TEHRAN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran plans to further increase the operational range of its recently upgraded homegrown surface-to-air Bavar-373 missile system to 400 km, a senior Iranian military commander said Tuesday.
Making the remarks in an exclusive interview with the official news agency IRNA, Commander of the Iranian Army's Air Defense Force Alireza Sabahi-Fard said the system is currently capable of hitting targets within a range of 305 km.
In its recent test, Bavar-373 was able to detect ballistic missiles as well, he added.
Sabahi-Fard warned against any illegal entry into the Iranian airspace, saying any violation of the country's airspace will receive a "crushing response."
He noted that the missile system is also capable of targeting the fifth generation fighter aircraft equipped with stealth technology.
Iran on Sunday unveiled the upgraded version of the Bavar-373 missile system, IRNA reported.
During a test, its upgraded radar managed to detect a target at a distance of more than 450 km, and track the target at a distance of about 405 km before destroying it at a range of over 300 km.
The Bavar-373 system made its first official appearance on Aug. 22, 2019. ■
