Iran on Tuesday unveiled and successfully tested a new home-made long-range radar system named Sepehr (Sky) with the capability of detecting satellite and space objects' trajectories.
"The Sepehr radar system covers a range of over 2,500 kilometers and can detect stealth targets and micro UAVs at low, medium and high altitudes while it can also very easily identify and detect ballistic, semi-ballistic and cruise missiles," Lieutenant Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Shahrokh Shahram said addressing the unveiling ceremony today.
The commander underlined that Sepehr could successfully pass all tests.
Earlier today, the radar went under a last test of operation and assessment, and General Shahram said the results were successful and "the information gathered by the radar during its last assessment test today was for the first time fed into the country's integrated radar and air defense network".
The General said Sepehr provides the air defense units to identify hostile targets far from the country's borders, leaving them with more time for decision-making and reaction.
In August 2013, Iran announced that it has finalized construction of space radars to detect satellite and space objects' trajectories, adding that the country is now using new passive phased array radars to detect stealth targets and cruise missiles.
"The executive stages of Sepehr (Sky) space radar with the range of over 2,500km have been accomplished and the point for its deployment has also been specified," Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli told reporters in Tehran at the time .
He also pointed to the designing and building of new passive phased array radars under the name of 'Soundless Project', and said, "The radar is capable of detecting stealth (radar-evading) targets and cruise missiles and enjoys a high movement and mobility capabilities and acts in different ranges."
In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.
Iran has locally made radar systems with different ranges up to some 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers).
In May 2012, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said Iran is mass-producing Ghadir Radar systems in great numbers, adding that the radar system covers areas over 1,000km in distance.
"This radar system can cover areas around 1,100 in range and its designing and production project ended early last (Iranian) year and is now being mass-produced," Hajizadeh told FNA at the time.
In June 2011, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps put into operation the new home-made long-range Ghadir radar system that enables its forces to monitor low-altitude satellites.
The Ghadir radar system which covers areas (maximum) 1,100km in distance and 300km in altitude has been designed and built to identify aerial targets, radar-evading aircrafts, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles as well as low-altitude satellites.
The Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.