TEHRAN -- The Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Force has launched the upgraded versions of a series of domestically-developed missiles during large-scale military exercises in Isfahan which end on Saturday.
Codenamed Eghtedar (Authority) 1402 and held in Nasrabad region, the drill saw the Army Ground Force’s mobile assault brigades, armored divisions and squadrons of helicopters fire upgraded versions of Shafaq (Dawn), Almas (Diamond) and Dehlaviyeh missiles.
Dehlaviyeh twin-arm laser-guided missile launcher was recently installed on the M113 armored personnel carriers of the Army Ground Force.
Iranian military experts have extended the range of both the ground-based and air-based versions of Dehlaviyeh missile from 5.5 kilometers to 8 kilometers.
Iranian forces also launched the air-based version of Shafaq missile during the drills. The missile is reportedly capable of carrying a 50-kilogram warhead at a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. It can destroy targets within a range of 20 kilometers.
Homegrown Almas missile is paired with an automatic fire control system, and can strike various targets within a range of 8 kilometers. The air-based version of Almas is mounted on Bell Cobra 209 choppers and combat drones.
Moreover, the Iranian Army Ground Force employed high-explosive Sina and Fateh smart bombs, which can detonate fixed and mobile targets within a range of 10 kilometers, in the drills.
The bombs are reportedly furnished with a warhead of between 300 to 1,000 grams, and can be used against various targets in ground combat. They are said to have an operational period of 10 to 15 minutes.
They enjoy an intelligent guidance system, and have the ability to track targets from the moment they are launched until they hit them. The bombs were tested and assessed in action for the first time during Eghtedar 1402 military drills, and successfully destroyed the designated targets.
Additionally, Bell 206 helicopters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force conducted nightly combat operations.
The choppers flew over the exercise area, surveyed it and transmitted collected information online to the command control center.
Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters also launched air-to-surface missiles, destroying the positions of the mock enemy. They were hit with the help of night vision systems.
On Saturday, an attack helicopter of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Force successfully test launched the domestically-developed Haydar air-to-ground missile.
The missile fired by a Bell 214 chopper struck the designated target from a distance of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) away, and completely destroyed it.

The Haydar is reportedly furnished with the Global Positioning System (GPS), enabling the pilot to have complete control over the projectile and navigate it towards the intended target.
It is said to be 3.83 meters long and weighs nearly 40 kilograms. The air-to-ground missile is capable of carrying a 20-kilogram warhead, and can destroy fixed and mobile targets within a range of tens of kilometers.
The missile, given its significant destructive power, will be employed to destroy armored units as well as concrete bunkers of the enemy.
Moreover, Ababil-4 multirole tactical unmanned aerial vehicles dropped indigenous Qaem-5 bombs on mock enemy positions, hitting designated positions at a distance of 7 kilometers away.
Qaem-5 smart glide bomb comes with an infrared seeker mode that enables it to engage with various fixed and mobile targets both at night and day, and in adverse weather conditions.
Iranian military forces hold routine exercises according to a detailed schedule in various parts of the country in order to test their weaponry and equipment and evaluate their combat preparedness.
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.
The chief commander of the Iranian Army on Saturday lauded the country’s progress in military capabilities and defense power, stressing that the Islamic Republic maintains full defensive and combat readiness to deal with any potential threat.
Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said the Army Aviation, with the preparation and formation of more than 200 helicopters during Eghtedar 1402 military drills, successfully carried out numerous flight missions in both combat and combat support fields in day and night.
Mousavi underlined that the said capabilities as well as the accurate transportation of troops by helicopter in different locations bespoke the leap and improvement of the fleet’s capabilities at the West Asia level.
The commander described his evaluation of the ongoing drills as positive and said the Army plans and organizes several exercises in accordance with its schedule to improve training and defense and combat preparations throughout the year.
“Eghtedar 1402 military drills by the Army’s Ground Force have been conducted with the aim of evaluating the level of training and reviewing the points of weakness and strength, and finally developing and promoting the country’s defense and combat power in the face of forthcoming threats,” Mousavi noted.