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| Iranian Armed Forces Prepare to Hold Large-Scale Military Drone Exercise |
Taheran - Tentara Iran pada hari Rabu (24/8/2022) meluncurkan manuver skala besar yang melibatkan ratusan drone tempur yang digunakan oleh pasukan pertahanan darat, laut dan udara Angkatan Darat. Latihan ini rencananya melibatkan 150 kendaraan udara tak berawak untuk memamerkan kekuatan negara itu.
Deputy coordinator of the Iranian Armed Forces, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said "The accuracy and strength of the weapons, the capability of the guidance and control system as well as the combat capability of the drones are some of the things that will be tested and evaluated in this exercise,".
"This is the first time that joint drone drills have been carried out at the level of the Islamic Republic of Iran's fourth army force and the country's joint air defense bases," Sayyari added, as quoted by Arab News.
Iran began developing drones in the 1980s during its eight-year war with Iraq. "This is just part of the drone force of the Iranian army, which carries out operations in various reconnaissance, surveillance and combat missions," Sayyari added. According to him, the drills will take place from the warm waters of the Gulf and Sea of Oman in the south, to the east, west, north and central parts of the country.
The Iranian army launched its first division of ships and submarines capable of carrying armed drones in July while US President Joe Biden was on a tour of the Middle East. In May, state television broadcast footage from an air base for drones under the Zagros mountains in the west of the country.
The United States and Israel, Iran's arch foes, have previously accused Tehran of using drones and missiles to attack US troops and ships linked to Israel in the Gulf.
Washington said in July that Iran planned to send "hundreds of drones" to Russia to aid its war in Ukraine, an accusation Tehran dismissed as "baseless."