Iran’s Short-Range Missile Defense System
Last month, sources reported that Iran had begun working on a new advanced mid-range air missile defense system called Mersad. The announcement came shortly after Iran urged Russia not to cave to international pressure over its deal to deliver S-300 missiles to the rogue state.
This week, Iran announced that it has developed a short-range missile defense system to defeat Cruise missiles. (Source)
“A new short range anti-Cruise defense system with the capability to fire 4,000 rounds of bullets per minute has been produced at the defense ministry and soon will be inaugurated,” defense minister Ahmad Vahidi said. “We are at the design and production phase of various defense systems in the short, medium and long-range categories.”
The Defense Intelligence Agency recently reported that Iran may have the capability to hit the U.S. with an intercontinental ballistic missile, with North Korea’s help, as early as 2015. In 2020, the U.S. will have a Europe-based second shot capability to defend against Iran’s ICBM. Consequently, there will be a five-year protection gap against Iran’s ICBM. Our current plan for homeland defense are interceptors in California and Alaska
