TEHRAN – The Defense Ministry plans to deliver the Fotros drone to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force in the near future.

“We have serious and good interaction with the Defense Ministry in this respect and we have held expert-level meetings with the ministry. We have discussed the features of the drone,” Colonel Akbar Karimloo, commander of the IRGC Ground Force’s drone division, told the Tasnim news agency in an interview published on Sunday.

Karimloo also said that the Defense Ministry is upgrading another drone named Mohajer-6 which conforms to international standards.

He noted that the drone has greatly enhanced the IRGC Ground Force’s capabilities in patrol missions and combat operations along northwestern and southeastern borders.

Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), said on April 19 that Iran is among the top five countries in manufacturing drones.

“We are among the top regional countries in manufacturing drones and using unmanned aircraft,” Nasirzadeh told a press conference.

He added, “We are moving on this path, conforming to updated standards in the world.”

Iran’s Army took delivery of a “massive number” of reconnaissance and combat drones on April 18.

Defense Minister Amir Hatami announced that a “massive number” of multirole, reconnaissance, and combat UAVs, as well as Karrarr and Ababil-3 drones produced by the Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA), has been delivered to the Army’s Air Force and Air Defense.

The delivered drones will cover an important section of Air Defense and Air Force operations and can be used as target planes as well as for deception on the enemy’s air defense networks, he explained.

Hatami said the multirole drones have a speed of 900 km/h and a range of 1000 km and can be deployed for a duration of 180 minutes without interruption at an altitude of 40,000–45,000 feet.

Ababil-3 drones are mid-range combat drones with the capability of carrying various electro-optic and combat equipment, he said.

The defense chief added that the drones are mainly used for gathering and transmitting optical data and can also be deployed for combat operations with an operation range of 150 km.

Hatami also said that jet-powered Karrar drones have the capability of carrying and dropping loads and have been upgraded to add combat and self-destruction capabilities.

NA/PA