Iran masters production of UAVs

21.06.2010 Iran will develop and produce submarine-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), reported FNA citing Mohammad Sadri, the head of industry research department of Iranian armed forces.

As for Sadri, nowadays the world is about to create UAVs controlled by submarines, semi-submerged vessels, and surface ships, so Iran also flirts with this idea.

According to him, Iran already uses domestically made UAVs at sea for testing new weapons and targeting.

Sadri outlined unique features of Iranian UAVs which are stealth technology and small size.

Last week Iranian Air Force's Lt. Cmdr. Mohsen Darrebaki said to FNA that it was planned to form one UAV battalion at each air base.

Each fighter base will have one UAV battalion; four bases are forming such battalions, pointed out Darrebaki.

According to him, Iranian Air Force has been using UAVs for many years; presently, they are used for reconnaissance, but in future UAVs will be used in combat.

In Feb 2010 Iran declared launching of serial production of two domestically made-produced unmanned aerial vehicles Ra'd (stands for "Thunder") and Nazir ("Forerunner") for reconnaissance, patrolling, and delivery of precision strikes.

Last June Iran successfully tested stealth UAV bomber. In 2008 Iranian fighter jets Saeqeh (stands for "Thunderbolt") and Azarakhsh ("Lightning") went into batch production; also, construction of a factory was started which is to produce UAVs for civil and military purposes.