AN IRANIAN aerospace director has confirmed that the Islamic Republic will manufacture indigenously designed UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) in the northern province of Mazandaran.
"We plan to manufacture UAVs, including unmanned choppers and drones, at this site," Hamed Saeedi, managing director of Farnas Aerospace Company told the government-controlled FARS News. "Drones will be of the tactical type, with a short range of 400 to 500 meters flying altitude which cannot be detected by radio waves as they will be stealth aircraft."
 It should be noted that Iranian Air force Commander Brigadier General Hassan Shahsafi announced in February that indigenously produced "stealth aircraft" were scheduled for active deployment over the next eight months.
"Military experts are working on the radar-evading aircraft and God willing its test flight will be done in the first half of the next (Iranian) year (beginning on March 20)," said Shahsafi.
As The News previously reported, Iran has recently claimed a number of significant achievements in the aerospace sector, including the successful development of an advanced air defence system.
"This hi-tech system is able to target airplanes and other aggressive aircrafts at an altitude of 55,000 feet (approximately 18 kilometers)," explained Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar. "We have used hi-tech technology in the system, including detection radars and target interceptors which are all made by our country's experts."
According to Najjar, the system was designed to intercept hostile fighters, helicopters and cruise missiles. The brigadier general also stated that the fuse-equipped shells were capable of detonating and destroying designated targets at a close distance.
"One of the most important features of this weapon is its smart system which can track down the target and fire at it automatically. In addition to these radars, the new air defence system has a central unit for flak control and central unit for information coordination which are designed and made by defense ministry specialists," added the minister.
Iran has already produced two surface-to-air missiles: the 40-50 kilometre Hawk-based Sayyad-1 and the truck-mounted Shahab Thaqeb, which closely resembles the Chinese HQ-7/FM-80/90.
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