The Daryal early warning radar, based near the town of Pechora in the Komi Republic, will undergo in-depth modernization without being taken off duty before 2016, Aerospace Defense Forces spokesman Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said.

"Given the Daryal early warning radar's large modernization potential, all of its key systems will be upgraded without taking the radr off duty, which will make it more reliable in operation, enhance its tactical and technical characteristics, and lower energy demand," he said.

"The radar's zone of coverage extends to a larger part of northern Russia, the United States and Canada. It defends Russia from possible missile attacks, overcoming various types of active and passive jamming, ionospheric disturbances, geophysical anomalies and polar glow. It is the world's most powerful VHF-band radar," Zolotukhin said.

The radar was developed by the Academician Mints Radio-Engineering Institute and entered service on March 20 1984.

Since it went online 30 years ago it has been controlling the northern missile-threat sector, detecting about 700 ballistic missile and space rocket launches. It is capable of detecting small-size targets at super-long distances, including geostationary orbits.

Source: Voice of Russia