The air defense system was first presented to the public in September 2012 during a military parade. Due to the arms embargo against the Islamic Republic of Iran, this country has increasingly developed its own air defense systems since the 1990s to replace outdated technology and demonstrate that Iranian nuclear program facilities can be effectively protected against air attacks. Therefore, as in other armed forces, a multi-layer defense strategy has been followed consisting of short, medium and long range systems. The Raad medium-range system, together with the Bavar-373 air defense system, is designed to cover the medium and long-range segments. According to the Fars news agency, it is designed specifically to attack American-made fighter jets, helicopters and drones. Initial tests were conducted during the Velayat 91 exercise in December 2012 using Taer surface-to-air missiles.
