Article Posted on : - Jan 02, 2012

A file photo.

TEHRAN (AFP): Iran on Monday successfully tested a Ghader ground-to-ship cruise missile on the last day of navy war games near the Strait of Hormuz, a navy spokesman said.

"This missile built by Iranian experts successfully hit its target and destroyed it," Commodore Mahmoud Mousavi was quoted as saying by the official news agency IRNA.

He said it was "the first time" a Ghader missile had been tested.

The Ghader missile is said to have a range of 200 kilometres, which is generally considered medium-range or even short-range for a cruise missile, even though IRNA described it as "long-range".

Mousavi earlier told the ISNA news agency that "the Ghader is an ultra-modern missile with an integrated, ultra-precise radar whose range and intelligent anti-detection system have been improved over previous generations."

Mousavi said the navy was to test two other types of missiles on Monday, a surface-to-surface Nour missile also with a range of 200 kilometres, and a Nasr anti-ship missile with a shorter range.

The Ghader is said to be entirely built by Iran. The Nour and Nasr missiles are based on Chinese designs.