Iran Unveils Two New Air Defense Systems Named Azarakhsh and Arman
On February 17, Iran unveiled several new military acquisitions, including the Arman anti-ballistic missile system and the Azarakhsh low-altitude air defense system, at a ceremony in the capital Tehran. High-level political and military officials, including Iranian Minister of Defense Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, attended the new military systems’ unveiling ceremony.
“Today, we are witnessing the unveiling of two great achievements in the defense industry,” Iranian Minister of Defense Brigadier General Reza Ashtiani said during his speech at the ceremony. Ashtiani also stated that the two new systems will contribute significantly to strengthening the country’s air defense and said:
“The Arman long-range air defense system produced by the Ministry of Defense has the capacity to fire on six different targets at the same time. It focuses on the target within three minutes. The Azarakhsh low altitude air defense system will protect important and strategic centers within the country against UAV and UCAV attacks. The fact that it can be mounted on a vehicle, operate day and night, and be activated via the 3D radar system will make this air defense system faster and more effective against enemy targets.”
According to Iranian media, the Arman anti-ballistic air defense system, also known as Tactical Sayyad, can detect 24 targets from a 180-kilometer range and engage 6-12 targets at a distance of 120 kilometers. The system includes X-band PESA radar and vertical launch ramps, which work together to neutralize targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, helicopters, and drones. Arman’s three rectangular launch pods can launch Sayad-2 missiles with a range of 70 km and Sayad-3 defense missiles with a range of 150 km.
Azarakhsh, which means ‘lightning’ in English, is the latest addition to Iran’s existing low-range air defense systems, which include Mersad, Ya Zahra, and Kamin-2. The Azarakhsh system includes a 3D radar system with a detection range of 50 km and EO/IR sensor systems with a detection range of 25 km. The system will utilize four guided missiles on the launch vehicle to eliminate the threats it detects. These missiles are thought to be copies of the American AIM-9 A2A missiles.