Islam Times - 1st Phase of Great Prophet 15 Drills Starts with Ballistic Missiles Mass Firing

Islam Times - Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Started the first phase of the Great Prophet 15 wargames with the IRGC Aerospace Force's massive missile launch and drone operations in the Central Desert of Iran on Friday.

The first stage of the Great Prophet (Payambar-e Azam) 15 drills of the IRGC kicked off on Friday morning with the codename of “Ya Fatimah al-Zahar”, during which ground-to-ground ballistic missiles were fired and offensive drone bombers operations were put into action in the general area of Iran’s Central Desert.

During the drills that began in the presence of IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami, IRGC Aerospace Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh and a number of senior commanders and officials of the Iranian Armed Forces, a new generation of ground-to-ground ballistic missiles and drones were used in compound offensive against hypothetical enemy bases, destroying all the specified targets.

During this stage of the wargames, after the attack of the IRGC Aerospace’s offensive bomber drones from all sides to the missile shield of the hypothetical enemy and complete destruction of targets, the new generation of the IRGC ballistic missiles of the classes of Zolfaqar, Zelzal and Dezful were mass fired at targets dealing fatal blows to the hypothetical enemy bases.

The missiles were Multiple Re-entry Vehicles (MRVs) with the capability of jamming and going through the enemy missile shield.

Great Prophet (Payambar-e Azam) wargames are annual missile tests and exercises conducted by Iran's IRGC. The first series of the wargames began in July 2008.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

The Iranian Armed Forces several times a year test their preparedness and capabilities as well as newly-manufactured weapons systems in different wargames.

The Iranian Armed Forces recently test-fire different types of newly-developed missiles and torpedoes and tested a large number of home-made weapons, tools and equipment, including submarines, military ships, artillery, choppers, aircrafts, UAVs and air defense and electronic systems, during massive military drills.

Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes.

Defense analysts and military observers say that Iran's wargames and its advancements in weapons production have proved as a deterrent factor.

In a relevant event, Eqtedar 99 naval wargames kicked off in Makran Coast of the Sea of Oman and the Northern Indian Ocean on Wednesday morning, as the Iranian Navy received its largest warship, Makran.

The two-day naval drills began on Wednesday in the Southeastern region of Makran Coast and the Northern Indian Ocean while a home-grown giant vessel, Makran, was delivered to the Navy.

In the first phase of the exercises, the Army's surface, subsurface and flight units were expanded to the general zone of the wargames to continue their specialized exercises according to the specified scenario.

The huge warship Makran is a domestically-manufactured helicopter carrier that can be used for logistical purposes in support of the naval forces' maritime missions.

The wargames were attended by Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, and other senior commanders.

According to Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, Makran can carry seven helicopters and can support the Navy’s missions in high waters, such as the Northern part of the Indian Ocean, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Red Sea.

On the second day of massive wargames dubbed as Eqtedar 99 on Thursday, the Iranian naval forces successfully fired several types of cruise missiles.

A variety of cruise missiles with different ranges successfully hit their targets in the Northern Indian Ocean and the exercises general zone.

In addition, the Iran-designed class of semi-heavy submarine, Fateh, shot its first-ever torpedo during the drills that successfully hit the target.

Deputy Navy Commander for Coordination and Spokesman of the Drills Rear Admiral Hamzeh Ali Kaviani told reporters on the sidelines of the drills that Iran is in possession of different naval cruise missiles, adding that their high destruction power has turned them into effective and decisive weapons in any wars in the sea.

He added that information about some of the weapons and systems used in this exercises are classified as confidential, saying that enemies should know that in case of any aggression against the maritime borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they will be targeted by cruise missiles from the coast and sea.

Rear Admiral Kaviani said that various types of home-made drones were also used in the wargames which displayed proper performance.