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Long-range coast-to-sea missile test-fired by Iran concludes war games
Iran's long-range coast-to-sea Qader missile - Photo by PressTV
by Joseph Earnest January 2, 2012
Newscast Media TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's Navy concluded its war games by successfully test-firing a new long-range coast-to-sea missile called Qader in the first try during the final day of major naval maneuvers in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, PressTV reports.
The new projectile has been designed and
manufactured by Iranian experts and was launched on Monday during the "power phase" of the massive 10-day Velayat 90 war games, said Rear Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, the spokesman for the Navy's drills.
The smart Qader (Capable) missile managed to successfully strike and destroy its intended target, he added.
In late September, Iran launched a mass-production line of the domestically-built Qader marine cruise missile in a move to beef up the country's defense capabilities against potential enemies.
Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi had stated that the Qader
marine cruise missile, which was unveiled by President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad on August 23, would be mass-produced "as quickly as
possible."
Cruising at low altitude with high precision in target acquisition are two other features of the relatively lightweight missile.
France said on Monday that Iran's testing of missiles near the strategic Strait of Hormuz was regrettable and reminded Tehran of the need to keep the vital oil transit waterway open.
"We regret the very bad signal sent to the international community by the latest missile tests announced by Iran," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said, reminding Tehran of the "freedom of navigation in straits and the need to maintain a favorable climate in respect to this freedom."
Iran had also said that closing the Strait of Hormuz would be as easy as drinking a glass of water, and demonstrated just that, when it announced it would test-fire long-range missiles last Saturday. For five hours not a single warship, merchant vessel or oil tanker ventured into the 30-mile wide Hormuz strait, waiting to hear from Tehran' that the test was over.
Iran's Navy launched the Velayat 90 naval maneuvers on December 24. The military drills concluded on Monday. Add Comments>>Source: PressTV
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