Iran Air Force to Stage Joint Wargames: Commander

Speaking to reporters here in Tehran on Saturday, lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Air Force for Coordination General Aziz Nasirzadeh unveiled plans for a joint military drill between the Air Force and the other Iranian armed forces in the coming months.

As regards the operational purposes of the upcoming wargames, the commander noted that the drills aim to improve coordination between the Air Force and other units of the country’s armed forces, and enhance the defensive and military capabilities of the pilots and the squadrons of fighter jets.

Earlier in December, 2013, the IRIAF units successfully completed massive wargames, codenamed Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Velayat 4 (Devotees of Velayat Airspace 4), over the Persian Gulf.

The large-scale exercises in the country’s southern regions were the fourth such military drills conducted by the IRIAF, while the Air Force units accomplished all they had set out to do.

Units from all IRIAF bases participated in the three-phase drills. The maneuvers were part of annual exercises aimed at testing indigenous air defense systems, improving the units’ combat readiness and displaying the country’s military might and achievements.

The first part of the three-day wargames involved reconnaissance missions and information gathering about combat operations, while the second part was regarded as the main phase of the drills and included combat operations.

The third section also involved deployment of units and supplies and return of airborne units to their bases.

Tens of various types of interceptor fighter jets, fighter-bombers, heavy and semi-heavy transport aircraft, tanker aircraft (used for aerial refueling), reconnaissance planes, maritime patrol aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carried out the drills for three days.