Homegrown Sepehr OTH Radar to Become Operational in Iran Air Defense Force Soon
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Air Defense Force plans to operate the domestically-designed and manufactured Sepehr over-the-horizon (OTH) radar in the near future, a senior commander said.
“We are now among the world's top ten powers ... in some spheres. We will soon put into operation a homegrown over-the-horizon (OTH) radar," deputy commander of the force, Brigadier General Alireza Elhami, said on Monday, adding, "While a number of countries in the world may possess such a radar, less than five states have the technical know-how to locally produce it.”
He went on to say that Sepehr (Sky) radar will be operational in the near future, noting that it has a range of 3,000 kilometers and will provide the Iran Air Defense Force with the upper hand in operations.
The radar can monitor all kinds of aircraft, ranging from commercial airliners, fighter jets and command and control military aircraft to aircraft fitted with radio relay stations and unmanned aerial vehicles, the commander said.
“It can detect all aerial threats, and provide the necessary information for decision-making and countermeasures,” Elhami pointed out.
The senior Iranian commander also said long-range, road-mobile and surface-to-air Bavar-373 (Belief-373) missile system will come into operation in the near future, adding that the system can detect targets or planes at more than 300 kilometers.
Elhami highlighted that Iranian experts are working to upgrade the range of Sayyad (Hunter) tactical surface-to-air missile system, and increase it to 120 kilometers.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headways in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, saying the Islamic Republic’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country’s missile program.