The commander of the Iranian Army's Air Force says more than 40 fighter jets are set to fly in the skies over the capital Tehran on Tuesday as part of an aerial parade to demonestrate the Islamic Republic’s air power.
Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi was cited by Iran's official IRNA news agency as making the remarks on Sunday, ahead of the National Army Day on April 18, which is commemorated in Iran with a large-scale military parade that showcases the country’s defense preparedness and latest achievements in the defense sector.
“The Army’s Air Force has spared no efforts and sacrifices for the dignity and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic by conducting various operations and missions during the blessed existence of the holy establishment of the Islamic Revolution,” Vahedi said.
The commander of the Air Force stressed that the force seeks to show the authority and grandeur of the Islamic establishment in the region under the instructions of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and by increasing military knowledge and insight in various areas of construction, aviation equipment and aircraft maintenance.
“The parade on 29th of Farvardin (April 18) is different this year than previous years, with the presence of more than 40 planes of different types of fighter jets, including Saeqa, Kosar, F5, F4, F14, F7, MiG-29, Sukhoi-24, from across the country and over the skies of Tehran and the shrine of late Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, to show the air power of Islamic Iran to the world,” Vahedi stated.
The top commander said improving the specialized knowledge of pilots, especially young pilots, evaluating the level of readiness of air operational units and ensuring the preservation and protection of the air borders of the country are among the other goals of the aerial parade.
Army Day, which is celebrated annually on April 18, was established by the founder and first Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, in 1979.
Two months after the fall of the deposed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Ayatollah Khomeini met with the soldiers of the Armed Forces who had made an invaluable contribution to the victory of the Revolution. A few days later, Ayatollah Khomeini named April 18 “Army Day,” calling for military parades to exhibit the nation's military preparedness.