Iran hails air mine system in military maneuvers

Irans army deployed an air mine system in its ongoing military maneuvers, saying the weapon would make the countrys airspace highly insecure for enemy planes, the Fars news agency reported on Monday.

"The air mines could be deployed at different low, medium and high altitudes in order to counter enemy threats via air," Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari was quoted as saying in the southeastern city of Zahedan.

He said that the army had made innovation to protect the countrys airspace after reviewing the "military capabilities of some bullying powers."

He said that air dominance, especially in the area above the battleground, would be one of capabilities of the air force of such "bullying powers."

"The Islamic Republic ground force has provided systems which can turn the air space of the country highly insecure for the enemies in all the different low, medium and high altitudes," he said.

Shoulder-launched rocket is another type of weapon designed to protect Irans air space, he said, adding that the weapon is very light and of high velocity and could be distributed among a wide range of troops very quickly.

The types of Iranian-made air defense weapons were deployed in the war games, which started on Saturday and will last for about five weeks.

During the military exercise, fixed and moving air targets were destroyed by Iranian ground forces under different tactics, he said.

The army "interrupted deployment of air units of the enemy by means of different tactics after identifying the enemys major points of reliance," he said.

Air targets were destroyed "automatically and by the use of

intelligent weapons, including unmanned planes, shoulder-launched rockets, air mines and traps manufactured by Iranian defense

industries," he said.

Earlier reports said that 12 infantry regiments would participate in the exercises dubbed "The Blow of Zolfaghar." Zolfaghar is the sword used by Imam Ali, one of the most revered figures for Shiite Muslims.

The military exercise came when Tehran is facing heightened pressure as a UN Security Council resolution urges Iran to halt uranium enrichment by Aug. 31.

In April, Iran launched a large-scale military exercise, the biggest in years, during which Iran tested advanced weapons including missiles and torpedoes.

Source: Xinhua