Tactical exercises of Iranian air defense units to begin on Sunday

July 7, 2012 - 16:35
TEHRAN -- Tactical exercises of the air defense units of the Iranian Armed Forces will begin on Sunday, according to the public relations department of the Khatam-ol-Anbiya Air Defense Base. 
 
The military drills will be conducted for three days over an area covering about 50,000 square kilometers in northwestern Iran, Ali Reza Sabahifard, the deputy commander of the Khatam-ol-Anbiya Air Defense Base, said on Saturday. 
 
He also stated that the forces will be divided into two groups, namely friendly and enemy forces, and participate in three stages of the war games, in which radar, missile, and artillery systems will be tested. 
 
On the objectives of the exercises, Sabahifard said that the war games are being held to increase the combat capabilities of the units, assess the effectiveness of air defense systems, improve strengths, correct shortcomings, and increase preparedness in the face of military threats.   
 
The exercises also have a number of other objectives, such as examining the effectiveness of the defenses set up in fields of operation, assessing how the units utilize information provided by an integrated data center and the network of lookouts, and evaluating the capability of air defense systems to counter electronic warfare measures, he added.