The Fars News Agency anounced on Sunday that the Iranian Army plans to increase the range of its home-made UAS and also equip its reconnaissance unmanned aircraft with missile-launching systems, according to an Iranian commander.
Speaking to the Fars News Agency, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army’s Self-Sufficiency Jihad, Rear Admiral Farhad Amiri referred to Iran’s capability in designing and building different types of unmanned aircraft, and explained that UAS are usually used for collecting intelligence and information, wiretapping, photography and shooting footage, but they can also be used for other purposes on the basis of their power and capabilities.
“For example, in naval missions we need long-range UAS or we need the unmanned aircraft which have the capability to launch missiles, each of which needs its own special technology. Of course, all these (projects) are on our working agenda in a move to satisfy our needs during the next two years,” he added.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in August unveiled the country’s first home-made combat UAS. The Karrar UAS is capable of carrying a military payload to carry out bombing missions against ground targets. It is also capable of flying long distances at a very high speed.
Also, Iran in early February 2010, inaugurated the production line of two home-made UAS with bombing and reconnaissance capabilities. The two hi-tech unmanned aircrafts named ‘Ra’d’ (Thunder) and ‘Nazir’ (Harbinger) are capable of conducting long-range reconnaissance, patrolling, assault and bombing missions with high precision. Ra’d which is a UAS of choice for assault and bombing missions has the capability to destroy the specified targets with high pinpoint precision.
Experts believe that once the UAS enters the scene of aerial missions, it would enhance the reconnaissance, patrolling and defensive power of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Force. Iran has recently made good progress in the air industry and has succeeded in gaining the technical know-how for producing stealth aircraft and unmanned aircraft.
Iran successfully tested a home-made radar-evading UAS with bombing capabilities in June 2009. Also in 2008, the country’s Defence Industries launched production lines of two well-known home-made fighter jets, namely Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) and Azarakhsh (Lightning).
Source: Fars News Agency