Iran Army strengthens military capacity with new military achievements
By Sara Rajabova
Iranian Army is set to unveil new military vehicles and simulation systems in the near future.
Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan has announced that optimized Scorpion armored personnel carriers and simulation systems will be unveiled in the Iranian calendar month of Azar (November 22 - December 21, 2013), Press TV reported.
The Iranian commander further stated that the Iranian Army's Ground Forces plan to stage drills involving infantry and artillery regiments in the southeastern part of the country in the Iranian month of Aban (October 23 - November 21, 2013).
Over the past years, Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.
Also, recently, Iran has unveiled a domestically manufactured vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle, which can take photos, videos, and control traffic.
The Mahnad-41 drone, which was designed and manufactured by Iranian technicians of the Khallaqiyat Kavir Company, was put on display in the city of Isfahan on July 14.
The VTOL drone is capable of taking photos and video footage while flying and can be used to control traffic, technically inspect electricity transmission towers, and generate digital topographic maps of target sites.
It can also be used in the agricultural sector, the petrochemical industry, and dam and tunnel construction projects.
The remote-controlled aircraft weighs about 680 grams, can fly at 56 kilometers (34 miles) per hour, and has a flight range of 400 meters.
Khallaqiyat Kavir Company Managing Director Hamed Bastani commented on the new drone at the unveiling ceremony in Isfahan, which is located about 340 kilometers (211 miles) south of Tehran.
Bastani said the low production cost compared to similar foreign aircraft and the fact that it is domestically designed and manufactured are some of the advantages of the Mahnad-41.
Iran unveiled its first domestically manufactured long-range combat drone, the Karrar (Striker), on August 23, 2010. It reportedly has a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and can carry two 115-kilogram bombs or a precision-guided munition weighing 227 kilograms.
The Karrar can bomb targets at high speed. It uses a rocket assist system to help it take off and is recovered by parachute.
The first Iranian medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, the Shahed-129 (Witness-129), was unveiled in September 2012. The aircraft is capable of carrying out combat and reconnaissance missions for 24 hours.
Iran has repeatedly assured other nations, especially its neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to other countries, insisting that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.