Iran to unveil indigenous S-300 missiles: Army cmdr

Most of the news coming out of Iran is fake, believe 50% of what you hear or read.

“Although because of US stonewalling efforts, Iran failed to purchase the S-300 system [from Russia], this system is being developed in the country and will be officially unveiled [in the next Persian calendar year],” deputy commander of Iran Army for self-sufficiency and research, Rear Admiral Farhad Amiri said on Sunday.

The official said the manufacturing of the Iranian S-300 system is underway and its subsystems have been already tested, adding that Bavar-373 missile system is projected to be unveiled in 2014.

Under a contract signed in 2007, Russia was required to provide Iran with at least five S-300 defense systems.

Moscow refused to deliver the system to Iran under the pretext that it is covered by the fourth round of the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.

Over the past years, Iran has attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly assured its neighbors that its military might poses no threat to other countries, insisting that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.

IRGC Captures A Spy Drone

TEHRAN: Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard said Saturday that it had captured a foreign unmanned aircraft during a military exercise in southern Iran.

Gen. Hamid Sarkheili, a spokesman for the military exercise, said the Guard's electronic warfare unit spotted signals indicating that foreign drones were trying to enter Iranian airspace. Sarkheili said Guard experts took control of one drone's navigation system and brought it down near the city of Sirjan where the military drills began on Saturday.

``While probing signals in the area, we spotted foreign and enemy drones which attempted to enter the area of the war game,'' the official IRNA news agency quoted the general as saying. ``We were able to get one enemy drone to land.''

Sarkheili did not say whether the drone was American. In Washington, a CIA spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

Iran has claimed to have captured several U.S. drones, including an advanced RQ-170 Sentinel CIA spy drone in December 2011 and at least three ScanEagle aircraft.

State TV said the Guard's military exercise, code-named Great Prophet-8, involved ground forces of the Guard, Iran's most powerful military force. State TV showed tanks and artillery attacking hypothetical enemy positions. He said various systems, including unmanned planes that operate like suicide bombers, were tested.

``Reconnaissance as well as suicide drones, which are capable of attacking the hypothetical enemies, were deployed and their operational capabilities were studied,'' the semi-official Fars news agency quoted him as saying.

Iran shows extracted video from captured RQ-170 UAV

Iran Unveils New Fighter Jet: Qaher-313

Iran today unveiled the mock-up of a domestically built fighter jet that can reportedly evade radar. The single-seat Qaher-313 (F-313) can combat both other aircraft and ground targets, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported. The government has not announced if any flight tests has been conducted on an actual prototype model, and when the new fighter will go into full production. No technical specifications of the aircraft has also been released.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hailed the manufacturing of Qaher-313 as manifestation of the country’s growing self-reliance in defense industry. In a ceremony broadcast on state TV, Ahmadinejad said the Qaher-313 (“Dominant-313”) shows Iran's will to “conquer scientific peaks.”

“Qaher-313 is a fully indigenous aircraft designed and built by our aerospace experts. This is a radar-evading plane that can fly at low altitude, carry weapons, engage enemy aircrafts and land at short airstrips,” said Iran’s Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi said. (IRNA, 2 February)

Iran's English-language state Press TV claimed Qaher was similar to the American-made F/A-18, an advanced fighter capable of dogfighting as well as penetrating enemy air defenses to strike ground targets.

Toufan II new home-made combat helicopter delivery to Iranian army Iran aviation

Iran Successfully Test-Fires Qader, Nour Missiles in Drill

IRGC Navy Holds Maneuvers in Persian Gulf

 IRGC Navy began a four-day naval exercise on Tuesday in the Asaluyeh and South Pars region of the Persian Gulf. The region holds one of the world’s largest natural gas reserves.
“The exercises are aimed at improving the different units of IRGC Navy in Fourth Region. We will assess our defense capabilities of human forces and facilities,” said IRGC Rear Admiral Ali Reza Nasseri. (Mehr News Agency, 26 December)

Iran’s regular navy will also hold maneuvers on Friday, covering a 400,000-mile area from the Strait of Hormuz to northern part of the Indian Ocean.

Iran produces unmanned surface vehicle

The USV - codenamed Ariana - was unveiled during a ceremony showcasing the recent research and technological achievements of the Science and Research Branch of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran on Sunday.

Project manager Behrouz Asadi told reporters that Ariana is highly maneuverable, has smart information processing systems, and can transmit images of its surrounding maritime environment.

He added that Ariana can be used to conduct military, surveillance, rescue and environmental protection missions.

Asadi concluded that the unmanned surface vehicle designed and made by Iran can travel as fast as 30 nautical knots (54 kilometers) per hour, and can carry a payload of four kilograms.