TEHRAN -- The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) will hold a massive drill across the nation today, enlisting as many as five airbases and featuring a variety of military aircraft.
Army Air Force commander Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi told IRNA on Wednesday that the 10th edition of the Devotees of the Velayat Sanctuary will be held with the participation of a wide range of aircraft and drones, including dozens of fighter jets, bombers, military transport aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft.
The drilling squadrons, he said, will be flying Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft, long-range supersonic F-4 fighter bombers, F-5 fighter aircraft, F-7 fighter jets, RF-4 fighter bombers, Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets, F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft, as well as indigenously-developed Sa’eqeh (Lightning) fighters during the one-day exercise.
They will be backed by Boeing-707 and -747 aerial refueling airplanes, transport and freight aircraft, in addition to homegrown Karrar (Striker), Kian, Ababil (Bird Flock), Arash, and Kaman-12 (Bow-12) unmanned aerial vehicles that are equipped with rockets, precision-guided missiles, long-range smart bombs and radar jamming devices.
The commander of the IRIAF said the participating units have been deployed to five bases across the country, including Shahid Babaei Airbase in the central Isfahan province and Shahid Fakouri Airbase in Tarbiz, over the past few days.
The maneuvers, Vahedi said, are aimed at “assessing the combat capabilities of IRIAF units, increasing preparedness of interceptors, practicing the implementation of reconnaissance and operational plans, and establishment of a right model that would suit real-life battle.”
He said that “long-range endurance of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force fighter jets outside their defensive spheres, pinpoint accuracy of bombs and rockets in air-to-surface strikes as well as surveillance of the operational zone” will be put to test during the massive drills.
Moreover, air-to-air missiles will be fired to test their high destructive power.
Vahedi said all kinds of homegrown and upgraded systems and ammunition, including heavy and semi-heavy smart bombs, plus all kinds of laser-guided, thermal and radar-evading missiles will be used during the exercise.
The aerial drills will be commanded by the IRIAF Command Center in Tehran, using sophisticated, multi-layered and secure communication systems.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great progress in developing and manufacturing a broad range of domestically-manufactured equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in this regard.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to build up its defense capabilities, emphasizing such abilities are entirely meant for the purpose of defense and will be never subject to negotiations.