Iran’s Army Starts Massive Drills in Isfahan Province

Commander of Iran’s Army Ground Forces Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari inaugurated the two-day large-scale military drills code-named 'Eqtedar 97' (Velayat Power 2019) early in the morning today.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday, Brigadier General Heidari said that as many as 12,000 are taking part in the drills and are planned to exercise their ‘offensive tactics’.

He added that different units of the Army's Ground Force, including 12,000 combat and mobile forces, will participate in the wargame.

General Heidari said that different home-made weapons will be tested in the drills and various types of military equipment, including helicopters, drones and fighter jets will be used.

He said that the message of war-games for the friends of Iran is that they can consider the country's military capabilities as part of the power of Islam's army, meantime, adding that the Iranian army is always ready to give a crushing and quick response to any aggression by enemies.

Earlier this month, the Iranian Air Force staged wargames in Isfahan province.

"During the wargames, Sukhoi 24, F4, F5, F7, Mig 29, F14 and Sa'eqeh heavy bombers and fighters and Boeing 707 and 747 refueling planes as well as C130 logistics and transportation planes and drones equipped with precision-striking missiles and long-range smart bombs are present; these aircraft have been deployed to Shahid Babayee airbase (in Isfahan) since several days ago," Spokesman of the drills General pilot Alireza Angizeh told reporters in Isfahan.

 He added that in the course of the drills, the Mig-29 fighters traced and destroyed the missiles fired by F-5 fighter jets by optimized home-made R-73 missiles.

"Also, the F-4 planes smashed specified targets by heavy carpet bombing," General Angizeh said.

During the final and operational stage of the air drills in the Central Iranian province, the military forces engaged in air-to-air shooting exercises and shooting against air targets while flying at high speed in various altitudes.

The war-games also included air-to-ground shooting and bombing in day and night missions, by using smart, upgraded and domestically-manufactured heavy and semi-heavy bombers.

Other part of the drills included testing laser, thermal, monitor-controlled, and radar-controlled missile systems in operations as well as various types of rockets and bombs manufactured by Iranian experts.

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