Iran Equips Army with New Rapid Reaction Tanks
News number: 8910051229 14:58 | 2010-12-26
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8910051229

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian commander on Sunday announced that the
country has equipped its Army's Ground Force with new rapid reaction tanks
and light armored vehicles.

Speaking to FNA, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Force
General Kioumars Heidari added that the Army is also equipped with new
anti-armor and anti-chopper weapons, equipment and systems.

"Rapid movement of units rapid is among the most important issues always
pursued by the commanders of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army," Heidari
said.

"One of the most important ways to attain this rapidity is the use of light
armored vehicles and rapid reaction tanks, and we have had good achievements
in this ground," he noted, adding that the Army is now using these types of
armored vehicles.

He further added that the Iranian Army has gained good achievements in
developing and acquiring different types of ground gears, assault weapons as
well as machine guns.

Earlier, Heidari had told FNA in October that new tools, weapons and
equipment had been handed to the Ground Force during the Week of Sacred
Defense.

"The equipments delivered to the Ground Force are mostly related to the
fields of anti-armor and air defense, including anti-chopper weapons, and
the systems used by the armored and infantry units for air offense and air
defense," he added.

The Iranian Army recently test-fired different types of newly-developed
missiles and torpedoes and tested a large number of its home-made weapons,
tools and equipments, including submarines, military ships, artillery,
choppers, aircraft, UAVs and air defense and electronic systems, in a series
of massive military drills.

Defense analysts and military observers say that Iran's wargames and its
advancements in weapons production have proved as a deterrent factor,
specially at a time of heightened threats by the US.

Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed
war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has
produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter
planes.

Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and
arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a
threat to any other country