ISFAHAN - The Iranian defense minister said on Sunday that the army’s technicians and engineers are capable of overhauling all models of combat and transport helicopters.  

Amir Hatami made the remarks in a ceremony in the central city of Isfahan, where tens of overhauled helicopters delivered to the army’s airborne division. 

“The required infrastructures for the country’s aviation industries have been vastly enhanced by the Armed Forces which are now well prepared to give harsh response to any aggression,” the minister said. 

He further said overhaul of helicopters has prevented exit of a hefty amount of money from the country. 

Hatami added, “We have utilized capacities of domestic knowledge-based companies in overhauling the helicopters and have managed to decrease 50 percent of expenses in comparison with global prices.”

Commander of the Army’s Ground Force Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari, Commander of the Army Ground Force's Airborne Division General Yousef Qorbani and Director of the Defense Ministry Aviation Industries Organization Second Brigadier General Afshin Khajefard had also attended the ceremony.  

In recent years, Iran has made great strides in the defense sector and become self-sufficient in producing essential military hardware and defense systems.

Iran has made it clear that its military might is merely defensive and that it poses no threat to other countries.  

In December 2019, Brigadier General Qorbani announced that his forces mounted modern cannons and rocket-launchers on the transport helicopters. 

“Previously, helicopter 214, which is a transport helicopter, could not defend itself and that was a weak point for the said helicopter. Today, the Airborne Division’s helicopters have been equipped with 20mm Cannons and rocket-launchers,” the commander said. 

“The missiles that were previously mounted on our choppers enjoyed finally 3,500 meters of effective range but in the last 2 years the Airborne with the cooperation of the country’s defense industries and universities have managed to produce long-range missiles and have mounted them on the choppers,” he explained. 

The commander went on to say that the Airborne Division has attained self-sufficiency in producing its spare parts. “We are producing nearly 240,000 different parts inside the country.”

He said, the Airborne Unit turned sanctions into an opportunity.”

MJ/PA