Iran building new long-range air-to-air missile system

Iran announced on Tuesday that the country's experts are building a new long-range air-to-air missile system named 'Maqsoud' (Objective). "Iran has accomplished construction of the mid-range air-to-air Fakour 90 missile and is now building Maqsoud missile system as its newest long-range air-to-air missile system," Deputy Head of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces General Mohammad Hejazi said, addressing a forum here in Tehran today. He said that the Iranian Armed Forces are now working on 11 top level projects in the aerospace industry as well as 17 air-based weapons system production projects. Hejazi also underlined that the targeting problem in the home-made air-based Qader (Mighty) and Nasr (Victory) missile systems has been resolved giving the Iranian Armed Forces a high maneuvering power. Iran on Wednesday unveiled two new home-made air-based missiles named Qader and Nasr. "By designing and building these air-based missiles for the first time in Iran, the Air Forces' fighter jets will be equipped with advanced air-based Qader missiles with a range of over 200km and air-based Nasr missiles with a range of over 35km and their operational and deterrence power will increase powerfully," Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan told reporters at the unveiling ceremony in Tehran. He said the missiles which enjoy a high precision capability, specially in targeting vessels, high destruction power and high resistance against radio jamming can be fired rapidly by the fighter jets at even low altitudes. The Iranian Armed Forces displayed the country's latest home-made missile productions, including Fakour-90, Qadr F, Qadr H and Sejjil missile systems, during the annual military parades in Tehran and across the country in September. Fakour-90 missile is one of the latest state-of-the-art productions of the Iranian Armed Forces which is mounted on F14 fighter jets. The Iranian forces also displayed various types of home-made ballistic and long-range missiles, including Sejjil, Qadr F and Qadr H missiles. Also, the Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base exhibited its recently optimized long-range S-200 missile defense system as well as Ya Zahra 3, Rapier, Skyguard and Shahin (Eagle) missile systems. The annual September 22 parades mark the start of the Week of Sacred Defense, commemorating Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s. During the parades, the Iranian armed forces displayed different weapons and military tools and equipment, including different kinds of fighters, choppers, drones, ground-to-ground missiles, air-to-ground missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, tactical and armed vehicles, surface and underwater vessels, electronic and telecommunication equipment, light and mid-light weapons, different kinds of artillery and mortar-launchers, air defense systems and engineering and logistic equipment. The Iranian armed forces also displayed the tactical troposcatter system which is an advanced home-made communications system unveiled by Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli in September. Also, Nebo tactical radar system, Kasta surveillance radars, Matla' al-Fajr local radar system, national radar, a model of Shahab (Meteor) cosmic radar, a model of Samen radar, optimized Sky Guard radar system, high-altitude S-200 missile system, home-made Mersad missile system armed with indigenous Shahin (Eagle) missiles, mobilized Hag missile system, home-made mid-altitude Ya Zahra 3 missile system, and the low-altitude Rapier missile system were among the other weapons and military equipment on display. The Iranian Armed Forces also displayed Saafaat electro-optic tracking system, mobile 35 and 23 mm cannons, mobile tactical communications vehicle, vehicle equipped with chemical decontamination system, DZ vehicle and communication system, Kheybar tactical vehicle, Same' van built by the air defense base and central communication shelter manufactured by Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base in the parades. The Iranian Armed Forces have recently test-fired different types of newly-developed missiles and torpedoes and tested a large number of home-made weapons, tools and equipments, including submarines, military ships, artillery, choppers, aircrafts, UAVs and air defense and electronic systems, during massive military drills. Defense analysts and military observers say that Iran's wargames and its advancements in weapons production have proved as a deterrent factor.