TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolution Guards Corp on Friday unveiled three new and advanced strategic weapons, including the wide-body “Gaza” drone, a ground to air missile called “Dey 9”, and an advanced radar system called “Quds”.

The Gaza drone is a heavy UAV (unmanned armed vehicle) capable of carrying 13 bombs to a 2000-kilometer radius. It also has a flight endurance of over 35 hours. The drone can carry 500 kilograms of equipment as well as gathering signals and data collection. 

At the ceremony, the ground-to-air “Dey 9” missile was also unveiled, which is capable of engaging and countering cruise missiles, drones, and bombs.

Iranian leaders have frequently stated that the country will not hesitate to develop its military capabilities, particularly its missile power, which is solely for defensive purposes. They have also insisted that Iran's defense capabilities will never be negotiated.

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“We need to acquire the capability of remote warfare, which we have achieved by the grace of God,” the IRGC chief Hossein Salami said at the ceremony. 

Speaking about the Gaza drone abilities, Salami also said that the UAV is able to participate in reconnaissance flights and electronic reconnaissance.

“Next year it will enter the corps' operational capacity and improve our capability in air battles,” he remarked. 

He also talked about the Quds radar system, saying that the IRGC needed a new VHF (very high frequency) band radar with high operational power, agility, and fast movement in order to achieve radar search systems for air purposes and to complete the comprehensive radar map.

He called the Quds radar “an important achievement that is in the production stage and was added to the Guards’ combat capability.”

SA/PA