Iran has launched its long-range sea-based air defense missile, Sayyad-3G, for the first time during a large-scale naval exercise in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, amid heightened tensions with the United States.
The missile was fired from the warship Shahid Sayyad Shirazi as part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy’s “Smart Control” naval drills, according to reports published Saturday by Anadolu Agency.
The Sayyad-3G is a naval variant of Iran’s domestically developed Sayyad-3 surface-to-air missile system. Iranian authorities said the missile has an operational range of approximately 150 kilometers and is capable of vertical launch, enhancing rapid-response air defense capabilities at sea.
The “Smart Control” exercises began on February 16 and continued for three days in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes. Analysts view the drill as a signal of Tehran’s intent to strengthen its layered air defense shield in regional waters.
Iranian officials claim that deploying the system aboard vessels, including the Shahid Soleimani-class warships, will enable the creation of a broader maritime air defense network. The land-based version of the Sayyad-3 missile was first tested on December 28, 2016, with a reported range of 120 kilometers.
The latest launch underscores Iran’s ongoing efforts to enhance its naval deterrence posture at a time of rising geopolitical friction in the Gulf region.
