Iran’s Mirage Fighters Equipped with Homegrown Cruise Missiles
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran said it has equipped its Mirage fighter jets with home-made cruise missiles despite sanctions imposed on the country's Armed Forces.
Military technicians at the Iranian defense ministry have managed to manufacture a missile system and mount it on Mirage fighter jets.
Previously, Iran’s Mirage fighters were almost out of service and could not be used in military missions since the jets were compatible with Exocet missiles as well as some other types of Russian-made missiles and Iran was unable to import them because of sanctions.
Mirage fighter jets produced by the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation, have great capabilities in aerial combat and are in service in only six countries around the world, including Iran.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Tuesday, Deputy Defense Minister Mohammad Eslami confirmed the report, and said that the Mirage fighters "have been renovated and equipped with the Iranian arms."
He further added that "these fighter jets are now in service and are ready to conduct operation."
He also said the missiles that could be mounted on Mirage fighters depend on the type of missions defined by the Iranian Air Force, adding that these fighter jets can be equipped with various types of missiles, including cruise missiles with a range of 300km.
The Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great headways in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
Tehran has always assured other nations that its military might poses no threat to the regional countries, saying that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.