In a continuous effort to provide adequate protection to its key military and oil production facilities, the Islamic Republic has been seeking to either upgrade or develop its own air defense systems or to import advanced weapon systems from its traditional suppliers of military equipment, including Russia.
The new Iranian system is designed to destroy multiple air targets in all weather with high precision, the TV report said.
Military experts believe that Iran has been unable so far to construct a nationwide, integrated air defense network, and continues to rely on point defense of key locations with surface-to-air missile batteries.
Iran lacks the low altitude radar coverage, overlapping radar network, command and control integration, sensors, and resistance to jamming and electronic countermeasures needed for an effective air defense net.
Iran reportedly has small numbers of Chinese-made SA-2 Guideline and Russian SA-5 Gammon SAMs. Some sources claim that the country might have as many as 25 SA-6 launchers.
Russia has recently completed the delivery of 29 TOR-M1 (SA-15 Gauntlet) air defense missile systems to Iran under a $700 million contract signed at the end of 2005.
