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Iranian Air Defense Systems

Since the site is still up, I feel confident to speak about some detail products:

The product X-MR is basically all you need in terms of radar for a Iranian Pantsir.
It is also what you need for the most critical component of the Bavar-373 system: the engagement radar.
The most powerful thermal camera on the site represents a breakthrough in countering ECM, stealth and decoys.

These 3 things are probably more important than anything else on the site, including inflatable RV decoy and the Iranian Nebo variant.

The X-MR would be the ideal complete radar package solution for a Iranian Pantsir.
X-band AESAs are traditionally expensive but compared to the Pantsir-S1 and even -S2, you can skip having two PESA or a PESA and a planar array.
You safe the cost for a second radar and make the system significantly more compact by having a single, somewhat expensive AESA radar.
The system would probably have a single Phalanx-like radome smaller than any of the two Pantsir radars and perform the same task.
It may look like a luxury engineering solution to simply use a AESA to get a Pantsir-like system, something a country of lower skill would do at the cost of a much more expensive system doing the same task.
But I'm confident that Iran has gone that way because their research allowed to mass-produce a X-band T/R module that is cost effective enough.
Achieving that was a major goal for Iran because its Bavar-373 engagement radar needs more than 10.000 such X-band TRM modules for each radar.
A mass-production true factory scale production is needed to allow for this. Rohani talked about air-defense to get founds on national-scale level.
So now with the first appearance of a Iranian X-band AESA, I think the major thing here is that mass-production factory for X-band TRMs.

Only such a mass-production level output could push the price per TRM low enough to create a "AESA-Pantsir or AESA Tor-M1". A key requirement would be to develop a X-band TRM that has an useful power-level at the lowest possible price. The main hurdle is that this would be a semi-conductor factory with probably 1000+ employees. Iran has no strong previous capabilities in semi-conductor/waver mass-production.

Not only a compact multi engagement Iranian Pansir and Bavar-373 engagement radar become possible with the X-MR. It also makes it likely that the 3rd Khordad uses a X-band AESA and allows for a CIWS that also uses Pantsir like missiles in addition to 30mm AK-630 variant, etc.

Added to this comes a thermal camera that can detect head-on fighter at extended 150km.
Equipping all those systems, from Bavar-373 to Iranian-Pantsir to a missile CIWS with such a high performing camera for tracking AND search, opens up a whole new dimension of a passive sensor. Sensor fusion of TI, optical channel and radar (in case of Bavar-373 multi-band) would make these systems significantly more deadly. 150km is extended range and if engine exhaust is visible then the range increases to 300km.
- Passive long range detection and engagement becomes possible
- Determining true target, if enemy successfully employs ECM, becomes possible
- Chaff and towed decoys can be effectively rejected via sensor fusion
- Identification andIFF can be done early + decoys like MALD can be determined as well as targets representing a lower threat.
- Like multi-band radar networks can distinguish LO/VLO/stealth targets from conventional ones, long range passive detection can also be used for determining this two cases.
 
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Since the site is still up, I feel confident to speak about some detail products:

The product X-MR is basically all you need in terms of radar for a Iranian Pantsir.
It is also what you need for the most critical component of the Bavar-373 system: the engagement radar.
The most powerful thermal camera on the site represents a breakthrough in countering ECM, stealth and decoys.

These 3 things are probably more important than anything else on the site, including inflatable RV decoy and the Iranian Nebo variant.

The X-MR would be the ideal complete radar package solution for a Iranian Pantsir.
X-band AESAs are traditionally expensive but compared to the Pantsir-S1 and even -S2, you can skip having two PESA or a PESA and a planar array.
You safe the cost for a second radar and make the system significantly more compact by having a single, somewhat expensive AESA radar.
The system would probably have a single Phalanx-like radome smaller than any of the two Pantsir radars and perform the same task.
It may look like a luxury engineering solution to simply use a AESA to get a Pantsir-like system, something a country of lower skill would do at the cost of a much more expensive system doing the same task.
But I'm confident that Iran has gone that way because their research allowed to mass-produce a X-band T/R module that is cost effective enough.
Achieving that was a major goal for Iran because its Bavar-373 engagement radar needs more than 10.000 such X-band TRM modules for each radar.
A mass-production true factory scale production is needed to allow for this. Rohani talked about air-defense to get founds on national-scale level.
So now with the first appearance of a Iranian X-band AESA, I think the major thing here is that mass-production factory for X-band TRMs.

Only such a mass-production level output could push the price per TRM low enough to create a "AESA-Pantsir or AESA Tor-M1". A key requirement would be to develop a X-band TRM that has an useful power-level at the lowest possible price. The main hurdle is that this would be a semi-conductor factory with probably 1000+ employees. Iran has no strong previous capabilities in semi-conductor/waver mass-production.

Not only a compact multi engagement Iranian Pansir and Bavar-373 engagement radar become possible with the X-MR. It also makes it likely that the 3rd Khordad uses a X-band AESA and allows for a CIWS that also uses Pantsir like missiles in addition to 30mm AK-630 variant, etc.

Added to this comes a thermal camera that can detect head-on fighter at extended 150km.
Equipping all those systems, from Bavar-373 to Iranian-Pantsir to a missile CIWS with such a high performing camera for tracking AND search, opens up a whole new dimension of a passive sensor. Sensor fusion of TI, optical channel and radar (in case of Bavar-373 multi-band) would make these systems significantly more deadly. 150km is extended range and if engine exhaust is visible then the range increases to 300km.
- Passive long range detection and engagement becomes possible
- Determining true target, if enemy successfully employs ECM, becomes possible
- Chaff and towed decoys can be effectively rejected via sensor fusion
- Identification andIFF can be done early + decoys like MALD can be determined as well as targets representing a lower threat.
- Like multi-band radar networks can distinguish LO/VLO/stealth targets from conventional ones, long range passive detection can also be used for determining this two cases.
Excuse me don't you think the Korean has a better and cheaper solution to produce the k-30 it uses one research radar and optical system for guidance or I am wrong thanks
 
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Time to talk about some basic details of the IEI products:

The Meraj-4 (Bavar-373) has a higher volume search performance than the S-400's 91N6 Big Bird.

It is also a hybrid ESA (similar to Ibris-E) --> a linear AESA (which Ibris-E is not) in transmit mode and a single element-per-element AESA in receive mode, whereas the 91N6 is a pure PESA.

It is much more compact than the 91N6.

The field in which the Big Bird is superior are ABM modes and its integrated sector scan mode.
Here the Bavar architecture splits this task to the dedicated Bavar-373 acquisition radar (taking the place of the 92N6 Chease board in S-400). The S-400 on the other hand uses the 91N6 by giving it a twice higher update rate than the Meraj-4 (two janus arrays) and allow for a sector search mode while performing volume search

Here Bavar-373 design philosophy goes another way and one statement is fact: Comparing both systems, the Meraj-4 has a somewhat longer detection range than the Big Bird. If upper echelon IADS information warns the S-400, it can track the target earlier by using the Big Bird in sector search mode.
However also the Meraj-4 could concentrate its energy (BT mode) on a specific sector if the target is given to it by IADS.

So the result is that in terms of hardware power, the Meraj-4 is higher performing than the 91N6, which is a huge achievement. Chinese even copied the Big Bird, while Iran develops its own solution. That solution is nothing highly expensive like a full element janus faced AESA but a very cost effective hybrid array solution.
Chinese (meanwhile) and Russian are masters in radar technology but Iran is catching up in a innovative way.

Good analysis, but you’ve forgot the fact that the early warning radar can only detect the target, not shoot it down. That’s the function of the illuminating/fire control radar to guide the missile towards the target.
 
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Excuse me don't you think the Korean has a better and cheaper solution to produce the k-30 it uses one research radar and optical system for guidance or I am wrong thanks

K-30 is another class of systems, Iran has systems like the Mesbah-2 for that role. Pantsir class systems are for defense against supersonic weapons at extended ranges --> via missiles.
But I agree: TRM cost must be pushed to lowest possible for such an AESA Pantsir to become economical. Otherwise a Mesbah-2 with Seraj optical/TI search system is a really great and very potent solution.

Good analysis, but you’ve forgot the fact that the early warning radar can only detect the target, not shoot it down. That’s the function of the illuminating/fire control radar to guide the missile towards the target.

Its about fine tracking, signature pattern identification and high update rates for ABM and SAM mid-course functions. Here the Big Bird does it in a special way as each S-400 battery lacks a starring acquisition radar.
That solution is a legacy from 40 year old S-300P series design decisions. The Big Bird will still experience a 50% blind spot in which no continuous track is possible, even with its janus faced array. The Bavar-373 on the other hand will have continuous track.
Fine track for SAM terminal phase is then provided by the engagement/illumination radar which is avoided to be used in order to avoid warning until the last seconds.
 
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2010
watch from 1:50


watch from 1:26
Not all component were ready then.
And come on in 2010 the system could not even launch a mortar . it was just some drum put on the truck . it was when Russia refused to send the s-300 and some body taught its funny to made that.
 
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Not all component were ready then.
And come on in 2010 the system could not even launch a mortar . it was just some drum put on the truck . it was when Russia refused to send the s-300 and some body taught its funny to made that.
Those were the older versions of S-300 missiles (PMU-1 or older) Iran had already acquired unofficially in order to counteract low RCS aerial targets. Very interestingly, in the same army parade one could identify all the required components of a S-300 battery in order to detect and engage low RCS targets:
1- Nebu Radar for initial detection & data acquisition
2– Tomb Stone (or advanced versions of the older Flip Lid) engagement & fire control radar
3- Missiles/Launchers

5C841399-DCD6-49BD-B083-5ED44A1EBCB2.jpeg

Back then, some reliable sources such as Jane’s Defence had reported the presence of S-300 systems in Iran. Even El-Manar news agency had released a footage related to Iranian military capabilities, in which one of the components of a S-300 battery with Sepah emblem was depicted.
Iran apparently had changed their operational arrangement from mobile/semi-mobile batteries to immobilized batteries, with underground launchers, most probably around its nuclear facilities, to protect these valuable AD systems from the first round of SEAD missions, and of course for secrecy. It is unlikely, but even maybe the purchased system were already supplied to Iran in an immobilized version. For that reason (being already immobilized and under-grounded) we could see them only once back then during the peak of nuclear crises, when Israel used to frequently threaten and warn Iran for air strike. Also, those equipment had been loaded on Babr-400 military trucks, rather than standard Belarusian MAZ trucks, which was another clear sign of the system being stationary. So, once Russia stopped supplying the newer versions of the potent S-300 to Iran, Iranian authorities ordered the military section to demonstrate the presence of S-300 to foreign media.
The type and source of those initial batches of S-300 systems have been always a confusion and mystery. As I mentioned earlier, the demonstrated engagement radar was either the Tomb Stone or an advanced (unusual literally) version of the older Flip Lid, neither of which were a part of the legacy S-300PT systems, which were claimed to be obtained by Iran then.
Now, after officially owning advanced mobile S-300 batteries (PMU 2+), whether or not Iran wants to still keep the older versions as fixed batteries, or put them back to mobile systems is not known.
 
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Those were the older versions of S-300 missiles (PMU-1 or older) Iran had already acquired unofficially in order to counteract low RCS aerial targets.
Those were only barrels put on a truck . the truck even didn't have a jack to rise those barrels .
 
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