MOSCOW, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A Voronezh class radar system will be set up in Siberia by the end of 2012 as part of an overhaul of Russia's missile defenses, military officials say.
"This year a new generation radar will be put on combat duty. It is not complete but it is already working in the test regime," said Col. Alexei Zolotukhin, spokesman for the missile defense operations in the Russian Defense Ministry.
Irkutsk's radar will be the fourth Voronezh class radar location in Russia, RIA Novosti reported Sunday. Others are already operating in Lekhtusi near St. Petersburg, in Armavir in the Black Sea area and in Pionersky near Kaliningrad.
Voronezh class radars have a range of 3,728 miles and can track up to 500 objects.
Russia's Defense Ministry is planning on replacing all Soviet long-range radars and closing all gaps in radar coverage on Russia's boarders by 2020.
