TEHRAN – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) navy on Saturday took delivery of sophisticated homegrown missile systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and armament featuring state-of-the-art technologies suitable for electronic warfare.
The new hardware including drones and 1,000-km range missiles was supplied to the IRGC naval force during a ceremony attended by IRGC chief Major General Hussein Salami, IRGC Navy chief Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, and other military officials.
They have all been developed by military experts at Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), a subordinate of the Iranian defense ministry and a leading high-tech complex headquartered in Tehran, the Marine Industries Organization, the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO), Iran Electronics Industries (IEI), and Iranian knowledge-based firms.
Various types of reconnaissance and combat drones, as well as different types of armored command and logistics vehicles, surveillance systems, and electronic warfare systems are among the equipment added to the capabilities of the IRGC’s navy.
The IRGC navy also took delivery of different types of cruise missile launcher trucks, radar and command systems, and several hundred cruise and ballistic missiles with ranges between 300 and 1,000 kilometers.
In remarks at the event, Admiral Tangsiri described the new equipment as a “major and effective step” on the path of expanding the combat capabilities of the IRGC navy.
He noted that the new cruise and ballistic missiles are furnished with artificial intelligence, have longer ranges, can be prepared for launch instantly, destroy the enemy’s electronic warfare systems, and hit designated targets from various directions.
The new drones have longer flight endurance, are armed with larger and heavier munitions, can be used in electronic warfare circumstances, detonate mobile targets, and strike naval targets with great pinpoint accuracy, he said.
Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities.
Earlier this week, Washington said it could soon offer to put armed sailors and Marines on commercial ships in the Persian Gulf.
Last month, it said it would send additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with a warship to the Middle East, to monitor waterways. About a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
Admiral Tangsiri said Saturday the new missiles had better precision as well as longer range. “The cruise missiles can attack several targets simultaneously and the commands can be altered after take-off.”

Gen. Salami said any spot in international waters and high seas is now within the naval sphere of influence of the Islamic Republic.
Both the IRGC navy and the Iranian navy, he said, have established their presence beyond coastal waters, extending their sphere of influence to encompass every corner of the oceans.
The general further expounded on how the positioning of enemy forces in close proximity to Iran has served as an opportunity that helped the Iranian armed forces broaden their deterrent capabilities, and devise a comprehensive plan to enhance their military prowess and counter adversaries.
Iran’s military might and sphere of influence are now recognized worldwide, Salami said, emphasizing that Iran has turned into a main actor in the geometry of power in West Asia and around the world.
The IRGC chief commander also praised Iranian naval forces for protecting the country’s national interests and maritime borders.
Late last month, Iranian Navy chief Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said his forces were committed to achieving an effective and successful presence in the international arena and raising the Iranian flag.