Roundup: Iran wraps up large-scale military exercise with "valuable results"

Iran's army ground forces concluded a large-scale military exercise in the country's southeastern parts on Tuesday, reported Tasnim news agency.

The drill, codenamed "Muhammad Rasulullah-4" (Muhammad, the Messenger of God), began on Sunday in an area over 220,000 square km southeast of Iran.

Commander of Iran's army ground force Brig. Gen. Kiomars Heidari hailed the results of the maneuver and said that military delegations and referees monitoring the war game confirmed it had achieved "good results."

Heidari said one of the main features of the war game, repeatedly stressed by Iran's supreme leader, was employing local weapons and tactics.

The drill was a message for both friends and foes that Iran's military capabilities can smash enemies and counter threats decisively, he said.

Furthermore, drill spokesman, Kamal Payambari, said on Tuesday that the drill achieved all its targets and achieved "valuable results" in the ground warfare sphere.

The drill was the largest-ever tactical combat exercise by the army ground force rapid reaction units, Payambari said, adding that a broad range of homegrown weapons were employed in the war game, helping young officers acquire adequate experience.

The theme of the military exercise was to contribute to "regional security and sustainable peace with defensive power and Islamic unity," he said, adding that the war game proved that regional countries can counter all threats when united and in solidarity, without needing foreign forces.

On Tuesday, the army flew new drones for various purposes such as reconnaissance, combat, suicide offensives, and dropping air-to-surface missiles, said the report.

Among the drones to display its capabilities on Tuesday was the M2-N, a reconnaissance drone used to monitor and control the exercise process.

Equipped with a 360-degree camera on its nose gear, the M2-N can be armed with missiles due to launchers installed beneath its wings.

Its operating radius has also been extended to 150 km and its flight capacity reached six hours.

With a flight ceiling of 11,000 feet, the pilotless aircraft can travel at a maximum speed of 180 km (112 miles) per hour.

The 90-kg drone, with a 3.8 meter wingspan, takes off on a pneumatic launcher as it is built with a skid instead of wheels.

The M2-N can also be employed for civil operations including patrol missions, traffic control, rescue and relief, cartography and controlling sea oil pollution.

On Monday, the Iranian army unveiled a hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle.

The home-made drone, named Farpad, is the latest surveillance aircraft of its type to join Iran's army's ground forces.

The drone weighs four kg and can fly as far as 20 km (12 miles) for 45 minutes.

It is used in reconnaissance missions and can both store information as well as transfer data via online connection.

When faced with jamming attacks, the aircraft returns to base, using its autopilot function.

Also on Monday, army ground forces' helicopters fired a new version of homegrown interceptor missiles during the exercise, reported Tasnim news agency.

Choppers of ground forces' airborne unit targeted hypothetical enemy vessels off the Sea of Oman's coast with Toofan (Hurricane) interceptor missiles, the report said.

The interceptor missile is an upgraded version of the current missile in terms of range, accuracy and launch system.

Army commander Gen. Mohsen Sayyad told reporters on Monday that homegrown electronic warfare systems with cutting edge technology were being used in the military drill.

Electronic warfare gear was integrated into communication systems, which employ optical fiber infrastructures to transmit data, Sayyad was quoted as saying.

In addition, Iran's army implemented innovative land warfare tactics, including destructive operations in a "smart battlefield," Tasnim reported.

Payambari said on Monday that the new tactics allow for assaults with minimum troop numbers while incurring maximum damage to enemy forces and equipment before a simultaneous or phased rapid offensive against occupied zones.

Combat drones were flown on Monday during tactical operations targeting hypothetical enemy command and control centers, Payambari was quoted as saying.

Plus, two Dassault Mirage F1 warplanes hit ground targets on the Makran coasts throughout Monday's operations.

Peyambari said on Sunday that participating units will display their efficacy and work to improve response readiness to operational requirements and threats.

Other objectives of the drill were testing new defense systems, reducing average response time to potential threats as well as training young commanders in modern warfare, the spokesman said. Endit