Drills reflect Iranian emphasis on unmanned and anti-ship capabilities
As the dust settles from the Zolfaghar-99 large-scale military exercise, which took place from 10-12 September around the Strait of Hormuz, it is possible to draw some conclusions about the capabilities of the Iranian defence industrial base.
The exercise involved all four branches of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (ground forces, air defence forces, the navy and the air force) but it is worth paying particular attention to the demonstration of UAV capabilities.
Footage of a Simorgh MALE-class UAV hitting a sea target with a Sadid-345 guided bomb was very significant. Before the UAV successfully attacked the target, it
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