Persian Gulf & Middle East Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

‘First shot’: Iran tests Bavar-373 system aimed to substitute Russian S-300

Tehran has showcased an indigenous long-range air defense system, the Bavar-373 missile, developed as an alternative to the Russian S-300 after Moscow canceled its contract.

"Bavar-373 has fired a first successful shot," the commander of the Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base, Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli, told Iranian state TV on Friday.

According to Iranian security officials, the new system is better than the Russian S-300, as it is able to track over 100 targets, just like the Russian system but with a higher targeting capability.

"We believe that 'Bavar' and '3rd of Khordad' missile shields are better than some other long-range missile defense systems of the country," ol-Anbia added, Fars news reports.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered the development of the missile system, after then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev banned armed sales to the country in light of UN sanctions against Tehran. Following the move, Iran filed a $4 billion lawsuit against Russia in the international arbitration court in Geneva.

The S-300 is a long-range surface-to-air missile system produced by NPO Almaz. It is designed to be used as a defensive weapon against aircraft and cruise missiles.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Air Defense commander boasted that the country's defense systems will track down all of Islamic Republic's enemies if they fly over Iran's airspace.

“We give a warning to the enemy’s aircraft before entering the Islamic Republic’s airspace, and deem any kind of intruding drones or planes of enemy a threat, and shoot it down immediately in case of entry [into Iran],” Colonel Mahmoud Ahmadi, commander of Iran’s southwestern Air Defense zone, Tasnim news reported.

This follow an August 24 incident, when the country's forces shot down a stealth drone thought to be sent from Israel. The invading “Hermes” aircraft was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile.

Iran has also unveiled plans to increase the number of air defense sites from the current 3,600 to 5,000, according to Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli.

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Iron Dome Blunts 90% Of Enemy Rockets
Overall, Iron Dome missile deflection proves effective through 50 days of conflict
Sep 1, 2014

Out of the Israelis’ conflict with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, at least one success story has emerged: Israel’s Iron Dome counter-rocket system. With 735 interceptions of rockets and mortar bombs, Iron Dome demonstrated improved performance, scoring an almost 90% success rate.

Of 4,594 rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip in 50 days of conflict, Iron Dome failed to intercept only 70 rockets where the system was deployed. One Israeli civilian was killed by a rocket, three other civilians and nine servicemen were killed by mortars, but there were no fatalities in the areas protected by the Iron Dome. The operational results appear to contrast with an ongoing academic debate in the U.S. about the system’s efficacy.

Iron Dome has intercepted more than 735 rockets and failed to catch 70 of them. Still, no casualties were reported in areas protected by the counter-rocket and mortar system. Credit: Zeev Stein
“This is an unprecedented and significant strategic achievement,” Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told Aviation Week. “Iron Dome almost negated Hamas’s [the Islamic Resistance Movement’s] medium- and long-range capabilities,” added a senior Israeli air force officer. “Those 735 rockets intercepted represent dozens of Israeli casualties whose lives were saved.” ...

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Jeff Head said:

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This was personnel in a RHIB that was deployed form the Island class cutter, USCGC Monomoy.

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Scratch said:

While the report indicates a very good performance by Iron Dome, I don't think those 70 leakers were heading for unpopulated or palestinian territory. Those were the almost 3.790 rockets that weren't even engaged because they didn't fit the threat matrix.
The 70 leakers were bound for areas deemed worthy of defending, wich is why they were engaged in the first place.
Still, catching over 735 out of just over 800 rockets is a great job.

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plawolf said:

What's the US Coast Guard doing in the Persian Gulf? A little outside of their jurisdiction no?

I also detect more than a hint of double standards here. When was the last time a US naval warship didn't train at least machine guns on Iranian speedboats that came within a mile of them?

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