Iran Starts Mass-Production of Naval Cruise Missile
News number: 9010173575 15:44 | 2012-02-04
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9010173575

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran on Saturday inaugurated the production line of a newly
unveiled naval cruise missile, called Zafar (Triumph).

The production line was inaugurated by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier
General Ahmad Vahidi in a ceremony at the Defense Ministry' Aerospace
Industries Organization on the occasion of the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies,
celebrating the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution back in
1979.

The ceremony was also attended by Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards
Corps Naval Force Brigadier General Ali Fadavi.

During the ceremony, the first cargo of Zafar missiles was delivered to the
IRGC.

Speaking to reporters, Vahid said that "Zafar is a short-range, anti-ship,
radar guided missile capable of hitting and destroying small and
medium-sized targets with high precision".

He added that the missile can be mounted onto light and speed boats, enjoys
a high capability in anti-electronic warfare and is highly destructive.

Iran has made giant progress in arms production, specially in area of
missile technology, in the last decade.

Iran's latest cruise missile production, Qader (Mighty), was displayed to
the public during the military parades marking the Week of Sacred Defense in
September.

Later in September, the Iranian Defense Ministry supplied large numbers of
the Qader anti-ship cruise missiles to the Iranian Army's and the IRGC naval
forces to boost Iran's naval defense power.

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.