The Iranian Defense Ministry is in the process of manufacturing three military aircraft as part of a wide-ranging campaign to attain self-sufficiency in the manufacture of conventional weapons for "defensive purposes," reported the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, citing a news agency report on Saturday.
The student news agency, ISNA, quoted a defense source as saying that "the defense ministry has attained self-sufficiency in the manufacture of spare parts for warplanes and, hopefully, it will also achieve self-sufficiency in the manufacture of warplanes."
The source told ISNA that the defense ministry had chosen European and Asian models in its program.
Last month, Iran successfully test-fired an armor-piercing anti-tank missile capable of destroying the most sophisticated armored equipment.
The Saeqeh-1 (Lightning) missile enjoys a high penetration capability and can destroy the most sophisticated armored equipment in the world, Iranian sources said.
In May this year, Iran also successfully test-fired a domestically-made solid-fueled missile. The surface-to-surface rocket can be guided to destroy targets with high accuracy.
The Fateh (Victorious) 110 was entirely planned and produced by Iranian experts at its army headquarters and greatly boosts the country's military superiority and self-sufficiency, said Iranian sources.
The military earlier announced a comprehensive plan to produce and improve on conventional arms for defensive uses in a bid to defy crippling sanctions imposed in the aftermath of the 1980-1988 war that followed an Iraqi invasion.
The United States and Israel have voiced concern over
Iran's success in producing arms without foreign help.
Iranian officials call this part of a campaign to “divert world attention from the real threats posed by the Israeli regime that has one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals,” according to IRNA.
The campaign for self-sufficiency in conventional arms began last year when Iran test-fired a version of its Shahab-3 missile with a range of 1,300km (800miles) – Albawaba.com
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