IRGC equipped with new ballistic missiles

The Iranian Defense Ministry delivered the third generation of home-made Fateh-110 high-precision ballistic missiles to the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday.

The new missiles were handed out in a ceremony attended by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh and Commander of IRGC Naval Forces Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi

“The operational movement of the missile unit of the IRGC Aerospace Force will be remarkably boosted by these missiles,” Vahidi said during the ceremony.

He further announced that Iran plans to test the fourth generation of Fateh-110 missiles in the near future.

Last month, Iran announced that the country has successfully test-fired the third generation of Fateh-110 missiles.

The Fateh-110 is a short-range, road-mobile, solid-propellant, high-precision ballistic missile with advanced navigation and control systems.

The Fateh-110 has been designed and developed by the Iranian experts in the Defense Ministry’s Aerospace Organization and has not been modeled on any foreign product.

The Iranian defense ministry has made great achievements in designing and producing missiles, including the surface-to-surface solid-fuel Sejjil missiles, the long-range Shahab-3 ballistic missile which has a range of up to 2,000 km, and Zelzal and Fateh missiles.

The new test came days after Iran test-fired a new type surface to surface, cruise missile, named Qiam 1.

Iran has been pushing an arms development program in recent years in a bid to reach self-sufficiency. Tehran launched its 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 jet fighters and armored vehicles as well as radar-avoiding missiles and other high-tech weapons.

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.