Iranian army holds first-ever drone drill

Iran’s military on Tuesday kicked off its first-ever drill for locally made unmanned aerial vehicles, IRNA reports.

Hundreds of drones were showcased and tested as part of a two-day event held in the northern province of Semnan.

According to Mahmoud Mousavi, deputy chief of army operations, the drill included aerial targeting and destruction of objectives using air-to-air missiles, hitting land targets using bombs and missiles, and employing loitering munitions – also known as “kamikaze drones.”

“Flying the army’s naval force drones over vessels in the country’s southern waters and flying precision loitering munition to destroy long-distance high-value targets deep in enemy territory will be among other drill objectives,” he said.

Announcing the drill a day earlier, deputy chief of the Iranian army, Brigadier General Mohammad Hossein Dadras, said Iran has managed to produce a variety of unnamed aerial vehicles despite United States sanctions.

“Army forces will prove they are ready to respond to any threats,” he said.