Sunday, April 17, 2011

Iran Test-Fires Air Defense System

Iran test-fires air defense system

Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:6AM
presstv.ir

Iran has successfully test-fired a new domestically-made air defense system, named Mersad, in an air defense base in the northern province of Semnan.

The commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, General Farzad Esmaili, told IRNA on Sunday that the Mersad air defense system is capable of hitting targets up to 150 kilometers away.

Esmaili said the system fired two Shahin missiles that hit their designated targets.

On Saturday, Iran tested another domestically-made air defense system, dubbed Sayyad-2 (Hunter II) -- the most accurate one it has manufactured so far.

The Sayyad-2 is an upgraded version of the Sayyad-1 system with higher precision, range and defensive power, and is comprised of two-stage missiles that can target all kinds of aircraft, including bombers, at medium and high altitudes.

It is also equipped with a 200-kilogram warhead and has a speed of 1,200 meters per second.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in important military equipment and systems.

In January, the Iranian Defense Ministry delivered new naval cruise missile systems to the Navy in yet another move to boost the nation's defense capabilities.

Iran also unveiled its first domestically-manufactured long-range Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in 2010.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic inaugurated the production line of two other domestically-built UAVs with bombing and reconnaissance capabilities.

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