Baku, Azerbaijan, April 7
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Senior Iranian commander says that The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has equipped its speed boats with the home-made cruise missiles.
Iran has armed IRGC Navy's speed boats with long-range "Qader" cruise missiles which can destroy maritime targets including frigates and warships, deputy commander of the IRGC Navy General Alireza Tangsiri said, Iranian Fars news agency reported on April 7.
In September 2011, Iran unveiled its 200-kilometers range Qader anti-ship cruise missile with a high-precision striking capability and the Iranian defense industries have mass-produced the missile. Iranian media outlets claimed that the missile enjoys automatic digital pilot system, high-precision navigation systems, high-precision striking capability, anti-jamming radar systems and a rapid deployment capability.
Tangsiri also noted that the IRGC's MIL17 helicopters are equipped with Nour cruise missiles with a range of 120 kilometres. Anti-ship Nour cruise missile systems are ultra-advanced and self-relying systems which have remarkably improved in radar, satellite, precision, range and navigation terms compared to their predecessors.
The IRGC has also mounted short-range Nasr cruise missiles on its 206 mini helicopters, the commander added.
The smart Nasr missiles are assessed as a good complementary weapons system for Iran's coastal defense units which are equipped with various types of missiles and artillery systems.
Iranian media outlets report that Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years. Tehran established an arms development program during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s to counter the weapons embargo imposed on it by the U.S. and its Western allies.
Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats, submarines and fighter planes. Iran also unveiled its first domestically-manufactured long-range Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in 2010.