s experts have been able to optimize the Russian-made S-200 anti-aircraft missile system so well that the Iranian version of the system has stunned Russian experts.
In November 2010, Iran successfully test-fired its sophisticated S-200 anti-aircraft missile systems.

Iran’s S-200 system is a very long range, medium-to-high altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to defend large areas from bomber attack or other strategic aircrafts. Each battalion has 6 single-rail missile launchers and fire control radar. It can be linked to other, longer-range radar systems.

Each missile is launched by 4 solid-fueled strap-on rocket boosters. Maximum range is between 200 and 350 km depending on the model. The missile uses radio illumination mid-course correction to fly towards the target with a terminal semi active radar homing phase.

Also, on Saturday, Esmayeeli also elaborated on the latest developments in the production of the home-made long-range missile system, Bavar 373, and said “the system and its subsystems will go under technical tests this (Iranian) year”.

Another senior Iranian military commander announced in May that the country would soon unveil a home-made long-range air-defense missile system similar to the Russian S-300.

“This system, dubbed as Bavar 373, is being developed in the country and will be officially unveiled soon,” Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army’s Self-Sufficiency Jihad Rear Admiral Farhad Amiri said.

He noted that Bavar-373 missile defense system has reached the production stage and its subsystems have been already tested.