IRGC's navy receives missile systems with extended ranges

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Website
3 Aug 2023 16:37

The missile systems can hit coastal and marine targets at high precision and can launch from sea, air, and land.

Vessels belonging to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps participate in a military drill near the Island of Abu Musa, Iran, 2 Ausgust, 2023. (IRGC/Handout)

During a military drill organized in the Gulf the naval forces of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) received a locally developed and produced Qadir missile system and a Fath missile system on Wednesday, the Iranian Mehr news website reports.

The IRGC's Navy practiced defensive maneuvers in the proximity of the country's Islands in the Gulf specifically around Abu Musa Island.

Iranian exercise of IRGC Navy in area of Abu-Musa and other islands located at the entrance to the Persian Gulf from the Strait of Hormuz. On these small Iranian islands based missile boats, various missile systems, artillery etc. pic.twitter.com/0H1l2KOEVl
— Yuri Lyamin (@imp_navigator) August 3, 2023

IRGC's wargame was dubbed "Martyr Eshaq Dara" and aims to show Iran's unwavering commitment to protecting the islands and Gulf waters' security.

Operational combat units, naval vessels, missiles, drones, and electromagnetic warfare were part of the exercise to prepare for any event in the region.

The commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami and Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the IRGC Navy's commander as well as a group of other IRGC commanders commemorated the occasion.

The missiles which were equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities were unveiled and delivered to the IRGC, further bolstering the force's naval presence in the Gulf.

The Qadir missile is a medium-range anti-ship cruise missile with high destructive capabilities against naval targets. The new version received an upgrade allowing the missile to travel up to 400km while the older version reportedly traveled to 300km. The weapon was described as Iran's most precise and destructive naval weapon, launched from sea, land, and air, with a reported warhead of 200kg.

While previously known as BM-120 due to its 120km range, the new upgraded version, Fath 360, unveiled during the drills, can now travel up to 300km. The missile is satellite-guided, capable of reaching speeds of up to 4 Mach, and can carry a 150kg warhead, according to the listed specifications of the older model.

US military presence a threat to Gulf security

Major General Salami stressed in his speech that Islamic nations in the region should not depend on foreign powers to ensure maritime security adding that the countries themselves should independently take care of their collective security.

The drill comes after the US increased its naval and military presence in the area as countries as regional players look to form local security alliances rather than depend on Washington, sparking concern among US military officials.

The Pentagon deployed the amphibious attack vessel, USS Bataan and a docking ship used to deploy ground forces, the USS Carter Hall in the Strait of Hormuz.

This followed an order of the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin who deployed an Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit into US Central Command’s area of responsibility, a press release by CENTCOM said on July 22. Additional forces including Marines troops, F-35s, F-16s, and the guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) will also be deployed to the Gulf.

The US has used the Iranian threat to international maritime trade as a guise for its increased presence in the Gulf, however, Washington's claims are unfounded, as explained by Iranian officials on multiple occasions.

In fact, Tehran says the US is obstructing its security operations in its waters, as it allows smugglers and unauthorized vessels to escape Iran's waters.

Moreover, a report by the Associated Press points to Iran's nuclear aspirations as the main reason behind the US military buildup in the region, amid dying prospects for reviving the JCPOA deal.