The drills were code-named “Modafe'an-e Aseman-e Veleyat 5 (Defenders of Velayat Skies 5)” and “Mesbah al-Hoda.” Artesh and IRGC air defense units participated in the maneuvers last October.
Gen. Sabahifard did not elaborate whose behavior did it actually change, and how those drills changed the “behavior of enemies” in the region.
In the “Velayat 5” exercises, 12,000 troops from Artesh and IRGC participated, defending a land area of over 700,000 sq. km, Khatam al-Anbia’s commander, Brig. Gen. Farzad Esmayeeli, said at the time. Iran tested elements of its developing indigenous air defense missile system, Ya Zahra, against different aerial targets. The system is linked to the country's integrated air defense network and will be capable of engaging several aerial targets simultaneously, with reportedly fast reaction and full detection capabilities. (Fars News Agency, 6 April)
Photo credit: Brig. Gen. Alireza Sabahifard, Lieutenant Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base. (Fars News Agency)
