An attack helicopter of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Force has successfully test launched the domestically-developed Haydar air-to-ground missile during the massive military exercises in the country’s central province of Isfahan.
On Saturday and the second day of the large-scale drills, codenamed Eghtedar (Authority) 1402 and underway in Nasrabad region of the province, the missile was fired by a Bell 214 chopper of the force.
It precisely struck the designated target from a distance of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) away, and completely destroyed it.
Haydar missile is reportedly furnished with the Global Positioning System (GPS), enabling the pilot to have complete control over the projectile and navigate it towards the intended target.
It is said to be 3.83 meters long and weighs nearly 40 kilograms. The air-to-ground missile is capable of carrying a 20-kilogram warhead, and can destroy fixed and mobile targets within a range of tens of kilometers.
Haydar missile, given its significant destructive power, will be employed to destroy armored units as well as concrete bunkers of the enemy.
Moreover, Ababil-4 multirole tactical unmanned aerial vehicles dropped indigenous Qaem-5 bombs on mock enemy positions, hitting designated positions at a distance of 7 kilometers away.
Qaem-5 smart glide bomb comes with an infrared seeker mode that enables it to engage with various fixed and mobile targets both at night and day, and in adverse weather conditions.
Iranian military forces hold routine exercises according to a detailed schedule in various parts of the country in order to test their weaponry and equipment and evaluate their combat preparedness.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
