Iran testing components of missile system more advanced than S-300

TEHRAN,Jan.2(MNA) – The components of the Iranian Bavar 373 (Belief 373) missile system, which will be a replacement for the Russian S-300 missile system, are being tested, the commander of the Khatam-ol-Anbiya Air Defense Base announced on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaeili said that the Defense Ministry personnel’s work to complete the manufacture of the long-range missile system is well underway. Esmaeili had previously said that the Bavar 373 (Belief 373) missile system is more advanced that the S-300 missile system. Russia signed a deal to deliver five batteries of S-300PMU-1 air defense systems to Iran in 2007 but cancelled the sale in September 2010, claiming the systems, along with a number of other weapons, were covered by the fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program. The S-300 system, which can track targets and fire at aircraft 120 kilometers (75 miles) away, features high jamming immunity and is able to simultaneously engage up to 100 targets.