TEHRAN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian armed forces received more than 200 homegrown unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a ceremony held on Thursday, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.
The ceremony was attended by Iranian Army Commander Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, and a number of other senior commanders and officials, the report said.
According to IRNA, the drones were designed and manufactured by the Iranian Defense Ministry in cooperation with the army.
The report identified the drones as Ababil-5, Ababil-4, Arash, Karrar, Shahrivar 10th, Akhgar, switchblade and Homa, as well as other sea-based and vertical take-off and landing UAVs.
The drones, which all have low radar cross-sections (RCS), are capable of carrying out different missions such as reconnaissance, detonation, anti-radar, loitering and patrolling, aerial tracking and interception, as well as countering mobile and fixed targets, IRNA added.
The drones' propulsion, navigation, and control systems have been modified, and they are equipped with air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, smart air-based standoff bombs, and electronic warfare systems, according to IRNA.
On the back of these changes, the drones boast stealth features and long operational ranges, and are ready to carry out special missions, according to the report.
Speaking at the ceremony, Iranian Army Commander Mousavi said his forces' drone capabilities are growing both quantitatively and qualitatively. ■
