Iran Claims they can Detect US F-35 Jets with Bavar-373 Missile System From 300 Km

Iran unveiled an upgraded version of its Bavar-373 (Belief-373) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system on November 8. The upgraded system is said to have a range of more than 300 kilometers, and as per claims, it can engage stealth aircraft like the F-35 at long distances. 

Iranian Defense Minister Mohammadreza Ashtiani attended the unveiling, during which the system was successfully tested by launching a long-range Sayyad B4 (Hunter B4) missile.

During the test, the upgraded radar of the Bavar-373 system reportedly managed to detect a target at a range of more than 450 kilometers. It tracked the target at a distance of around 405 kilometers before destroying it at a range of over 300 kilometers.

Prior to the upgrade, the system could only detect the target at 350 kilometers, track at 260 kilometers, and engage from 200 kilometers.

According to unverified reports, the tests seem to have used HESA Karrar targeting drones for the long-range Sayyad B4 missiles to shoot down.

The radar cross section (RCS) of a Karrar drone is known to be 1.64 meters square, and it is believed that during the tests, the X-band engagement radar used by the system was able to get a lock on to the target at a range of 376 kilometers.

It was also reported that the missile’s maximum altitude increased from 27 to 32 kilometers. Iran Air Defense Force (IRIADF) Commander, said that a target drone was destroyed at an altitude of 40,000 ft (12.2 km), wich means that if the RCS of the Karrar drone and the performance of this X-band radar against it is taken as a reference for comparison with the F-35, which has an RCS of 0.0015 – 0.005 meters squares, the Bavar-373 could engage the American fifth-gen stealth aircraft at around 90 kilometers.

eurasiantimes