Iran Army, IRGC wrap up joint massive military drill

Iran has wrapped up several days of a massive military drill held jointly by the country’s Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The major maneuver, codenamed Modafe’an-e Aseman-e Velayat 4 (Defenders of the Velayat Skies 4) was launched on Monday and wrapped up on Thursday.

The drills entailed the successful testing of an upgraded high-precision long-range S-200 ground-to-air defense system, and indigenous missile defense systems named Qader, Ya Zahra 3, Mersad 3 and Hog.

Electronic and surveillance systems used to detect manned and unmanned enemy aircraft flying at low altitude, F-14 and F-4 fighter jets, artillery fire as well as shoulder-launched weapons were also tested during the maneuver.

Iran also tested Sayyad 40, a mobile electronic interception system, and Rassed 32, a smart surveillance system, during the maneuver.

The drills covered an area of 950,000 square kilometers in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan, South Khorasan, Sistan-and-Baluchestan, Hormozgan, Kerman and parts of Fars and Yazd provinces.

Over the past few years, Iran has held several military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of the Armed Forces and to test modern military tactics and equipment