Suicide drones unveiled on last day of IRGC military drills
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force unveiled its advanced defensive systems, including new types of suicide drones Rezvan and Meraj 521, as the military unit continues to upgrade its cutting-edge warfare technology.
On Thursday, during the final day of Great Prophet 19 military drills in western Iran, the loitering drone named “Rezvan” was operationalized, with a range of 20 kilometers and a 20-minute flight endurance, IRNA reported.
The suicide drone is equipped with a camera mounted on the front that sends images after being launched from its cylindrical launcher, allowing the operator to select, lock on and attack a target.
The warhead weight of the Meraj 521 drone, which entered into service during the drills, is available in three classes, including 500 grams, 700 grams, and 1,000 grams.
The drone has a flight endurance of 5 to 15 minutes and a range of up to 5 kilometers, Tasnim reported.
Owing to their versatility and rapid deployment, the loitering UAVs provide the IRGC Ground Force’s rapid response units with new capabilities to combat terrorist groups, not least in complex mountainous geography, Press TV reported.
Loitering munitions refer to a group of weapons that, after being launched, are guided towards the target by optical and thermal systems, and detect and destroy the target by crashing into it.