TEHRAN — Iran’s army branches tested on Monday locally-developed missiles, torpedoes and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the second day of joint large-scale drill in the Sea of Oman and surrounding waters.
“All the systems used in the exercise are domestically-manufactured and state-of-the-art technology at the global level, whether in the fields of reconnaissance, radar systems, electronic warfare and others,” said Brigadier General Alireza Sabahi Fard, commander of the Iranian Army’s air defense force.
The air defense force is one of four army branches taking part in the exercise, code-named Army’s Zolfaqar-1400, he said at a press briefing on the sidelines of the drill, reported the official news outlet of Iran’s army.
Surface-to-surface equipment used from the coast on sea targets included anti-ship cruise missiles Ghader, Nasr and Ghadir, said Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, the spokesman for the drills.
A target vessel locating 200 km off the coast was successfully hit using medium-range Ghader, launched from a tactical missile site off the Makran coast, he added.
Nasr was used from a launcher ship of the army’s naval force on surface targets, also with success, the spokesperson also said.
Mousavi added that Ghadir hit its surface target from a 300-km distance, also shot from a launcher ship.
A feature of the exercise was the use of the Arash suicide drone, which hit predetermined targets successfully, he added.
Another drone, electronic warfare and anti-radar UAV Omid, was put to the test to neutralize simulated enemy radars.
Tareq and Ghadir-class submarines confronted surface and subsurface simulated threats using a variety of torpedoes, and a Tareq-class submarine was used to launch a DM1 sea mine, the spokesman also said.
Additionally, simulated aggressors were neutralized by rockets and smart precision artillery fired by ground units, attack helicopters operated by the army’s air force, and combat drones.
During the night from Sunday to Monday, the Mersad air defense system shot down a hostile air target in coordination with Iran’s integrated defense network, said Mousavi.
The main aim of the Zolfaqar-1400 drill is coordinating Iran’s military staff and acquainting younger servicemen with technical knowledge, said the Commander of the Iranian army’s naval forces Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, on the sidelines of the drill.
Today, Iran has the upper hand on the battlefield in case of confrontation, noted Irani.
The exercise kicked off on Sunday under the command of the Army’s Zolfaqar base, with the participation of the Iranian army’s Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense.