IRGC Announces Production of Drone with Missile Capability
Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari announced that his forces have built a new type of military drone with missile capability.
Speaking at a press conference here in Tehran on Sunday, Jafari pointed to Iran’s latest achievements in area of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) production, and stated, “Shahed 129 drone presents the IRGC’s latest advancement in this field. With its 24-hour-long non-stop flight capability, the drone can accomplish good missions in reconnaissance and combat fields.”
The commander added that Shahed 129 can hit and destroy targets from a far distance with its Sadid (Iron-Strong) missiles.
Earlier this month, a senior Iranian defense official announced that Iran plans to equip its military drones with missile capabilities.
“We observed the operation of Iran’s combat Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) in the recent wargames conducted by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and we plan to mount missile systems onto these drones,” Deputy Defense Minister for Industrial and Research Mohammad Eslami told FNA at the time.
Early in July, the IRGC Aerospace Force conducted three days of massive missile drills, codenamed Payambar-e Azam 7 (The Great Prophet 7).
In March 2012, Iranian experts managed to produce a new type of drone which is capable of carrying out military and border patrol missions.
I wonder how Iran was able to develop this technology:
Iran ‘building copy of captured US drone’ RQ-170 Sentinel
Iran has begun building a copy of the US surveillance drone it captured last year, after breaking its encryption codes, Iranian officials say.
“The Americans should be aware to what extent we have infiltrated the plane,” General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, military aerospace chief said.
The RQ-170 Sentinel was shown on Iranian state television last December.
Tehran says it was brought down using electronic warfare; Washington says it malfunctioned.
US Senator Joe Lieberman dismissed the claim that a copy was being made as “Iranian bluster” saying, “they’re on the defensive because of our economic sanctions against them”.
Say it ain’t so Joe.
David DeGerolamo
