The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is conducting Exercise Payambar-e Azam 15 (The Great Prophet 15) and has test fired a large number of new generation of ballistic missiles. One of the missiles travelled 1800 kms to destroy a moving naval target. The target was located to the south of the Oman Sea and the beginning of the Indian Ocean or the North Indian ocean.
The exercise is being held in the general area of the Central Desert of Iran. IRGC has not specified the missile. Iranian Shahab-4 IRBM, similar to the Soviet SS-4, is capable of reaching a range of 1,800-2,000 km. Other possible missiles are IRSL-X-2 with an approximate 2500 km range, Shahab-5/ IRSL-X-3 with approximately 4000 km and Kosar / IRIS with 4300 km range.
“It is common to hit moving targets at sea using low-speed cruise missiles, but the use of ballistic missiles because of the depths and long distances from which we can target moving targets in the ocean from the heart of our land is a great defense achievement that has materialized and evolved in the IRGC air force,” said Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC.
IRGC also barrage fired Zulfaghar SRBM, Zelzal unguided rocket and Dezful MRBM missiles at predetermined targets. Iran’s bomber drones too took part in the Exercise.