TEHRAN -- A senior commander on Monday praised the capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation, saying it is now a “strategic unit” and stands at the cutting edge of technology.
“The Army Aviation is today on the edge of technology, and its weapons and special equipment cannot be compared with those during the Sacred Defense” against the former Iraqi regime’s war on Iran in the 1980s, head of the force Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari said here on the sidelines of a ceremony here to commemorate the martyrs of Iran’s Army Aviation.
“Today, the Army Aviation has turned into a strategic force … from a tactical unit,” he said.
Heidari also hailed the unit’s offensive capabilities and measures taken towards the mechanization of its navigation system.
The Army Aviation is equipped with strategic missiles, which have a range of 200 kilometers, and all its flying objects can navigate and fly at night, he noted.
Also on Monday, head of the Iranian Army’s Air Defense Force Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard said his force has always been developing and making progress despite unfair sanctions.
The force, he added, is equipping, optimizing, updating and increasing the efficiency of its air defense systems while upgrading its drones in an attempt to cut reliance on foreign countries.
Sabahifard further expressed hope that Iran’s Air Defense Force would be able to share its scientific and technical experience with other countries by the lifting of sanctions.
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 which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.