Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi, the chief of the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, and a number of ministers and military officials attended the ceremony. 

 

The Fateh 110-D1 (Conqueror 110-D1) missile, which is an upgraded version of the Fateh 110 missile, the Bonyan 4 (Foundation 4) ship engine, the Armita flying laboratory, the Aras tactical command vehicle, the Vafa mortar launcher, and the Shahed (Observer) navigation and surveillance system were the pieces of military hardware that were unveiled. 

 

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Vahidi elaborated on the features of the new military hardware.  

 

Commenting on the Fateh 110-D1 missile, the Iranian defense minister said, “The missile is one of the most precise and advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and is solid-propellant.”  

 

“After the successful launch of a fourth-generation Fateh 110 missile, this missile, which has greater capabilities compared to the previous generations, has come into service,” he added.   

 

It was announced on August 4 that a Fateh 110 missile with a range of over 300 kilometers had been successfully test-fired. 

 

Vahidi added, “Pinpoint accuracy in any weather conditions, the extended life of the missile, the extended duration of the stay of the armed missile on the launch pad for a timely launch, the reduced time necessary for tests before the launch and during the launch, the reduced time necessary for leaving the launch pad, and the fact that it does not require short periodic inspections are among the significant capabilities of the missile.” 

 

About the Bonyan 4 ship engine, the Iranian defense minister said that the 16-cylinder and 5,000 horsepower engine weighs 18 tons. 

 

Vahidi also spoke about the Armita flying laboratory, which was named after the daughter of Iranian Professor Darioush Rezaiinejad, who was assassinated in Tehran on July 23, 2011. 

 

“The pad for flight tests, named Armita, has been constructed with the aim of testing air systems in a real situation,” he stated.  

 

He went on to say that the Aras armored tactical command vehicle, which weighs 3.4 tons and is equipped with a 133 horsepower engine, can be used in both mountainous and urban areas. 

 

And the Vafa mortar launcher is capable of firing five to eight projectiles per minute and the Shahed navigation and surveillance system has very high capabilities, Vahidi explained.  

 

In addition, during a speech at the ceremony, he announced that the Iranian Defense Ministry plans to manufacture new fighter jets, ballistic and cruise missiles, armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and heavy submarines by the end of the current Iranian calendar year, which concludes on March 20, 2013. 

 

Iran’s defense industry achievements will never be used for conquest: Ahmadinejad

 

The Iranian president also delivered a speech during the ceremony, in which he said, “We do not (seek) the progress of the defense industry for conquest and domination over other countries, but rather, we want it for defending ourselves and the dignity of humanity. Of course, defending the dignity of humanity does not mean aggression; rather, deterrence is our objective.” 

 

“We have to reach the point where the country’s defense capabilities stop all the tyrants and hegemons and even make them back down,” Ahmadinejad added. 

 

EP/HG