Iran test-fires missiles near Strait of Hormuz

December 31, 2012 | World News | Written by

Tehran, Jan. 1 (Xinhua-ANI): Iranian Navy forces test-fired short-range and medium-range missiles as well as torpedoes ” successfully” in ongoing naval drill on Monday.

On the forth day of a six-day massive naval drill dubbed Velayat 91, or Guardianship 91, which started on Friday in Iran’s southern waters, Iranian Navy “successfully” test-fired the latest version of the home-made surface-to-air Ra’d (Thunder) missile, Press TV on Monday cited an official as saying.

The spokesman for the drill, Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari, said the earlier version of Ra’d missile had been modified by Iranian Navy experts and installed on warships.

The new Ra’d missile could strike medium-range aerial targets, Rastegari said Friday.

The Iranian Navy also “successfully” launched its indigenous short-range cruise missile dubbed Nasr ( Victory) on the fourth day of the major military exercises, according to Press TV.

Nasr cruise missile, which can destroy vessels of up to 3,000 tons, can be launched from both inland bases and offshore military vessels, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was quoted as saying.

Vahidi reiterated that new features will be added to the missile in the near future so that it can also be launched from helicopters and submarines.

Besides, Iran’s Navy test-fired state-of-the-art torpedoes by hitting and destroying targets during the fourth day of its naval drill, Press TV reported.

Rastegari said “following successful coastal defense and the retreat of the (hypothetical) enemy’s vessels,” Iranian sub- surface vessels ambushed the mock enemy forces and destroyed them with advanced torpedoes.

He said that Iran’s surface units chased the enemy’s vessels while launching heavy missile attacks against the hostile forces, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Iran’s naval units on Monday exercised shooting down hypothetical enemy aircrafts, specially Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ( UAVs), during the drill underway in the country’s southern waters, semi-official Fars news agency reported. (Xinhua-ANI)