Iran to test missiles, smart torpedoes during wargames

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Iranian Navy plans to test its advanced missiles and smart torpedoes during the ongoing naval wargames, codenamed Velayat 90, in Southern waters, a senior Navy commander announced.

"During the coming days of the wargames, the Navy will launch advanced short-range, mid-range and long-range missiles and also smart torpedoes," Deputy Commander of the Navy for Coordination Admiral Rastegari told Fars News Agency.

He said the army used to make use of real vessels to test torpedoes, but now the Navy has designed a system which has all the needed features and characteristics of a target for testing torpedoes.

Iran's naval forces started 10-day wargames, dubbed as Velayat 90, in an area stretching from the East of the Strait of Hormoz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden last weekend.

In August, President Ahmadinejad unveiled an anti-ship cruise missile, dubbed as Qader, the home-made Valfajr torpedo launcher and "Bonyan 1" sea engine. Qader is an anti-ship cruise missile with a range of 200km developed by local engineers and defense industry experts.

Valfajr torpedo system, also developed by Iranian experts, has a 220kg warhead and can be used to destroy heavy vessels. The torpedo, which can be launched by submarines, is able to operate under different weather conditions, deep or shallow waters and is equipped with advanced safety and arm system, the report says.