Speaking to Tasnim, head of the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC Ground Force, General Ali Kouhestani, said the new unmanned aerial vehicle, Meraj-532, has been tested successfully.
The homegrown suicide drone is equipped with a piston engine and can travel a distance of 450 kilometers ina one-way mission, he said.
The drone can take off from a vehicle, has a service ceiling of 12,000 feet and can stay aloft up to 3 hours, the general added, noting that it can hit targets with high accuracy with a warhead weighing 50 kilograms.
General Kouhestani also stated that Meraj-532 can be assembled and prepared for flight easily and rapidly, emerging as a suitable option for rapid reaction.
He alsounveiled plans to bring more new combat, training and suicide drones into operation for various missions carried out by the IRGC Ground Force units.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great progress in indigenously developing a broad range of equipment, making the Armed Forces self-sufficient in this regard.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to build up its defense capabilities, emphasizing that such abilities are entirely meant for the purpose of defense and will be never subject to negotiations.
