Iran Air Drills – A Show of Might to Deter Possible Air Attacks

Iran tested a heavy 2000 pounds smart bomb today during an air maneuver, reported Iranian news agencies.  Iranian officials considered the test to be successful.

Iran’s Air Force is conducting a three day air drill since Tuesday.

Iran has been trying to show off its air defense power for some time now in an attempt to fend off threats of air attacks on its controversial nuclear facilities, but the Iranian air force is heavily dependent on foreign technology to supply its aging equipment.  That is something the Iranian Ayatollahs are trying to downplay by claiming internal technological advancements and domestically-built ammunitions.  The attempts seem to be more like a bluff than reality.

“Hunting planes and stealth bombers of Iranian Army Air Forces dropped bombs and missiles as well as rockets with warheads to mobile and fixed objectives successfully,” an Iranian Air Force commander explained to the reporters Tuesday.

Another Army commander told reporters that “staging these maneuvers sends the message of peace, friendship and calm for those who are friend of Islamic Revolution of Iran and represents Iran’s deterrent power, might and increasing dignity of Iranian army for those with enmity and aggression nature.”

The drill involved air to surface and also air to air missile fires and a show of an array of fighter jets with old American and Russian technology.

One of the new additions to the list of Iranian army weapons that was test fired Wednesday, is a 2000-pound smart bomb claimed to be able to fly a 40km distance and hit its targets without pilot control.