Iran Unveils S-300 Surface-to-Air Missile System

A formation of three Saeqeh-1/2 aircraft (a version of the F-5 modified by Owj Industries, with twin tailfins) was part of the flying display. During Tehran’s military parade, the Iranian air force flew 24 fighter aircraft including the F-4E, F-5F, F-14A, FT-7, Mig-29B/UB and Saeqeh.

A formation of two Iranian F-14As and one F-4E, along with a Boeing 707-3J9C tanker, took part in the flying display. The Iranian air force, the last user of F-14s since the U.S. Navy retired the type in 2006, has managed to keep the F-14s airworthy for nearly four decades, despite sanctions on Iran and the resulting lack of spare parts for the Tomcats.

A pair of Iranian army Boeing CH-47C Chinook helicopters were among the approximately 50 army helicopters that participated in the Tehran parade, including the Bell 206, 209 and 214. 

Iran displayed elements of the Russia-supplied S-300 air defense system, which includes a command post, truck for towed long-range target acquisition radar and mobile radio antenna. 

Iran received the first batch of S-300 systems this month, nine years after the contract was signed. The deal was blocked in 2010 due to pressures from the West.

The truck pictured will tow the Russian S-300 system through Iran. 

A domestically manufactured radar system called Hafez was on display in the parade as well. Hafez is a medium-range, phased array, active radar with a range of 250 km (155 mi.). 

The Iranian air force displayed the new Fakour-90 air-to-air missile that was developed for use on the Iranian F-14 fleet. It is an upgraded version of the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missile, which Iran received with the F-14 from the U.S. in 1970. 

Zoobin, a television-guided air-to-surface missile, was part of the first generation of Iranian precision-guided munitions. Other precision-guided munitions displayed during the parade were the GBU-67/9A Qadr, an electro-optical glide bomb; GBU-78 Qassed; Sattar-4 missile; and an Iranian land-attack cruise missile.

An S-200 surface-to-air missile system also was in the parade.

The Talash medium-range surface-to-air missile system is a reverse-engineered version of Raytheon’s RIM-66 Standard MR missile. The Iranian army classifies the Talash as the second member of the Sayyad family of air-defense weapons.

The parade included the Noor/Qader long-range anti-ship cruise missile, a reverse-engineered upgraded variant of the Chinese C-802 missile.