TEHRAN – Indigenously-built
Iranian air defense systems on Saturday shot down hostile drones during large-scale military exercises, which the Iranian army is carrying out in a zone spanning from the country’s southeastern ports and waters to the northern tip of the Indian Ocean.
During the main stage of the Zolfaqar 1401 joint drills, Iranian army forces practiced detection and downing of a range of aerial targets with various radars and advanced homegrown air defense systems.
Low-altitude Majid air defense missile system and Khatam artillery fire control system were employed, and they could down several unmanned aerial vehicles.
Majid is an agile electro-optical air defense missile system, and reportedly has an operational range of eight kilometers. It is equipped with a long-range thermal optical system, and is paired with Khatam artillery fire control system to hit designated targets.
Also, the army’s reconnaissance drones surveyed the war game zone, and transmitted the collected intelligence and topographic images to the joint operations command center.
Combat drones carried out close air support (CAS) operations and attacked ground sites as well.
Moreover, the attack helicopters of the airborne division of the ground force undertook sorties in turbulent weather conditions.
Zolfaqar 1401 drills kicked off late on Thursday night, and feature parts of the infantry, armored and mechanized units, surface, sub-surface and flying vessels, air defense systems, members of the marine commando force, and strategic bombers.
The drills’ spokesman, Brigadier General Alireza Sheikh, said the exercises are meant to promote training and combat readiness and implementing some operational and intelligence plans to improve the security of the region.
Commander of the military exercises Deputy Army Chief Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Thursday the maneuvers bear the message that regional countries can ensure peace in their neighborhood through joint cooperation, without relying on outsiders.
The drills involve submarines and drones “practising information-gathering operations against attacking forces”, as well as reconnaissance operations, he said on Friday.
Tehran, which opposes the presence of U.S. and Western navies in the area, holds annual war games in the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for some 30 percent of all crude oil traded by sea.
During similar exercises last year, Iran’s military said it warned off two U.S. drones that overflew waters where the drills were being held.
In May, state television broadcast footage of an air base for drones under the western Zagros Mountain range.