TEHRAN (Tasnim) Irans Air Force is providing special aerial coverage over a large maritime area in south of the country where massive military exercises are being held, a ranking officer announced.The Air Force units are effectively covering a large zone stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the Sea of Oman in the countrys southern and southeastern waters, General Hossein Chitforoush, Air Force spokesman for the ongoing exercise said on Saturday.
Codenamed Muhammad Rasulullah (Muhammad, the messenger of God), the wargame began on Thursday with the participation of different Army units and is expected to run until December 31.
The large-scale drill is staged in an area of 2.2 million square kilometers, stretching from the northern Indian Ocean (10 degrees latitude) to the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf and in the southern and southeastern Iranian provinces of Sistan and Balouchestan and Hormozgan.
Elsewhere in his comments, Chitforoush said the Air Force divisions have enhanced their capabilities in analyzing the data received from the maritime areas.
As regards the other plans, the spokesman said the Air Force aircraft will practice aerial refueling in the wargame.
He added that the warplanes are also scheduled to play the role of both enemy and friendly forces during the drill, describing that as a difficult operation.
Saturdays phase of the exercise would also involve missions by the Air Force divisions, which will provide rapid logistic support for the naval and ground forces and will also carry out sorties in the specified areas using rapid reaction squadrons.
By Tasnim News Agency
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