Asremrooz - Iran Unveils New Air-Launched Missiles

Iranian defense minister on Wednesday unveiled the air-launched version of two indigenous cruise missiles, Qader (Capable) and Nasr (Victory), to be mounted on fighter jets.

TEHRAN (Asremrooz):In a ceremony here in Tehran on Wednesday, Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan unveiled the air-launched versions of Qader and Nasr missiles, which had been originally designed and mass-produced as anti-ship cruise missiles.

“After designing and mass producing Qader and Nasr anti-ship cruise missiles, the adroit and skillful specialists of the defense ministry’s aerospace organization managed to design and produce the air-launched versions of these missiles with exemplary creativity and innovation,” the minister explained.

The newly-developed missiles are planned to be mounted on the country’s fighter aircraft, enabling the Air Force to dramatically enhance its operational and deterrent capabilities, Brigadier General Dehqan pinted out.

He further noted that the air-launched versions of Qader and Nasr missiles are able to hit targets within a range of 200 km and 35 km, respectively.

The main features of the new missiles, Dehqan said, are quick preparation capability, usefulness in low-altitude flights, high precision in hitting targets, particularly naval vessels, great destructive power and high resistance to radio disruption tactics.

In a recent development on Sunday, Iranian armed forces put on display the mobile version of the country’s S-200 air defense system during military parades in Tehran.

On July 8, Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili had announced that Iran would unveil the mobile version of its S-200 air defense missile system in the near future.

Esmaili had earlier said Iran had introduced such wholesale enhancements into the system that it could be assigned a new name. "Of course, the upgrade one has received the confirmation and commendation from the Russian manufacturers."

S-200 is a very long range, medium-to-high altitude surface-to-air missile system designed in the 1960s to defend large areas from bomber attack or other strategic aircraft.

Each battalion has 6 single-rail missile launchers for the 10.72 m (35 ft) long missiles and a fire control radar. It can be linked to other, longer-range radar systems.