Iranian Air Force Starts Massive Wargames

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) on Sunday began large-scale military drills codenamed ‘Devotees of the Velayat Sanctuary’, deploying both manned and unmanned aircraft to simulate real battlefield scenarios and enhance the country’s defensive power.

The Iranian Air Force kicked off a nationwide military exercise in Central province of Esfahan on Sunday. The maneuver was launched following an order from Commander of the Iranian Army’s Air Force Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi with the aim of bolstering the country’s defense readiness and sending the message of “friendship, peace and calm” to the region.

Earlier, Brig. Gen. Vahedi said that his forces will employ 92 aircraft in the military drill, including various fighter jets, interceptor aircraft, bombers, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The military official added that the Iranian Air Force units are going to carry out a broad range of operations in the war game, such as reconnaissance and aerial imaging, detonation of air and ground targets, electronic warfare, civil defense tactics, and testing of new modern systems, he stated.

He noted that the country’s air force units will also exercise diverse combat tactics and standoff attack operations with drones to destroy targets with pinpoint accuracy.

Iran has carried out numerous wargames in recent years amid military threats against the country by foreign adversaries.

The Islamic Republic’s military doctrine holds that the country’s armed capability solely serves defensive purposes.

Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headway in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the weaponry sphere.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that the country will not hesitate to boost its military capabilities, including its missile and drone power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will never be subject to negotiation.