Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 18
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran will use long-range drones in the rapid response military drill dubbed Muharram which will be held Oct. 19-20 in the western and northwestern parts of the country, Commander of Army's Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said.
Iran has increased range of its home-made drones, Pourdastan said, adding a main part of the upcoming wargame will include drone operations, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported Oct. 18.
He further said that optimized versions of two indigenously designed and manufactured tanks Zulfiqar and Samsam also will take part in the military drill.
The army will also use transport and assault helicopters in the wargame, Pourdastan said.
"Army's transport helicopters are equipped with rocket launchers and machine guns with 12.7 mm and 7.6 mm caliber," he noted.
The commander added that Iranian weapons are proportional to potential threats.
"We have manufactured weapons commensurate with the threats, to deal with them."
The Muharram military drill will be carried out by the Iranian Ground Force, Air Force, and Khatm-ul-Anbia Air Defense Headquarters.
The two-day wargame has a security-defensive approach and will employ Army's latest achievements, according to the Iranian military officials.
Army's First Deputy Commander Brigadier General Kiomars Heydari said that Iran's rapid response platoons are formed according to the nature of threats.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Muharram maneuver press conference, he said Iran's rapid response troopers who have passed special trainings are armed with the latest home-made equipment including RPG-29 rocket launchers.
Iran, being under international restrictions, has so far benefited from domestic specialists to improve its military power, frequently unveiling new products.
As a result of the embargo imposed along with sanctions on the country, Iran's military capability has become very limited compared to that of the US and NATO.
Iran has been manufacturing its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats, submarines and fighter planes since 1992.
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