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Iran concludes military exercises with test of upgraded missile

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, March 6, 2000

NICOSIA -- Iran has reported firing an upgraded version of a surface-to-air missile during naval maneuvers in the Gulf.

The test-firing of the Standard missile was reported during the air, sea and ground exercises last week in the Persian Gulf in what officials termed was a mock battle against a "hypothetical enemy," a reference to the U.S. naval presence in the gulf.

"For the first time a surface-to-air missile partly manufactured and upgraded by the navy was tested with success," the official IRNA news agency quoted a navy official as saying.

The 10-day exercise, which ended on Saturday, includes 60 warships, 120 rocket-launching speedboats, 45 helicopters and jets and Iran's three Russian-made Kilo-class submarines. The test of the Standard missile was conducted by the Revolutionary Guards.

A military spokesman said the improvement of the Standard missile took nearly four years and some parts of the missile were built by Iranian experts. He did not said which country helped in the project.

Military commanders said Iran wants to increase the range of missiles from the current 30 kilometers to 120 km [75 miles]. In addition, Iranian forces also tested electronic warfare measures and new radar jamming equipment.

"The United States thought that by pressuring China not to transfer the know-how of the C-802 naval missile to Iran, we would not be able to make it operational, but this year we will deploy a modified and advanced version of the missile," Adm. Ali Akbar Ahmadian, head of the Revolutionary Guards naval forces, said.

Iran is reported to have 18 separate missile programs.

Monday, March 6, 2000


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