Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan announced that the country's suicide combat drone named 'Ra'd 85' (Thunder 85) is capable of destroying fixed and mobile targets.

The drone named Ra'd 85 is used against all mobile and fixed targets as well as choppers," Pourdastan said in Tehran on Saturday.

He said that the drone's destructive power depends on the amount of explosives it carries.

Pourdastan referred to different the capabilities of Iran's home-made drones, and said they can be used in reconnaissance and combat operations.

Iran has recently made giant advancements in aerospace industries, specially in designing and manufacturing pilotless drones.

In March 2012, Iranian experts managed to produce a new type of drone which is capable of carrying out military and border patrol missions.

The new remote-controlled aircraft, called Shaparak (Butterfly), has a maximum operational radius of 50 kilometers (31 miles), and a maximum flight ceiling of 15,000 feet (4,572 meters), Reza Danandeh Hakamabad, the aeronautics engineer in charge of the project, said at the time.

The aircraft is capable of three and half hours of non-stop flying, and can carry an 8-kilogram (17-pound) payload.

Iran successfully tested a home-made radar-evading Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with bombing capabilities in June 2009.

In February 2011, Iran inaugurated the production line of two home-made UAVs with bombing and reconnaissance capabilities.

The two hi-tech drones 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 UAV of choice for assault and bombing missions has the capability to destroy the specified targets with high pinpoint precision.

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in August 2010 unveiled the country's first home-made combat UAV.

The combat drone, named Karrar, was unveiled in a special ceremony in Tehran marking the national 'Day of Defense Industry'.

The Karrar UAV 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.

In September 2012, Iran announced that it has started using UAVs for its air defense units as part of its broader plans for strengthening the country's air defense capability.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion of the National Day of Air Defense here in Tehran on September 3, 2012, Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli said Iran has equipped its air defense units with Haazem drones.

Haazem is a drone designed and manufactured by Iranian air defense experts in three short, mid and long range models and for air defense missions.

The drone can be used as a target for air defense systems and also for reconnaissance missions.

The UAV can also be equipped with missiles and used for aerial bombardments as well.

 

News ID 185362