Iran Aerospace Industries Organization
Khordad-3
A mobile medium-range Iranian surface-to-air missile system using the Sayyad-2 interceptor and a phased-array engagement radar, notable as the system Iran claimed shot down a US RQ-4A Global Hawk drone over the Strait of Hormuz in 2019. Engagement figures are Iranian government claims not independently verified.
In service since 2014
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
75
km range
27,000
m altitude
4
targets
105
km radar
Pricing: Engagement range and altitude figures are Iranian government claims, not independently verified
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Sanctioned origin
Under multilateral sanctions; acquisition carries severe legal/financial exposure for most buyers.
Channel: State channel
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 2014. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Engagement range
Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace.
- 75 km Stronger than 57% of air-defense systems
- Engagement altitude
Maximum target altitude the system can reach.
- 27,000 m Stronger than 73% of air-defense systems
- Simultaneous targets
Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks.
- 4 Stronger than 22% of air-defense systems
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- Sayyad-2 interceptor missile
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Semi-active radar homing, Command guidance mid-course
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Radar
Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.
- Phased-array engagement and acquisition radar
- Radar range
Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first.
- 105 km Stronger than 37% of air-defense systems
Specifications compiled from public Iran Aerospace Industries Organization and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3? +
The Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3 has a maximum engagement range of 75 km.
What is the main armament of the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3? +
The Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3's primary weapon is the Sayyad-2 interceptor missile.
What is the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3 used for? +
The Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3 is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How much does the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3 cost? +
Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Khordad-3: Engagement range and altitude figures are Iranian government claims, not independently verified. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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