Iran Military Sweep 2007-2008 Iran holds f-14 tracker aircraft exercises

[Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar] The 8-barralled anti-aircraft gun has been built by the parallel assembly of eight heavy machine guns. This gun has the firing rate of over 4,000 [bullets per minute]. This gun can hit mobile command stations, different kinds of drones, low-flying aircraft, and cruise missiles. This gun was built upon the order of our dear armed forces. Our defence and gun experts have carried out the research and designed the gun. Thanks to God, we are witnessing the mass production of the gun today.
The second weapon is the corner gun. This is a corner gun that was designed, studied and built by one of our young experts. It has a display screen and the gun holder can see the target in a maximum 60-degree position. He can stand behind a wall or a barrier without being in any danger and see the target either on his right or his left.
This weapon can be very useful in fighting bandits and drug traffickers. The police can also use this weapon. The gun-holder can hit the target with a high precision. This gun has been designed upon an order by the Law Enforcement Force.
The third weapon, whose production line will be inaugurated today, is a hunter police gun. This gun was built upon the order of the police. This gun has a high destructive power and can be used by the police in cities. It can be used to target mobile command stations and other obstacles.
[Reporter] The enemies of the revolution thought that by imposing the 8-year and economic sanctions, they could suppress the will of a nation to achieve freedom and independence. However, the resistance and steadfastness of the Iranian nation, under the wise leadership of late Imam Khomeyni and the Supreme Leader, foiled all those plans.
[Najjar] As the defence minister, I would like to tell our dear nation that 29 years ago and before the revolution, our military and defence production were 100 per cent dependant on foreigners. In our guns' production industry, only two weapons were being built in the country - and they were only being assembled, i.e. the parts were imported from abroad and then assembled here under the supervision of foreign experts.
Today, our dear colleagues have designed and produced over 40 weapons here. They have done so in the most cost-effective way and with the optimum use of available resources. These weapons are all being made by our honourable experts and scientists at our Defence Industries Organization.
Thanks to the Islamic Revolution, after nearly 30 years, the defence industry has become a completely local and dynamic industry that can meet all the demands of the armed forces in different fields.
[Najjar] We are happy that we have the power to carry out research on, design and build all the weapons and military equipment needed by the armed forces in various air, ground, naval, electronic, optic and telecommunication fields.
[Reporter] Sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran have led to our country's growth in defence industries more than ever. With the help of the experts of the Defence Industries Organization, different kinds of equipment and parts for air, ground and naval equipment are built and designed.
[Video interest: All the weapons were on display and most of the parts of the weapons were shown either by the correspondent or the minister to the audience]

Source: Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Tehran, in Persian 1021 gmt 31 Jan 08

Iran begins production of canons capable of destroying cruise missiles

Text of report by state-run Iranian TV channel one on 15 January
[Announcer]; The production line for the production of the Samavat [sky] anti-aircraft cannon, which is a fully automatic 35-mm anti-aircraft canon built by the Iran Aerospace Organization, affiliated to the Ministry of Defence and Armed Force's Logistics, and equipped with a satellite system, was inaugurated.
[Correspondent - recording]: Today we want to honour the self-belief of this country's youth.
[Iranian Defence Minister Mohammad Mostafa Najjar - recording]: We are proud of the fact that today our dear experts and heroes at the Defence Ministry are witnessing the inauguration of the production line for the 35-mm anti-aircraft cannon called Samavat.
[Correspondent]: This is the smallest part of the 35-mm anti-aircraft canon. What I'm trying to say is that our dear experts at the Defence Ministry have designed and build all of the various small and large parts of this canon.
[Defence minister]: We are the first country where our dears have carried out research in line with the needs of our armed forces. Sa-Iran, or the Iran Electronic Industries, has carried out work on the fire-control system and the necessary radars. The Iran Aerospace Organization supervised and oversaw the construction of the main canon. Some of the canon's mechanical parts were built by the Defence Industries.
[Correspondent]: The fully automatic and smart Samavat anti-aircraft canon is equipped with satellite and radar equipment and can easily and accurately target and destroy air targets such as cruise missiles and fighter jets.
[Defence minister]: This canon will be used to target low-flying targets and has a range of three or four kilometres. It can be used against cruise missiles and various aircraft and helicopters. One of its main characteristics is that it has an optical fire-control system and various radars.
[Correspondent]: The firing capability of this anti-aircraft canon is so high that it can fire 1100 bullets per minute.

Source: Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1, Tehran, in Persian 1030 gmt 15 Jan 08

Iran builds 2,000 km-range Ashura Missile - defence minister

Text of report by Iranian conservative, privately-owned Fars News Agency website
Tehran, 27 November: Our country's defence minister [Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar] has reported the building of the Ashura Missile, with a range of 2,000 km.
According to Fars News Agency's defence reporter, speaking on Tuesday morning [27 November] at a gathering of Defence-se Ministry Basijis [volunteer forces], the defence minister said: The building of the Ashura Missile, with a range of 2,000 km, anti-armour missiles, a range of rockets, anti-air defence missiles, building tanks, a range of vehicles and personnel carriers, and building surface vessels and submarines are among the steps taken by the Defence Ministry.
Najjar said that we have taken big and effective strides in the two fields of welfare [as received] services and building defence strength.
He added: Building the Sa'eqeh and Azarakhsh fighters, a new generation of drones, submarines, building and developing missiles, and advanced communication and electronic systems can be listed as examples of these achievements.

Source: Fars News Agency website, Tehran, in Persian 0558 gmt 27 Nov 07

Iran builds "flexible fuel tanks" for aircrafts, three-dimensional sonar

Text of report by Iranian TV on 24 September
The defence minister [Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar] has inaugurated the project for building flexible fuel tanks [Makhazen-e sukht-e en'etafpazir] for helicopters and three-dimensional sonar.
Flexible fuel tanks for helicopters, designed and built by researchers at Malek-e Ashtar University, which is affiliated to the Defence Ministry, can be used by aircrafts, helicopters, various missiles and tanks.
These tanks can resist against damages caused by crashes and bullets and the three-dimensional sonar built by the Defence Ministry can search for targets in deep water digitally, in colour, in horizontal and vertical positions [as received].

Source: Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1, Tehran, in Persian 1103 gmt 24 Sep 07

Iran says new fighter jet similar to but more powerful than US F-18s

Text of report in English by Iranian TV news channel on 20 September
Iranian air force pilots have completed a test flight of two domestically-manufactured fighter jets.
Iran's Defence Minister Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said the test flights of a new generation of Azarakhsh jet fighters called the Sa'eqeh, were completed by brave pilots from Iran's air force.
Najjar said that the research, design and production of the jets were done by Iranian experts.
The plane was first tested in 2006 and is derived from re-engineered components of US combat aircraft.
The Sa'eqeh jets are a new generation of the Azarakhsh class of fighter planes. Iran exhibited the fighter plane last year during large-scale military exercises.
The country says the Sa'eqeh is similar to the American F-18 fighter plane but more powerful.

Source: Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Tehran, in English 1130 gmt 20 Sep 07

Defence minister comments on Iran's new smart bomb

Text of report by Iranian TV news channel on 26 August
[Presenter] On the third day of Government Week, the production line for a smart weapon and four-fold lines for the production of Saqeb [piercing] small-calibre penetrating ammunition have been commissioned at the Defence Ministry. Let me draw your attention to a report in this connection:
[Reporter] The 2,000-pound Qased [Messenger] bomb is a bomb with an active long-range air-to-ground guiding system, which has been designed, manufactured and put into mass production using the world's most advanced technology.
[Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar] In fact, these weapons are of the (?long-reaching) kind with spread-out targets. They are released by bomber-fighters, from a long range. We would use these bombs in places where we, in fact, want to be out of reach of the enemy's fire and to hit the enemy's strategic, military targets.
And, of course, this bomb - all these ammunitions and weapons that we use - are against our enemies. In other words, they will land on people who intend to attack our land and waters. Otherwise, we've always declared that all the resources that we have for our defence are in fact tools and instruments for safeguarding peace and stability, and calm and security. And they are not a threat to the world. However, in the face of our enemies, we will definitely use these at the appropriate time.
[Reporter] The commissioning of the four-fold production lines for small-calibre [armour] piercing ammunition, in addition to making the production of ammunition indigenous and meeting the domestic requirements of the armed forces, will lead to a foreign exchange savings of about 7m euros, and part of its production lines were inaugurated by the defence minister today.
[Mohammad-Najjar] This kind of ammunition is, in fact, of the Saqeb penetrating variety, which is unique for its kind [as heard]. The interesting thing is that all the machinery, from the research and design stage to manufacturing, have been totally undertaken [made] in the country, by the defence industries. Some 75 per cent of this machinery has been undertaken [made] in the Defence Ministry itself and 25 per cent in the private sector. There is room for thanks to the private sector, which has had a good participation in defence work.
On this production line, we've had a savings of about 7m euros. In fact, with the commissioning of this production line, a very high capacity for the production of small-calibre ammunition - several millions - has been created. This has created an increased combat capability and has made indigenous the technical know-how for the production of this machinery.
[Reporter] The production of a variety of military equipment in the different ground, air and sea fields, including missile industries and, most importantly, the production of the Qased bomb, in addition to showing Defence Ministry's capacity for design and production, increase the Islamic Republic of Iran's defence capability in an eye-catching way.
[Sign off] Majid Akhavan, reporting for the news channel.
[Video shows the Qased bomb, the defence minister speaking to an off-screen reporter, bombs being dropped from bombers and the production line for the small-calibre bullets.]

Source: Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Tehran, in Persian 0935 gmt 26 Aug 07

Iran to launch 35mm "Sky Guard" gun, "Wave" destroyer this week
Text of report by Iranian Fars News Agency website
Tehran, 24 August: The minister of defence and armed forces logistics [Mostafa Mohammad Najjar] has said: The manufacturing of the 35 mm "Sky Guard" gun is one of the new projects that has been completed by the Ministry of Defence and will become operational during the Government Week.
Describing an active diplomacy as the ninth government's major objective, Mostafa Mohammad Najjar told the Fars News Agency: Mutual relations with the Muslim and neighbouring countries in one of the priorities of this diplomacy.
He added: To this end, so far more than 100 visits have been paid by the president, the foreign minister and other cabinet members to other countries. Najjar stressed: Today our country is enjoying strong relations with Latin American and African countries as a result of such diplomacy. Najjar added: It is due to this diplomacy that all the enemy's efforts to create commotion and spread rumours against our country have been neutralized.
Mohammad Najjar pointed to Iran eagerness to establish more active relations with regional countries and said: Iran is willing to hold joint war games and sign collective pacts with regional countries.
The minister of defence said that all the Defence Ministry's equipment are being designed and built by the capable hand of Iran's youngsters adding: The Wave Destroyer is being prepared and will be launched during the Government Week.

Source: Fars News Agency website, Tehran, in Persian 1046 gmt 24 Aug 07

Iran begins mass production of landing gear for ultrasonic fighters
Text of report by Iranian TV on 27 May
[Newsreader] Landing gear for ultrasonic fighter planes have gone into mass production at the Defence Ministry's Air Industries Organization.
[Unidentified off-screen reporter] Today, in Esfahan, in the presence of the defence minister, the production stage of landing gear for ultrasonic fighter planes was commissioned at the Defence Ministry's Air Industries Organization.
According to the Defence Ministry's Defence Publicity Department, before, the design and production of this landing gear used to be a monopoly of America, Britain and Russia.
At the ceremony for the commissioning of the landing gear, Commander Najjar said that producing it was a big stride towards self-sufficiency for the air industries and a manifestation of sanctions busting [Persian: tahrim-shekani].
He added: With the strengthening of the software movement and the scientific movement of talented and elite Iranian youngsters, the boundaries of know-how and technology will not remain the monopoly of any power.
The building of landing gear for fighters at the Defence Ministry's Air Industries in Esfahan will lead to a 250,000- dollar foreign exchange saving per landing gear.
[Video shows Defence Minister Mohammad-Najjar walking around various rooms and viewing various unidentified parts of the landing gear.]

Source: Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1, Tehran, in Persian 1101 gmt 27 May 07

Iran to inaugurate 22 electronic, military projects

Text of report by Iranian Mehr news agency
Tehran, 17 April: The production lines for 21 important electronic projects at Shiraz Electronic Industries and one important military project at the Fajr-e Shiraz Industries, affiliated to the Defence Ministry, will come on stream in the presence of the Defence Minister, Brig-Gen Mostafa Mohammad Najjar. The inauguration will take place during the visit of President Ahmadinezhad and the cabinet to Fars Province.
According to Mehr, eight electronic war projects, six electro-optic and laser projects, four important radar projects, three microwave lamps projects and the production line for a 40mm automatic grenade propeller are among the important projects which will be inaugurated in the presence of the defence minister.
The defence minister will visit the Defence Ministry affiliated industries and the units of the Military and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps during his trip to Fars Province.

Source: Mehr news agency, Tehran, in Persian 1039 gmt 17 Apr 07

Iran defence minister opens Mowj destroyer production line in northern province
Excerpt from report by Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) website
The minister of defence and armed forces logistics has said: As regards Iran's nuclear dossier, unity, cohesion, national consensus and the unyielding rationality of the Islamic Republic of Iran have led to contradictory statements on the part of the While House ringleaders.
A correspondent of ISNA reports that, accompanying the cabinet on their visit to the province of Gilan, and addressing senior military and police commanders of the province, Defence Minister Mostafa Muhammad Najjar referred to the unilateral policy of America and its use of tactics for creating discord and levelling accusations in order to dissuade the people and officials to forego their inalienable rights, and added: The great nation of Iran would not submit to bullying, unilateralism or discriminatory actions.
Stating that national unity and the cohesiveness of the Military [Persian: Artesh], the Guards Corps and the Basij [Resistance Force] would guarantee the steadfastness, dynamism and combat readiness of the Armed Forces, the general added: Without a doubt, the unity, cohesiveness and [combat] readiness as well as the strong bond between the people and the Armed Forces, would frighten and disappoint our enemies.
Referring to the abundant potential of Gilan, the minister said: All of us must try to turn this green and dynamic province into a pole of development and tourism, a symbol of progress in the domain of agriculture, and a model for peace and tranquillity in Islamic Iran.
[Passage omitted: on investment in production of olive oil to be sold in special stores for armed forces]
The ISNA correspondent reports: The minister also inaugurated the production line of Mowj-2 destroyers in the Martyr Tamjeedi Maritime Industries in Bandar Anzali.
The report adds: The Mowj-2 destroyer, with a 20,000-horsepower engine and a 1,420- tonne displacement, has a speed of 30 knots. It is capable of carrying a helicopter and can be fitted with various types of surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, advanced anti-aircraft guns, torpedoes and an electronic warfare system.
The opening of the production line, which creates 250 jobs and provide indirect employment for 1,000 people, can contribute to job creation in the province and its industrial development.
During the opening ceremony of the production line, Brig-Gen Najjar congratulated the supreme commander of the Armed Forces [Khamene'i] and the noble people of Iran for this achievement, and said: This production line shows the self-belief and self-sufficiency of the pious and skilled offspring of dear Khomeyni and Khamene'i.
The defence minister stressed: With their innovation and creativity, the courageous people who took part in the eight-year holy defence [Iran-Iraq war] are the standard-bearers of rendering boycott and threats ineffective as well as being the forerunners of development and progress.
[Passage omitted: on importance of self-sufficiency and martyrs of the province]

Source: ISNA website, Tehran, in Persian 0918gmt 23 Feb 07

Iranian defence minister inaugurates helicopter overhaul line

Text of report by Iranian news agency IRNA
Tehran, 10 February: The major overhaul line of Mil-171 helicopters was inaugurated on Saturday [10 February] concurrent to the tens days of dawn [anniversary] of the Islamic Revolution in the Air Industries Organization affiliated to the Ministry of Defence.
With the inauguration of this line, all the stages of repair and maintenance of the Mil-171 helicopter, including the major overhaul of the fuselage, fuel transfer system, propeller, FCU system and the rotary system, will be carried out by experts of the Ministry of Defence's air industries.
During the inauguration ceremonies, the minister of defence and armed forces logistics commemorated the 28th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and said that self-reliance in air industries has been among the great achievements of the Islamic Revolution.
Brig-Gen Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said that at present a considerable part of the armed forces helicopter fleet is comprised of Mil-171. He added: The inauguration of the major overhaul line of this helicopter will enhance the level of knowledge, and scientific and technical capability of the experts of the Ministry of Defence's air industries and the operational capability of the helicopter fleet of the armed forces.
He referred to the efforts made by global powers to prevent the progress and development of the Islamic Revolution. He stressed: With their freedom and independence-seeking spirit and self-belief, the Iranian dedicated, intelligent and talented youth will conquer the peaks of science and technology one after another, despite enemies desires.
The minister of defence said that the design and manufacture of more than 4,000 complicated parts of various helicopters by the Ministry of Defence's experts is a sign of Iranians' great capability.
He said: The imposition of the eight year war on Iran and the threats have made this nation strong and ready, therefore, the recent pressures by America and its allies will not adversely affect the will of the Iranian nation, experts and scientists in developing an independent and progressive country.

Source: IRNA news agency, Tehran, in Persian 0725 gmt 10 Feb 07

Iran capable of manufacturing all aircraft, spare parts - Defence minister

Text of report by Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) website
The defence minister has said that the country's defence budget has increased in line with the budget increases in other sectors adding: Thanks to God, the necessary measures needed for this increase have been taken in the budget bill.
Speaking to ISNA, Commander Mostafa Mohammad Najjar commented on the country's current defence capabilities and referring to the conducted military exercises said: These exercises demonstrate the readiness and great power of our country's army, Basij, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps [IRGC], and Law Enforcement forces.
The minister said that the country's armed forces have the necessary readiness to defend Iran and said: During these exercises, we tested the intended equipment and weaponry. This shows that the armed forces have the necessary preparedness.
The official also talked about the US' recent decision to ban the export of spare parts for F-14 fighter jets to various countries in order to stop Iran from acquiring them and said: Such measures and comments by the US have become old. Thanks to God, our country's aviation industry has progressed so much that it is capable of manufacturing any parts the country needs. We don't need anyone's help in the manufacture of fighter jets, commercial aircraft and . [ellipses as published].
Najjar went on to say: This action by the US is more of a psychological war. It is nothing new. They have been saying such things for the past 27 years. Fortunately, thanks to the determination of the country's experts, our air fleet is powerful. The Americans have imposed sanctions on us since the beginning of the revolution. Even if they hadn't done such a thing, we would have imposed sanctions on them because we don't need them.

Source: ISNA website, Tehran, in Persian 0552 gmt 6 Feb 07

Iranian army puts new air defence system into operation
Text of report by Iranian Fars News Agency website
The Army's new air defence system capable of firing one or two missiles simultaneously was put into operation in the presence of Maj-Gen Salehi, the commander of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran [MIRI].
Fars news agency, quoting the Army public relations office, reports that, the air defence system, designed by army experts successfully underwent all accuracy and structural tests, can be used as a fixed or mobile system. The system, with its high level mobility and flexibility, can track and intercept all air targets under any climatic or weather condition. In addition, with it capability of firing missiles simultaneously, the system's possibility of hitting its targets increases exponentially.
The report adds: Another project of the MIRI's Army is the construction of field hospitals which are designed to use advanced medical equipment and can be transported, using two army-built Safir buses. The hospitals with their intensive care units, recovery wards and operating theatres can carry out all sorts of necessary operations.
The hospitals, which have the capabilities to resuscitate [patients] using advanced CPR [preceding letters in English] equipment, can be active like other units in any operational area.
In implementing another project and striving towards self-sufficiency, the Army also produces different types of kits used for search and rescue operations in disaster areas.
Moreover, the general also inspected the coming to fruition of two projects for giving warning about enemy radars and disrupting their performance with the capability of identifying troops and mobile equipment in the war theatre. These projects became operational as a result of cooperation between the Army, some university research centres and domestic industrial units.
These projects, as well as warning the troops that they are being monitored by enemy radars, provide the opportunity of taking action against enemy radars, that is, having identified active enemy radars, actions can be taken to disrupt their operation for a suitable range.
The items of equipment for giving warning and disrupting [enemy] radars, were designed and made in the last two years. They can be carried by troops, and having undergone all high level operational tests, can now be mass produced.

Source: Fars News Agency website, Tehran, in Persian 0919gmt 16 Mar 07