Iran's IRGC tests new loitering drone during wargames
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a new loitering unmanned aerial vehicle called Rezvan during drills held by its ground forces, according to state-run media.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a new loitering unmanned aerial vehicle called Rezvan during drills held by its ground forces, according to state-run media.
The new drone which was unveiled in early January has a range of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) and an operating time of 20 minutes.
"Rezvan is similar to the Russian-made Lancet and Israeli-made Hero drones," a Telegram channel affiliated with the IRGC reported Tuesday.
The drone has been designed for rapid deployment and targeted attacks, particularly in complex terrain, according to the IRGC.
The suicide drone is fired from a cylindrical launcher and transmits live video to the operator, allowing for precise target selection and engagement, IRGC media Tasnim reported.
Iran has been conducting multiple military exercises in the past few weeks, including air defense drills near nuclear sites like Natanz and a 110,000-strong Basij mobilization in Tehran, to showcase its capabilities and project a message of strength in the region, following consecutive defeats for its allies since September.
IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami said earlier this month that the ongoing military exercises aim to make the enemies refine their assessments of Iran’s defense capabilities and demonstrate that the country’s deterrence is unaffected by external events, a tacit reference to the fall of Tehran’s longtime ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
