Iranian Air Defense Systems

[The Huskar]

Wonderful development by Iran inspite of the sanction crunch by the West.
Congratulations

 

[scythian500]

Now get a better ballistic missile and fighter jets.

The ability to DISCOVER targets is one of the most high tech part of a sophisticated air defense system... It has three layers in Iran... Long Range Early Warning Radars that is already complete by installing 4 Sepehr OTH radars + Spys deep into enemy soil + Ghadir +1100 km Space radar+ hidden spying elements in each and every hostile country. Worth mentioning that these 3000 KM range Sepehr Radars has the capability to locate and expose targets with RCS of only 0.005 cm. It has a super computer processor with complex algorithm to distinguish electronic warfare waves and avoid them. Then there is a middle layer that is fully capable of discovering almost any known targets in a range of 550 and 700km and the last defense layer is different radars with different bands and frequencies and all these beside the SPOT PROTECTION units around highly sensitive sites. This was all for info of those who think it is an open sky over Iran. If you use Flightradar24 website you can easily see which countries has the safest skies in world.

Now, if you think by any chance that Iranian defense industries and its scientists are naive to make such unique and sophisticated radars without a WEAPON to materialize the DOWNING of target then you must have no military knowledge at all... Iran started 15 years ago, some 55 projects to build the latest (21th century practical) Anti-aircraft, Anti-cruise, Anti-stealth and Anti-Ballistic missiles and guidance systems. at least %70 of all these projects came into existence and finished their tests. The latest of these projects are all the sub systems of Bavar 373. Few has came out of this project publicly but as far as I know, it will be a three layer Long range, Medium Range and Close range Air defense system. It will be better than S-300 PMU in some aspects and equal to it in some other aspects not to forget the upgraded version that might come out soon after the first version. Beside this, google the newly announced "IRANIAN FUTURE SOLDIERS" under the project code of سرباز ولایت . The system will be connected to each and every soldier and can use the camera and sensors of each soldier mounted on the back pack. This means if a soldier identifies a bird that is not Discovered by Radars... it can connect directly to the mothership which is the command center and there will be many central commands with same duty. In case of losing one , there will be a substitute. As far as I know, Iran intends to invent an all new military system that no other nation ever had. This makes sense as Ayatullah Khamenei always talks about Iran being in a route to surpass latest modern systems instead of trying to just catching up to them!!

Regarding the Better Fighters, I should say... Since Iran is fully under sanctions and even Russia doesn,t sell fighters.. Iran started to focus on its own programs and as far as I know, Iran will introduce a fully tested , operation -ready 4.5 or 5th generation fighter by 2018 or 2019. All the sub systems of these aircrafts have been distributed as high tech projects in between some capable Iranian universities. As far as I know, most of the systems are ready... there are a few that is not finished yet. and the funny thing is that even friends like Russia and China don,t help Iran as they are the same super power non sense countries as USA. I was never surprised when I,ve heard they won,t offer any help. Even in Iranian project of building a heavy commercial aircraft of 150 passengers there is no help from friends. I guess in general, they backstab themselves by not providing Iran what he needs. This way stubborn Iranian will make it by themselves and they will come up as a competition for them in future.... If I was Russia or China..or even USA.. I would give Iran whatever she needs..so I can have the throut of Iran in my hands...

beside that, Iran has managed to overhaul most of his fleet of worthy fighters and UPGRADED them with new weaponery and Radar and Avionic systems... This makes them literally new fighters..as fuselage is just the frame... with +300 km radars that Iran is producing now for its future fighters or +150 km ones that already installed on the nose of SAEGHE fighters... and new AA missiles with +250 range... It is pretty naive to underestimate Iranian air force.. although it still has some steps to be able counter some F-22 style air crafts... Iran has focused on upgrading existing birds first and meanwhile is working on its fuly scale 5th generation aircrafts that even in 2020 it will be quite competitive...

Plus, There is a unique system in Iranian dafus university giving valuable lessons in terms of strategy and tactic to existing IRAF pilots. For them to be able to offset the lack of hardware when countering American planes.
I have read an article by American mercenary military advisers that most Middle eastern armies lack practically when it comes to real battle. They listed the reasons and all the faults come from Arabian culture that lacks..responsibility, principle and initative free mindset... That article praised Iranian, Turkish and Israeli army soldier for having principle and the ability to act properly when they don,t have commander around. This was mentioned the sole reason behind all the defeats Arabian armies had in last 100 years.

After reading this article I found out that barely half of army strength comes from equipment but the system that those armies are based on. and sadly the armies are the exact mirror of real societies and their cultures.

Always remember, Iranian leaders are not dumb... They already learned that if they don,t have enough resources to have advanced planes they instead can focus on a sophisticated Missile program... they filled the lack of a modern air force by their missile program... they learned to focus on building highly capable UCAVs instead of fighters.. although Air force has its own use so Iran is planning to build a new air force too... but when I hear of some small country is stronger becoz they have a few F-16 or F-15, I smile if not laugh... WAR is a full scale Capabilities Vs Capability... it is not only planes.. 200 precise Ballistic missiles with CEP of lower than 20 m will be even more lethal than 200 F-16s.

By the way, anybody of you heard the news about reducing the CEP of all ballistic missiles of Iran from 300 km Fateh 110 and Khalije Fars Ground to Sea, to Ghadr and Sedjil and Shahabs to AS LOW AS 5 Meters?? CEP of 5m!!! that is dangerous..!!

 

[haman10]

By the way, anybody of you heard the news about reducing the CEP of all ballistic missiles of Iran from 300 km Fateh 110 and Khalije Fars Ground to Sea, to Ghadr and Sedjil and Shahabs to AS LOW AS 5 Meters??

i am not sure if that CEP (like khalije fars) is applicable to missiles like shahab 1,2 and 3 .

what i know is that in the latest generations of Fateh 110 and PG missile , the CEP is LOWER than 5 meters !

that as u mentioned is ridiculously low .

and new AA missiles with +250 range

if i'm not mistaken , maghsood has 300km range .

its going to get unveiled pretty soon

 

[scythian500]

i am not sure if that CEP (like khalije fars) is applicable to missiles like shahab 1,2 and 3 .

what i know is that in the latest generations of Fateh 110 and PG missile , the CEP is LOWER than 5 meters !

that as u mentioned is ridiculously low .


if i'm not mistaken , maghsood has 300km range .

its going to get unveiled pretty soon

Yes, you are probably right... but I have read an article in Mashregh news a few days ago that says specifically, that beside Khalije fars and Fateh 110 missiles, they have reduced the CEP of most +2000Km missiles with Solid fuel to as low as 5 meters... Becoz for demonstration they gave examples of hitting certain building or plane in Isreal.. I guess it is a huge deal to have missile by that CEP without having GPS satellites on your side, but they MENTIONED exactly that they INVENTED some new guidance systems in which bring those +5 MACH speedy ballistics missiles as dangerous as it should be... I hope it is true... my general perception about Iranian strategic Missile forces is that it is one different field of high tech for Iran so I guess most of these claims are credible to my eyes... Have you heard about the military variant of GHAEM SLV project? I have heard it is capable of delivering a 1500kg MIRV warhead to as far as +12000 kms. Any updates on this?? I have heard they made all the sub systems for this ICBM but they never install it as far as there is no RED ALERT. I have heard it only needs 48 hours to be mounted ready to shoot. I guess if 1500kg MIRV warhead is true then even 50 m CEP would be enough...

for Maghsoud 300km A-A missile, what I,ve heard is that it will be +250km missile guided by multiple guidance systems at once. I guess a inertial system+ a TV and IR seeker would do it in this case. I heard Iranian air force had focused on this very much project to be able offset the lack of 5th gen fighter. I also heard it is a intelligent missile with artificial intelligence to analyse and decide if any counter masses were used against it... the fact is I have heard a lot about it..but if is what I think it is... let,s wait and see..

 

[haman10]

i agree on everything u said , but :

Have you heard about the military variant of GHAEM SLV project?

no such thing my friend .

Ghaem project is an SLV and an SLV only , what you heard is about a completely separate project whose name is not publicized .

the missile is capable of delivering a warhead to 5-10 thousand km of range (maybe i am not allowed to say exactly whats the range) which can be upgraded to an ICBM with 11000-13000 kms of range .

so there is no Ghaem "variant" , maybe "equivalent" but not a "variant" .

 

[sree45]

Tehran: Iran successfully tested its Skyguard Air Defence System Saturday to shoot down hypothetical enemy drones in the massive drills in the southern parts of the country, media reported.



The Skyguard missile defence system was put on test on the third day of the ongoing military exercises which are underway with the participation of Iranian ground, naval and air forces, Xinhua reported citing the semi-official Fars news agency.

The missiles fired "successfully" had hit several drones of the hypothetical enemy, including the home-made Hazem Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, according to the report.

The Skyguard Air Defence System is a laser-based system to protect aircraft against a variety of military threats.

The six-day joint drills by Iranian army`s ground, naval and air forces backed by Khatam al-Anbia Air Defence Base is scheduled to be held in the southern part of the country, including waters extended from east of Hormuz Strait to the north Aden Gulf.

Iran test fires air defence system | Zee News

 

[mohsen]

Skyguard what?!!!

 

[haman10]

Skyguard what?!!!

Samavat AD systrm is an upgraded skyguard system which uses thermal cameras and a couple of oerlikon canons to shoot down low to medium altitude aicrafts

 

[mohsen]

Samavat AD systrm is an upgraded skyguard system which uses thermal cameras and a couple of oerlikon canons to shoot down low to medium altitude aicrafts

I was referring to this line:
"The Skyguard Air Defence System is a laser-based system to protect aircraft against a variety of military threats"
bro

 

[haman10]

I was referring to this line:
"The Skyguard Air Defence System is a laser-based system to protect aircraft against a variety of military threats"
bro

my bad , i missed that line .

lol

 

[raptor22]

As far as I know Skyguard is radar of 35 mm cannon beside zu-23 as low air defense system and latest defense layer , and they use optical, thermal and laser and I fired Zu-23 and have seen 35 mm firing but "protecting aircraft against a variety of military threats" is sth new that I have not heard ....

 

[I FLY HIGH]

is it a SAM or AAM system , it is not clear from the post ?

 

[SipahSalar]

An old but great article on placement of Irani Air Defence systems.

Strategic SAM Deployment in Iran

Strategic SAM Deployment in Iran

Technical Report APA-TR-2010-0102
Sean O'Connor, BA, MS (AMU)
January 2010
Updated April, 2012Text © 2009 Sean O'Connor Line Artwork, Layout © 2009 - 2012 Carlo Kopp

5V28 / SA-5 GAMMON launch.

• Introduction/Background
• Iran's Strategic SAM Force
  • Early Warning / Surveillance Coverage
  • SAM Coverage
  • HQ-2 / SA-2 GUIDELINE
  • MIM-23 HAWK
  • S-200 / SA-5 GAMMON
  • Tactical SAM Sites
  • Empty SAM Sites
• Strategic SAM Force Capability
  • National S-200 Coverage
  • Point Defense
  • Defending the Straits
• Air Defense Issues
• Conclusion
• Impact of S-300PMU1 / SA-400 Deployment
• Notes/Sources

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The following image depicts the overall SAM coverage provided by Iranian air defense sites. Using the same color scheme applied in the previous image, HQ-2 sites are red, HAWK sites are orange, S-200 sites are purple, 2K12 sites are bright green, and Tor-M1E sites are faded green.
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[SipahSalar]

S-200 / SA-5 GAMMON
There are currently 7 active S-200 sites identified inside Iran. The S-200 represents the longest ranging strategic SAM asset operationally employed by the Iranian military.

The following image depicts the coverage provided by Iran's S-200 sites:



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[paste:font size="4"]large elevated concrete platforms was an expensive attempt to overcome this limitation.

Iranian S-200 sites appear to be intentionally limited in their composition. Each site consists, unusually, of one 5N62 SQUARE PAIR engagement radar and two launch rails. For more information on this unusual practice, reference the following article on this site: S-200 SAM Site Analysis .

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There are two HAWK sites and one HQ-2 site in the vicinity of Esfahan. One of the HAWK sites, as well as the S-200 site in the area, are located on the grounds of Esfahan AB, with the HAWK site likely situated to provide point defense of the airbase. The HQ-2 site and the remaining HAWK site are located south of Esfahan proper. An empty HAWK site is also located in Esfahan, likely representing a dispersal site for the battery at Esfahan AB.

The following image depicts SAM coverage in the vicinity of Esfahan:


Nuclear related facilities near Natanz are afforded a layered defense by recently-deployed tactical and strategic SAM ssytems. Natanz is defended by one HQ-2 site, three HAWK sites, one 2K12 battery, and four Tor-M1E TELARs. The tactical systems were deployed between September 2006 and September 2009; the increased air defense posture may signify an increase in activity at the nuclear facility.

The following image depicts SAM coverage in the vicinity of Natanz:


The Bushehr region, which contains a key nuclear facility, is defended by four HAWK sites and an HQ-2 battery. Two HAWK sites are located on the grounds of the Bushehr military complex, with a third site being located offshore on Khark Island, while the HQ-2 battery is located further inland from the military complex nearer to Choghadak. Bushehr AB is also home to an S-200 battery. There are three unoccupied HQ-2 sites and a single unoccupied HAWK site in the area as well. Three unoccupied sites are situated around the nuclear complex, perhaps suggesting that any weapons-related work has been moved from the facility to one of the various inland nuclear research and development locations such as Natanz. This would appear to be a sensible course of action given the serious vulnerability of the coastal Bushehr nuclear facility to enemy activity approaching from the Persian Gulf region. The remaining unoccupied HQ-2 site is located on an islet northeast of Khark island.

The following image depicts SAM coverage in the vicinity of Bushehr:


Bandar Abbas, home to most of the Iranian Navy fleet, including the deadly Kilo SSK fleet, is defended by one HQ-2 battery and one HAWK battery. There is an S-200 site in the region as well.

The following image depicts SAM coverage of Bandar Abbas:


[paste:font size="3"]Defending the Straits

The S-200 sites located in the vicinity of both Bushehr and Bandar Abbas provide Iran with a significant air defense capability over not only a good portion of the Persian Gulf, but also over the critical Straits of Hormuz. This SAM coverage, which can be further expanded thanks to the presence of unoccupied, prepared HAWK sites on the islands of Abu Musa and Lavan, allows Iran to provide increased air defense in conjunction with fighter aircraft to protect any naval operations in the region, including the potentially catastrophic mining of the Straits of Hormuz.
Air Defense Issues
The problem with Iran's strategic SAM deployment is the evident over-reliance on the S-200 system to provide air defense over most of the nation. The S-200 is certainly a threat to ISR aircraft such as the U-2R or E-3, but the primary threat which Iran must consider is that of standoff cruise missiles and strike aircraft featuring comprehensive EW suites. Against these types of low-RCS or maneuverable targets, the S-200 cannot be counted upon to be effective. Libyan S-200 systems proved completely ineffective against USN and USAFE strike aircraft in 1986, and the Iranian S-200s would logically be expected to fare no better in a much more challenging contemporary air combat environment.

As stated previously, the remainder of the SAM assets are primarily situated to provide point or local area defense and as such do not represent a serious threat to a dedicated and sophisticated enemy. Even lesser-equipped nations would be able to explot the various gaps and vulnerabilities in the coverage zones, provided the S-200s could be neutralized in some fashion, be it through ECM, technical capability, or direct attack. This raises the question of the importance of SAM systems to Iran's overall air defense network. Given the current deployment strategy, the small number of sites, and the capability of the systems themselves, it is likely that Iran places more importance on the fighter force as an air defense element. This would explain the continued efforts to retain an operational fleet of F-14A Tomcat interceptors. The short range of the HQ-2 and HAWK systems, coupled with the inability of the S-200 to effectively deal with low-RCS targets, also explains well documented Iranian attempts to purchase advanced SAM systems from Russia and China.

It is possible that Iran simply does not feel that a robust SAM network is necessary. Given the aforementioned terrain constraints in some areas of the nation, as well as the lack of a large number of what may be regarded by the Iranian government as potentially critical targets inside Iran, the Persian nation may have simply taken a minimalist posture, relying on the S-200 for long-range defense and the other systems as point defense weapons to defend Iran's critical military and political infrastructure.

Another reason for the lack of deployed SAM systems could be that the shorter-ranged HQ-2 and HAWK systems are no longer viewed as being effective enough to warrant widespread use. HQ-2 sites are currently 33% occupied, with HAWK sites being approximately 50% occupied, perhaps signifying more faith in the HAWK system but still demonstrating a potential overall trend of perceived un-reliability. Iran does have reason to suspect the reliability of the HAWK SAM system against a Western opponent, as the missile was an American product and has been in widespread use throughout the West for decades. The HQ-2, however, should be regarded as potentially more reliable, as it is not a standard (and widely exploited) S-75 but rather a Chinese-produced weapon with which the West should have a lesser degree of technical familiarity insofar as electronic counter-countermeasures performance, if not kinematic performance, is concerned.

A high ratio of unoccupied sites could be due to financial reasons (lack of operating funds may have resulted in a number of batteries placed in storage) or simple attrition (they may have been expended or destroyed in the Iran-Iraq War), of course, but those facets of the equation cannot be examined through imagery analysis alone. It should be mentioned that one possible source of attrition for the HQ-2 system is the conversion of many missiles to Tondar-69 SSMs to complement CSS-8 SSMs (HQ-2 derivatives) obtained from China. Many batteries may also be out of service for modification to Sayyad-1 standard, which represents a modification of the HQ-2 design with some indigenous components.

Conclusion

Superficially, Iran's ground-based air defense picture appears to be relatively robust thanks to the presence and reach of the seven S-200 batteries. However, a closer analysis reveals an overall coverage which is currently full of holes and vulnerabilities that a potential aggressor could exploit. The Iranian strategic SAM force is clearly in need of a serious upgrade, one which is more substantial than simply producing modified HQ-2 missiles. The presence of air interceptors and numerous terrain constraints do explain away some of the negative aspects of Iran's SAM network, but taken as a whole it represents a relatively ineffective form of defense against a modern agressor. Given the current political climate, it would be in the best interest s of the Iranian military to proceed with a widespread upgrade, with the most effective option being the purchase of S-300PMU-2 or S-400 SAM systems for Russia, or perhaps the more cost-effective and similarly capable HQ-9 SAM system from China. Incorporating either purchase into a package deal with modern fighter aircraft such as the Su-30MK or J-10 would result in a much more robust air defense capability.
Impact of S-300PMU1 / S-400 Deployment

 

[he-man]

s-200 is a relic now.
But iran was claiming they have made an indigenous system similar/better to s-300 last year/this year??