Bavar 373; Hunter of Enemy's F-35 and F-22 Fighters

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The Air Defense Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, along with the defense units of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, plays a significant role in ensuring the security of the country's airspace. Media reports indicate that there are approximately 3,500 defense points across the country to monitor potential enemy movements and respond to them, with various defense systems operating at these locations. One of these systems is the Bavar-373, which is recognized as Iran's first indigenous long-range air defense system, and its design, production, and operationalization took nearly 2 decades.

Before the Islamic Republic of Iran designed and produced the Bavar-373 air defense system, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran sought to purchase and deploy the S-300 missile defense system from Russia, which had various capabilities and could engage multiple targets simultaneously. Purchasing this system from the Russian Federation had many ups and downs, including Russia's failure to deliver it as promised, which ultimately led the Islamic Republic of Iran to file a complaint against Russia. This issue culminated in an international court ruling in favor of Iran and Russia being ordered to pay compensation. Finally, with the delivery of the S-300 system to Iran in 2016, the country withdrew its complaint against Russia. Some media sources have suggested that the system may have been delivered earlier, but its official unveiling took place during the Armed Forces parade in 2016.

Before the process of purchasing and delivering the S-300 was completed, due to the critical importance of defending the country's airspace and Russia's failure to deliver the system as promised, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, emphasized the necessity of designing and producing a powerful air defense system to effectively counter threats and issued an order in this regard. Following this order, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran began their efforts, which resulted in the production of a fully indigenous system called "Bavar-373," with its initial design dating back to 2008.

Getting to know the features of the Bavar 373 missile defense system

The term "Bavar-373" is derived from 2 parts: "Bavar," meaning strong belief and confidence in accomplishing a task, and "373," which, according to Abjad numerology, is derived from the name of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Bavar-373 consists of various components, including radar, sensors, and missile launchers, which give it unique characteristics. This system was first unveiled in 2019 in the presence of then-President Hassan Rouhani. The range of the Bavar-373 system exceeds 300 kilometers, significantly contributing to the security of Iran's airspace.

Brigadier General Abbas Azimi, the commander of the Northwestern Air Defense Zone, stated: "The Northwestern Air Defense Zone is described as one of the busiest airspace regions in the Islamic Republic of Iran, with 800 to 1,100 flights daily, and is considered the aerial gateway to European countries, holding great importance."

He added: "The range of missile systems used in Iran before the revolution was about 40 kilometers; however, today, the Bavar-373 missile defense system, the result of domestic experts' efforts, has a range of over 300 kilometers."

The website "Defense Security Asia" writes: "In its recent military exercises, Iran has utilized a system capable of disrupting the performance of aerial targets (referring to fighter jets and drones)."

The website adds: "This system has a range of 300 to 400 kilometers and is comparable to other long-range systems in the field of weaponry. The Bavar-373 can destroy fighter jets, guided missiles, and drones at long ranges."

The website "Defense Security Asia," referring to the unique capabilities of the Bavar-373 system, adds: "The system consists of 3 main components: radar, optical sensors, and a command and control system, and can destroy targets. Key elements of the Bavar-373 system include transport vehicles, the 'Me'raj-4' vehicle equipped with a powerful active electronically scanned array radar, and sensor systems." The website also mentions the electronic equipment of the "Bavar-373" system: "The system features an X-band radar that effectively operates up to a range of 450 kilometers, with its maximum operational altitude between 27 to 32 kilometers."

Media reports indicate that the Bavar-373 system has kept radar-evading F-35 fighter jets away from Iran's borders during the Zionist regime's airstrikes on Iran. According to field reports, this system can effectively counter ballistic and cruise missiles as well as unknown threats. The system's capabilities at even longer ranges have been documented, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Army's military exercises in testing the Bavar system serve as strong evidence of this claim.

The strategic Bavar-373 system can hit aerial targets in combat by direct missile hits or by the warhead fragments of the missile, preventing aerial targets from entering its operational zone.

One of the strengths of the Bavar-373 missile defense system is the "Sayyad" missile, which destroys hostile targets with devastating power and a speed 8 times the speed of sound. This missile can effectively hit targets within a 300-kilometer range and is considered a powerful component of the Bavar-373 system.

Many systems, such as the vertical launch missile system, 360-degree missile rotation technology, and target tracking, have been operationally integrated into this missile system. Another capability of the Bavar-373 missile defense system is that its production cost is significantly lower than that of similar foreign systems. For example, the S-300 missile system, which the Russian Army gifted to Belarus in exchange for services, is estimated to be worth around $2.5 billion, whereas the cost of producing a similar Iranian system is certainly lower.

The integration of the "S-300" and "Bavar-373" systems

The process of enhancing the performance of the "Bavar-373" continues, and during a recent national air defense exercise, the integration of the "S-300" and "Bavar-373" missile defense systems was announced, leading to an increase in the Islamic Republic of Iran's air defense capabilities.

The website "Jane's Defense" states that on February 5, Iran announced the integration of the "Bavar-373" and "S-300" missile defense systems using the "64N6E2" and "Tellar" radar systems. A report from Iranian television on February 5 showed that the new version of the "Bavar-373" launcher and transport radar (TELAR) with a system search radar and a launcher from the "S-300" system has been deployed at a location identified as an air defense base south of Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Additionally, in mid-February, the upgraded version of the Bavar-373 system was unveiled in the presence of the President. According to field reports, the speed and range of the missiles in the "Bavar-373" air defense system have been enhanced. Another change in the system, displayed in February, was the addition of missile guidance fins until the moment of impact.

The importance of strengthening the country's air defense has led to the production of the second generation of the Bavar-373. Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya, Air Defense Base, recently stated in an interview with Defa Press: "The new generation of the Bavar-373 air defense system will be unveiled in the near future, and its capabilities will be unmatched by any air defense system in the world."

Since the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution's order to develop an indigenous air defense system, capable experts in the defense industry and the armed forces have not only produced the Bavar-373 system but also various other air defense systems with different ranges and features, ensuring that, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the skies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are the safest in the region.