Iran will boost air defense power capability for its armed forces 0509111

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Defense News - Iran

 
 

Monday, September 5, 2011, 12:11 AM

 

Iran will boost air defense power capability for its armed forces.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian Defense Ministry delivered large numbers of home-made mid-range surface-to-air missiles to the country's Air Defense Unit on Sunday in a move to boost Iran's air defense power and capability.
     

The Iranian Defense Ministry delivered large numbers of home-made mid-range surface-to-air missiles to the country's Air Defense Unit on Sunday in a move to boost Iran's air defense power and capability.
Mersad Iranian air defense missile system

     

During a ceremony attended by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, the Defense Ministry supplied Shalamcheh missiles to Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base.

Addressing the ceremony, Vahidi said that Shalamcheh is a Mach 3 mid-range missile that can also be used as a short-range air defense system.

The minister added that Shalamcheh is equipped with the latest technology and enjoys a high capability in tracing and intercepting targets and in defusing jamming and electronic warfare.

He said the missile traverses a range of 40km, but meantime underlined that the range of the missile would be increased in future versions and generations.

In April, Iran successfully test-fired Shalamcheh and another mid-range Hawk missile named 'Shahin' capable of tracing and targeting aggressive aircraft at low and medium altitudes.

The two Shahin missiles were launched from a home-made air defense system named 'Mersad'.

The Mersad air defense shield is a completely indigenized system developed by the Iranian experts and technicians to promote the country's combat power.

The system was deployed in all Army air-defense units to boost the country's air-defense power.

The Mersad system equipped with Shahin missiles is capable of tracing and targeting any enemy aircraft at 70 to 150km altitude and is considered as a mid-altitude system among the country's missile shields.