Bavar-373: Iran’s new home-grown air defence system unveiled

Iran unveiled its new home-grown air defence system called Bavar-373 during a ceremony held on Iran’s ‘National Defence Industry Day’. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has ordered to add Bavar-373 to country’s missile defence network.

The unveiling takes place against a backdrop of rising tensions between and Iran and United States (US) since US President Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to unilaterally withdrew US from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action also known Iran nuclear deal (2015) and reimposing sanctions on Iran.

About Bavar-373 Missile System

The word Bavar means ‘believe’ in Farsi. It is being touted as Islamic republic’s 1st domestically produced long-range missile defence system.

Features–

It is a long-range mobile surface-to-air missile system.

Range: more than 200 kilometres (124 miles)

This long-range missile system is suited to Iran’s geography.

It competes with Russia’s S-300 and USA’s Patriot systems. It is being touted as a system better than Russia’s S-300 and close to S-400.

Background

Iran began making Bavar after the purchase of Russia’s S-300 system was suspended in 2010 due to international sanctions imposed on it. However, in March 2016, Iran installed S-300 system following several years of delays, after the JCPOA nuclear agreement was reached between Iran and the P5+1 (China France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) on 14 July 2015, which allowed lifting of international sanctions on Iran.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2019