Iran military supplied with new missiles, air defense system

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Iranian Ministry of Defense has supplied the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) with four home-made ballistic missiles and an air defense system.

The ministry has provided Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base and IRGC Aerospace Force with the missiles of 'Qadr', 'Qiyam', 'Fateh-110' and 'Khlaije Fars'(Persian Gulf) missiles and a 'Mersad' air defense system.

Iran’s Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan attended the delivery ceremony held in Tehran on Wednesday.

The Qadr long-range ballistic missile and mid-range Qiyam missile are capable of being launched from mobile launchers, Dehghan said.

The missiles, with stealth capabilities, are able to penetrate missile defense shields, he added.

Surface-to-surface Fateh-110 missile, with a range of 250-300 km, can carry a 500-600 kilogram warhead.

Khalije Fars is a supersonic anti-ship ballistic missile with a range of 300 km based. It is equipped with a 650kg explosive warhead and an interception evading guidance system.

Dehaghan went on to say that both Fateh-110 and Khalije Fars are categorized as fourth generation of ultra-modern ballistic missiles with a solid-propellant.

Mersad is an Iranian advanced low to mid-range air defense system which fires Shahin (Falcon) missiles. The missiles which are reverse engineered, domestically upgraded versions of the American MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile. It uses a series of domestically produced radars and electronic devices and is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years. Tehran established an arms development program during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s to counter the weapons embargo imposed on it by the US and its Western allies.


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