Iran Launches Anti-Ship Cruise Missile in Naval Wargames
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian Navy launched its powerful anti-ship Qader (Mighty) cruise missiles during its naval wargames, codenamed Velayat 90, in international waters in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean on Monday.
Xcpt:
The successful firing of the missile which is a remarkable achievement by capable Iranian scientists declared the military might of the Iranian navy during the last day of the ten-day drills.
Deputy Commander of the Iranian Navy and Spokesman of the Drills Admiral Seyed Mahmoud Moussavi said the missile managed to hit the specified targets with precision and totally destroyed them.
He said the ultra-advanced and self-relying missile system has remarkably improved in radar, satellite, precision, range and navigation terms compared to its predecessors.
Late in September, the Iranian Defense Ministry supplied large numbers of Qader missiles to the naval forces of the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) to boost Iran's naval power.
The Iranian defense minister said at the time that Qader is an anti-ship cruise missile with a range of 200km and enjoys a short launch time and is able to hit all naval vessels, including frigates and warships, as well as onshore enemy targets.
Also on November 21, the Iranian Defense Ministry supplied a large number of highly advanced coast-to-sea cruise missiles to the Army's naval forces.
The move came on the verge of the National Navy Day on November 28.
Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.
Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.
Iran's naval power has even been acknowledged by foes. In a Sep. 11, 2008 report, the Washington Institute for the Near East Policy said that in the two decades since the Iraqi imposed war on Iran, the Islamic Republic has excelled in naval capabilities and is able to wage unique asymmetric warfare against larger naval forces.
According to the report, Iran's Navy has been transformed into a highly motivated, well-equipped, and well-financed force and is effectively in control of the world's oil lifeline, the Strait of Hormuz.