Armenia unveils upgraded Iranian-made Majid air defense system during Republic Day Parade.

Armenia publicly unveiled an upgraded Iranian-made AD-08 Majid short-range air-defense system during the Republic Day parade in Yerevan, a development reported on May 28, 2026, that signals a stronger focus on countering drones, cruise missiles, and other low-altitude threats within its evolving air-defense network. The new configuration combines the Majid’s established electro-optical targeting system with an onboard radar, expanding detection and reaction capabilities against difficult-to-track targets and improving performance in challenging weather conditions.

The addition of radar surveillance to the infrared-guided AD-08 enhances target acquisition while preserving the system’s low-emission engagement profile, increasing its effectiveness against UAVs, loitering munitions, and low-flying aircraft. Integrated alongside Armenia’s S-300PS, Tor-M2KM, and Akash systems, the upgraded Majid strengthens the country’s layered air-defense architecture and reflects a broader shift toward mobile defenses optimized for persistent drone and precision-strike threats.

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The Majid (AD-08), first publicly revealed by Iran in April 2021, was developed as a short-range, low-altitude surface-to-air missile system specifically intended to engage threats that are often difficult for larger radar-guided surface-to-air missile systems to counter effectively. (Picture source: X/Patarames)

On May 28, 2026, Armenia displayed at least two Iranian-made AD-08 Majid short-range air-defense systems during the Republic Day parade in Yerevan, revealing a configuration not previously seen outside Iran. Unlike the original Majid unveiled in April 2021, the Armenian variant combined the standard electro-optical fire control suite with a planar-array radar mounted on the launcher, according to Patarames. Earlier Majid systems relied primarily on passive target acquisition and imaging infrared-guided missiles rather than radar support, and the AD-08 gained prominence during the 2026 Iran war after reportedly hitting U.S. F-35 stealth fighters.

The Armenian configuration appears to represent a more complete and potentially export-oriented variant that combines passive sensors with active surveillance, potentially addressing limitations associated with adverse weather, low-signature targets, and the field-of-view constraints of electro-optical sensors. The AD-08 appeared within a broader modernization display reflecting Armenia's military restructuring after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and subsequent border confrontations. Indian acquisitions included the Akash surface-to-air missile system, Pinaka multiple launch rocket system, and ATAGS 155 mm towed howitzer.

Russian equipment included the S-300PS long-range air defense system, Tor-M2KM short-range air defense system, Iskander-E ballistic missile system, and T-72 main battle tanks, while the French CAESAR 155 mm self-propelled howitzer made its first public appearance in Armenian service. Assets acquired over the previous decade, such as BM-30 Smerch launchers, Osa-AKM air defense systems, armored personnel carriers, and tactical vehicles, were also displayed. Within this force structure, the AD-08 complements the S-300PS, Tor-M2KM, and Akash within a layered air-defense network extending from area defense to point defense around military formations and critical infrastructure.

First unveiled by Iran in April 2021, the AD-08 was developed to engage small UAVs, loitering munitions, cruise missiles, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft that are often inefficient targets for larger radar-guided SAM systems. According to official specifications obtained from Iran's Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics brochure, the Majid system consists of the AD-08STO electro-optical detection and tracking system, the AD-08CC command-and-fire-control subsystem, the AD-08L launcher, and the AD-08 interceptor missile. The Majid can engage four targets simultaneously under all-weather conditions.

Unlike conventional SHORAD systems, the original Majid emphasized passive engagement through electro-optical tracking rather than continuous radar illumination, reducing emissions while maintaining effectiveness against low-altitude threats. The AD-08 missile measures 2,670 mm in length, 156 mm in diameter, and weighs 75 kg, including a 14 kg warhead. Engagement range extends from 0.7 to 8 km, and engagement altitude from 0.2 to 5 km. Early launchers carried two missiles, while later production vehicles (either the Iranian-made Aras-2 4×4 tactical vehicle or the Iveco Daily 4×4 light truck) adopted a four-canister configuration, doubling ready-to-fire capacity.

The missile is launched from angled canisters, uses a proximity fuze, and relies on passive imaging infrared homing for terminal guidance. In October 2023, the missile was adapted for use with the jet-powered Karrar drone, expanding its potential employment options beyond ground-based launchers. The defining feature of the original AD-08 architecture was its passive engagement cycle. Detection and fire control were performed through a sensor suite combining a daylight camera, thermal imager, and laser rangefinder. The system provides a 15 km acquisition range, 360-degree azimuth coverage, 0-48 degree elevation coverage, and simultaneous processing of four targets.

Because the acquisition range is nearly twice the missile's maximum engagement distance, operators can establish target tracks before threats enter the firing envelope. Since neither the fire control sequence nor the missile requires radar illumination, adversarial aircraft or drones receive no conventional radar-lock warning. The absence of continuous radio-frequency emissions also reduces vulnerability to a response with anti-radiation missiles and certain electronic warfare techniques. The radar installed on the Armenian vehicle represents the most significant visible modification.

Earlier Majid units could operate alongside the Kashif-99 mobile phased-array radar, designed to detect small aerial targets and reportedly capable of tracking up to 300 contacts simultaneously. However, similar radar-equipped Majid systems appeared in Iran during late 2025. The radar's size suggests a search-and-cueing role rather than missile guidance, since the interceptor remains infrared-guided. The addition improves detection of low-thermal-signature UAVs, low-radar-cross-section targets, and threats obscured by haze, dust, clouds, or precipitation, while reducing reaction times through automatic cueing of the electro-optical tracker toward detected contacts.

Operationally, the AD-08 occupies the lowest layer of Iran's ground-based air-defense network beneath the 9 Dey, Khordad-15, Mersad, Bavar-373, and S-300PMU-2 surface-to-air systems, focusing on threats that penetrate medium- and long-range engagement zones. Its 0.7-8 km engagement envelope corresponds closely to the flight profiles of tactical UAVs, loitering munitions, and low-altitude reconnaissance assets. Simultaneous engagement of four targets provides greater resistance to saturation attacks than single-channel SHORAD systems, while radar integration improves performance against drone swarms and small low-observable targets. Moreover, combining radar surveillance, electro-optical tracking, thermal imaging, laser ranging, and imaging infrared guidance introduces sensor redundancy and increases resilience when one detection method is degraded. 

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.