Tehran is enhancing its defenses against aerial and missile attacks by expanding its horizon radar system, with a new component being the Nazir radar, located in the mountainous province of Gilan on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Reports about the new radar have come from several Iranian sources, including Islamic World News. However, from the perspective of Defense Express, it should be noted that satellite images of this radar indicate that its construction began as early as 2022, and by the end of 2023, the main structure of the antennas appeared to be nearing completion.
Moreover, the radar system consists not only of antennas but also a complete complex of receiving and transmitting equipment, power systems, and more. It is quite possible that the new radar has only recently been put into operation or has just started functioning.
The declared capabilities of Nazir include detecting objects at a range of up to 800 km and at altitudes of up to 30 km. Tehran claims that it can track and monitor low-observable objects such as cruise missiles, as well as detect ballistic missile launches. This development was first showcased back in 2015.
Given the location of the new radar, it is intended to cover the northern surveillance zone, which had previously been a gap in the Iranian air defense system. It is effectively directed toward the Russian Federation and is even expected to monitor parts of Dagestan and Chechnya. Additionally, it completely covers the territories of Azerbaijan, Armenia, eastern regions of Turkey, as well as parts of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Notably, Azerbaijan is evidently a key player in this context. At the very least, Iranian sources report that during the recent attacks from Israel, some were launched from the northern direction. For this, Israeli pilots utilized the airspace of Azerbaijan, suggesting that Iran will now be able to anticipate threats from that direction.
It is also worth mentioning that the new Nazir radar is strategically positioned at the summit of Mount Sumam, which stands at 3721 meters, making it the highest point in the region. This elevation provides a radar horizon for detecting a target at an altitude of 50 meters at approximately 280 km. This means that at this maximum range, the radar should be able to detect a hypothetical cruise missile, provided it has sufficient sensitivity to do so.
However, the stated detection range of 800 km for Nazir can only be realized for objects at an altitude of about 18 km, even from such a peak. Meanwhile, the radar should be able to see an aircraft at an altitude of 5 km at a range of about 500 km.