#news Iran tests radars, air defense system in military drill

TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran has successfully test-fired indigenous advanced air defense system dubbed "Mersad" and various radar systems on Thursday, the third day of its air defense drill, local media reported.

"Mersad medium-range air defense system was successfully test- fired in one of the rifle ranges of the country's air defense," spokesman of the drill Brigadier General Hamid Arjangi was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying.

"It is a completely indigenous digital system and is able to deal with electronic wars. It can intercept and annihilate modern aircraft in low and high altitudes and connect to radar network," Arjangi said.

Also, Iran's radar network managed to locate small-scale stealth radar drones of the hypothetical enemy on the third day of drill, the commander said, according to ISNA.

Meanwhile, various kinds of fixed and mobile radars indigenously manufactured or refurbished were also tested Thursday.

During the day, the country's radar systems, relaying intelligence to the unified command and control networks, were utilized and examined.

According Arjangi, reconnaissance missions to detect enemies using radars were also on the agenda of the third day of the drill, local satellite Press TV said.

During the second day of the drill on Wednesday, advanced communication equipment and modern electro-optical systems were successfully tested, Press TV said.

At the beginning of the first stage of the exercise on Tuesday, "aircraft of the (hypothetical) enemy dubbed 'Orange Forces' were identified and intercepted by our radar systems and then commands to confront the enemy were issued," Arjangi said.

Anti-aircraft missile systems with low, mid and high altitudes are used in the drill, he added.

Commander of Iran's Khatamolanbia Air Defense Base for Operations Colonel Abolfazl Farmahini on Tuesday warned the enemies of Iran's powerful air defense system, stressing that the country's air defense units enjoy the capability to target any aggressive aircraft that intends to violate the country's airspace, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

"Missiles and powerful air defense systems of Khatamolanbia base are ready to destroy all enemy aircraft," Farmahini told Fars.

Meanwhile, Farmahini downplayed recent war threats against the country, saying "enemies" are incapable of waging a war on the country since any potential attack on Iran and its facilities will be reciprocated by Tehran's strong retaliatory measures, according to Fars.

Iran launched one of its largest nationwide air defense drills on Tuesday, assuming possible attacks on its public or nuclear establishments.

Aerial defense units from the army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) are taking part in the three-stage, five-day defense maneuvers dubbed "Modafean Aseman Velayat 3" (the Guardians of Islamic Skies).

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