The Iranian military has unveiled a plan to establish five new units dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The proposal was submitted as Tehran continues to deploy drones to bolster its air strike capabilities.
The move is part of structural changes in the Army Ground Force to make it more lethal by increasing the range and accuracy of weapons.
According to Army Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari, the country’s Drone Base 313 currently houses various UAVs, including cruise and Heidar drones.
He further noted that establishing new drone units would not require any extra forces.
Bolstering Air Defense
Iran has invested millions of dollars in bolstering its air defense capabilities, including the production of surveillance and combat drones.
Last year, the country demonstrated its domestically-built drones during a large-scale joint drill, Zolfaqar-1400.
The Arash suicide drone reportedly took out select targets during the exercise.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also unveiled underground military bases housing high-performance UAVs.
According to the IRGC, the bases can be used to launch 60 drones simultaneously at targets up to 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) away.
The increased production and deployment of drones in Iran created alarm among defense and security officials in Israel – Tehran’s regional arch-enemy.
