Iran Army launches massive ‘Eghtedar 1402’ drills in central Isfahan province
The Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Force has started large-scale military drills in a central province of the country with a spokesman saying the exercise aims to boost deterrence against potential threats.
The two-day exercises, codenamed Eghtedar (Authority) 1402, began on Friday in Nasrabad region of Isfahan Province with the participation of various units.
Infantry regiments, armored divisions, missile and artillery units, airborne divisions, drone squads, electronic warfare units, and support teams are participating in the exercise, Brigadier General Karim Cheshak, spokesman for the military exercise, said on Friday.
These forces are deployed to the exercise area from seven different provinces after traveling an average of 1,100 km, he added.
About 200 military helicopters performed different operations on the first day.
“This exercise will last for two days, and one of its main objectives is to improve the prowess and combat readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Force and enhance the country’s level of deterrence against potential threats.”
“The drills will also aim to transfer relevant experiences to younger commanders and army forces, and practice multiple predetermined defence scenarios,” Cheshak added.
The first stage of the exercise, he maintained, involves the airborne and ground transfer of four combat brigades and other units to the drills area.
The second stage will involve surveillance and reconnaissance operations using unmanned aerial vehicles and electronic and detection systems, Cheshak said.
During the third and fourth stages of the drills, coastal defense scenarios and night-time airborne operations will be practiced, while offensive operations aimed at destroying the mock enemy’s targets will be carried out in the final phase, he added.
Iranian military forces hold regular exercises according to a detailed schedule in various parts of the country in order to test their weaponry and equipment and evaluate their combat preparedness.
