Iran Equips Army Fleet With over 200 Strategic Drones

Friday 21 April 2023 - 14:04

https://english.iswnews.com/?p=27836

ISWNews Analysis Group – The ceremony of adding more than 200 state-of-the-art strategic drones to the Army fleet was held in the presence some top Iranian generals and officials.

In the Thursday ceremony, over 200 strategic long-range UAVs were handed over to the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in the presence of Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Abdorrahim Mousavi, Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani and Deputy of Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Aziz Nasirzadeh as well as a number of other military and administrative authorities.

Different types of strategic drones, including Ababil 4 and 5, Arash 2, jet powered UAV Karrar, Shahrivar 10^th UAV, Akhgar, a drone similar to the IRGC’s Meraj 521, Homa along with sea-based drones and vertical flying UAVs, were added to the Iranian Army with the aim of pursuing different missions such as reconnaissance, obliteration, combat reconnaissance, radar evasion, interception airborne to confront portable and stationary targets. The new drones, added to the Army, enjoy Low Radar Cross Section (RCS or σ).

Iran Equips Army Fleet With over 200 Strategic Drones

The drones have been designed and manufactured by the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics in cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The UAVs have got modifications in propulsion, direction, control and navigation systems to be added to air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, standoff and smart bombs, as well as electronic warfare systems; so, they are ready to carry out special missions with the use of features such as the stealth and range increase.

A strategic agreement for the development and upgrade of drone capability and installed equipment on the UAVs were signed by Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Abdorrahim Mousavi and former Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami on May 17, 2021.

In accordance to the agreement, the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics was tasked to manufacture 1,000 drones and hand over them to the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in line with upgrading the combat power and destruction might of the drone fleet of the Army.