Iran's Air Force Will Soon Test-Fire A New Guided-Bomb

[Purveyor]

Iran's air force will soon test-fire a new guided-bomb, the Iranian Fars news agency reported on Monday.

"The 2,000-pound Qassed-1 guided-bomb has been mass produced and given to the Air Force ... its new version will be test-fired soon," Iranian Air Force commander-in-chief Hassan Shahsafi was quoted as saying by the agency.

"The Qassed-2 has a longer range, more accuracy and enjoys more explosive power than its older version," Shahsafi said.

The Iranian Air Force first test-fired the Qassed-1 (Herald) bomb in 2006 and put it into service the year after.

In February, Iran started production of two domestically-developed missiles with enhanced armor-penetration capability, the Qaem ground-to-air missile and the Toufan-5 anti-tank missile.

According to analysts, Iran has recently made significant progress in developing various types of combat planes and succeeded in gaining the technical know-how for producing aircraft and drones with stealth capabilities.

Iran launched a domestic arms development program after a U.S. weapons embargo was imposed during its 1980-88 war with Iraq. Since 1992, the Islamic Republic has reportedly produced its own Saeqeh and Azarakhsh jet fighters, stealth-capable Ghadir submarine, missile boats, torpedoes, tanks and armored carrier vehicles.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20100301/158054621.html

[ThomWV]

1. Do I need to point out that there is nothing "new" about a guided bomb?

We've got them by the tens of thousands, and have had for decades.

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. It would be new to them.

And it is the US's "Iran is the enemy of everything good in the world" stance that has compelled them do develop a native armaments industry in their own defense.

If we'd just leave them, and the rest of the region, alone they'd still be buying 25 year old, 2nd rate Soviet equipment.