IRGC naval forces to be armed with 2,000-km-range cruise missiles in near future: Cmdr.

Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami says the naval units of his forces will be armed with cruise missiles with an operational range of up to 2,000 kilometers and capable of targeting moving vessels in the near future.

During a Friday visit to IRGC naval units based in the Persian Gulf islands and the Strait of Hormuz, Major General Salami hailed the IRGC navy’s defensive and offensive capabilities, especially in the field of navigation, and said the force has made a great achievement by increasing the velocity of its speedboats to nearly one hundred knots per hour.

He added that the IRGC navy has made considerable progress in development and manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicles, and now possesses hundreds of reconnaissance, surveillance, combat and kamikaze drones with different operational ranges of up to 1,200 kilometers (745 miles).

The IRGC navy force, he said, will continue to increase the range of its drones. 

The IRGC navy also currently has missiles with various ranges of 35, 90, 300 and 700 kilometers in its inventory.

“In near future, the naval force will be armed with cruise missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers, and capable of targeting moving vessels,” the IRGC chief said. 

Iran Armed Forces have acquired cutting-edge defense technology: IRGC

The IRGC’s chief commander hails that the country’s Armed Forces have equipped themselves with the world’s top-of-the-range technology.

General Salami went on to say that the IRGC navy has developed various signal collection systems, jammers and electronic warfare systems, and that the hardware expanded both defensive and offensive capabilities of the force.

Commander of the Valiasr Drone Unit of the Army, Brigadier General Shahram Hassannejad, also praised the homegrown technology of Iranian drones, stating that such a feature has eased their design, production, application and overhaul.

Army, IRGC air defense units launch large-scale aerial drills in central Iran

Air defense divisions of the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) are participating in joint aerial maneuvers codenamed Modafean Aseman Velayat 1400.

He told IRNA in an interview published on Saturday that the capabilities of Iranian unmanned aircraft have improved tremendously in recent years, and they are now equipped with state-of-the-art technology and enjoy sophisticated combat tactics.

“What makes Iranian drones a game changer in the region and the world is their indigenousness. It means we have utilized completely homegrown technology in their production, use and overhaul. We are not dependent on any country in terms of drone production, and can simply replace them,” he said.

He added, “Iranian drones have also been designed and built in accordance with climate and strategic characteristics of their operational zones. Iran has different weather conditions, and our drones can perform their missions over seas, mountains and desert areas.”

Brigadier General Hassannejad said the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has acknowledged the aerial superiority of Iran in the region due to its large fleet of combat drones.

Video shows US vessels intercepted, chased by IRGC speedboats in Persian Gulf

The IRGC has published a video of an encounter between its speedboats and two US vessels in the Persian Gulf.

Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great progress in developing and manufacturing a broad range of domestically-manufactured equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in this regard.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to build up its defense capabilities, emphasizing such abilities are entirely meant for the purpose of defense and will be never subject to negotiations.

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