Iran successfully test-fires missiles in naval drill

TEHRAN,Jan.1(MNA) – Domestically manufactured missiles and torpedoes were successfully tested-fired on the fourth day of the Velayat-91 naval drill. Iran started on Friday the six-day major naval exercise in an area covering about one million square kilometers from the east side of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman to the northern Indian Ocean. On Monday, a short-range surface-to-surface Nasr (Victory) cruise missile, which is launched from the seashore and has the capability to hit large vessels with high precision, was fired during the maneuvers and successfully destroyed the designated target. Iran’s newest domestically manufactured medium-range surface-to-air missile, named the Ra’d (Thunder), which had been installed on a warship, was also successfully test-fired during the war games. The Navy’s submarines also fired domestically manufactured torpedoes and destroyed mock targets In addition, Iranian warships chased mock enemy vessels and targeted them with various missiles and air defense units shot down mock enemy drones using shoulder-fired missiles. During the first stage of the exercise, which ended on Sunday, domestically manufactured warships, submarines, and hovercraft and naval helicopters successfully carried out tactical operations. Special forces of the Navy also conducted an operation to defend the country’s coasts against invading mock enemy forces. At the end of the tactical stage of the war games, the Navy’s cyber defense group identified and repelled a cyber attack carried out by enemy hackers to damage the Navy’s computer systems. The commander of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, said on December 25 that the exercise would be held to test the country’s new defense and missile systems, combat vessels, submarines, drones, and torpedoes, and provide naval forces with the opportunity to perform combat and reconnaissance missions, repel mock attacks, and practice countering electronic warfare measures.