Iran Test-Fires Sub-To-Surface Missile
Julie Farby - All Headline News Staff Writer Tehran, Iran (AHN)-In a show of its military prowess amid a standoff with the West over its nuclear activities, Iran test fired a new submarine-to-surface missile during war games in the Persian Gulf on Sunday. A brief video clip showed the long-range missile, called Thaqeb, or Saturn, exiting the water and hitting a target on the water's surface within less than a mile, with navy commander, Gen. Sajjad Kouchaki telling state-run Iranian television, "The army successfully test fired a top speed long-range sub-to-surface missile off the Persian Gulf." Iran routinely has held war games over the past two decades to improve its combat readiness and to test equipment including missiles, tanks and armored personnel carriers. In an advance for Iran's weapons industry, the Thaqeb is the country's first sub-fired missile that leaves the water to strike its target, adding to the country's repertoire of weapons that can hit ships in the Gulf. Kouchaki says the Thaqeb, which could be fired from any vessel and escape enemy radar, was built based on domestic know-how, although outside experts say much of the country's missile technology originated from other countries like Russia and China. However, after decades of relying on foreign weapons purchases, Iran's military has been working to boost its domestic production of armaments. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, |
