Iran Receives Russian S-400 Air Defences For Testing - Reports

Defence affairs - birun info courtesy

Iranian media outlets have reported that a Russian S-400 long range air defence system was deployed to the country for testing under operational conditions, which took place near the city of Isfahan.

The test reportedly included a 91N6E acquisition radar, 92N6E engagement radar, a command and control unit, and multiple mobile surface-to-air missile launchers. Should these reports be confirmed, it remains uncertain whether this would signal that Iran has ordered the system, or whether the Russian Aerospace Forces have made a deployment to the country to advertise the system’s capabilities. Iranian officials previously indicated a lack of interest in the S-400, asserting that the indigenous Bavar 373 system could provide a comparable capability. Iran’s much more limited experience developing long range air defence systems and its much smaller technological base have nevertheless brought such claims into question.

Although Iranian government sources have claimed the Bavar 373 was responsible for three of the four reported shootdowns of F-35I fifth generation fighters during clashes with Israel in June, possible shortcomings with the system, a perceived need to diversify the air defence arsenal, or an inability to produce indigenous systems quickly enough, may have increased interest in the S-400. Should the decision to procure the S-400 system have been taken as a result of hostilities in June, it is likely that the system being tested in Iran is manned by Russian personnel, since there has not been sufficient time to re-train Iranian crews. The fact that the Iranian Air Defence Forces have operated the S-300PMU-2 system since 2016, however, which is a direct predecessor to the S-400, could allow the newer system to be brought into service much more quickly by re-training these personnel.