Mersad

Mersad (Persian: مرصاد, meaning 'Ambush') is an Iranian low- to mid-range air defense system developed in 2010. It fires Shahin (Falcon) missiles which are reverse-engineered, domestically upgraded versions of the American MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missiles. It uses a series of domestically produced radars and electronic devices.

Mersad (Persian: مرصاد, meaning 'Ambush') is an Iranian low- to mid-range air defense system developed in 2010. It fires Shahin (Falcon) missiles which are reverse-engineered, domestically upgraded versions of the American MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missiles. It uses a series of domestically produced radars and electronic devices. ===Tests=== Iran tested the Mersad two days after Miqani's speech in an Air Defense Wargame called Defenders of the Skies of Velayat III. In this test, Iran shot down a UAV using its Mersad Air Defense System. Also on April 18, 2011, Iran tested two other Mersad missiles from a site in Semnan. Later it was announced that the missiles were not Shahin but a further upgraded one called Shalamche. Iranian Defense minister Ahmad Vahidi stated that the speed is now about Mach 3 with an increase of about Mach 0.6 . He called the missile state of art because of its new electronics which made it highly resistance to Electronic warfare. He said that the range of this missile is about 40 km and it is going to be increased. On May 16, Iran tested the new missile again in an air defense war game in eastern Iran. According to Iranian officials, the most important factors of new Mersad Phase I system are increase in range and a new advanced algorithm for guiding the missile into its target. On September 4, Iran announced that Shalamche missile is now being delivered to Iranian Air Defense Force. On November 14, 2012, The Shalamcheh missile was fired from the Mersad air defense system at a Karrar (UCAV), which was destroyed, during the Defenders of the Skies of Velayat 4 drill. In February 2017, a modified version of Mersad system was test fired during the Defenders of the Skies of Velayat in Semnan province alongside two other air defense systems. Based on reports new Mersad system can hit its targets in 35 miles away. This missile defense system was also tested at "Air Defense (Military) Exercise of Velayat-97" (with new missiles) in November 2018; Mersad's newest version was also tested at "military exercise of Velayat-98" in December 2019. ==Comparable SAMs== MIM-23 Hawk Iran tests Improved-version of Mersad Air defense system (Video of Phase I launch) An interview with Colonel Faramarz Rooh Afza about Mersad video of Semnan launch.

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