Article Posted on : - Sep 08, 2011

The F-5 fighters of Iranian Air Force.

TEHRAN (BNS): The Iranian Air Force has launched a 10-day massive aerial wargame in the country’s northwestern parts on Tuesday.

The first stage of the exercise, code-named ‘Defenders of the Skies of Velayat 3’, concluded Wednesday, the Fars news agency reported.

The first phase involved the air force planes transporting military personnel and equipment from nine air bases to the wargames’ site.

The war drill will engage a range of Iranian Air Force fighters, including the F-4, F-5, Sukhoi SU-24 fighter-bombers and MiG-29, along with cargo and transportation planes.

“During the ten-day war game, equipment, tactics, and ammunition of fighter jets will be tested in four stages,” Air Force Deputy Commander for Air Operations Brigadier General Mohammad Alavi said during a press conference in Tehran on Tuesday as the exercise kicked off.

Indigenous Iranian fighter jets, including Saeqeh (thunderbolt), will carry out hundreds of sorties during the wargames and will drop high-tonnage smart and precision-guided bombs on mock targets, the news agency said.