On the fourth day of a major exercise of the armed forces, the fighter jets of the air force destroyed sea targets using various missiles, including the AGM-65 Maverick.
The AGM-65 Maverick is a precision-guided air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities.
In an operation on Wednesday, Sukhoi Su-24 and F-4 Phantom II fighters of the air force backed the naval units by firing missiles at the vessels of the mock enemy, ISNA and Fars news agency reported.
It was the first time that the Sukhoi Su-24 was used in an operation against sea targets.
Various systems of the Russian-made aircraft, including its electronic warfare and missile systems, have been upgraded by Iranian experts. The plane has also been outfitted with a special system which enables it to be refueled in midair -- an improvement that has increased the operational range of the aircraft.
The armed forces on Thursday started the massive drill in an area covering 2.2 million square kilometers from the east of the Strait of Hormuz to the10th parallel north in the Indian Ocean and in parts of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan and the southern province of Hormozgan.
The army, navy, air force, air defense base and some units of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) are taking part in the maneuvers which will continue until December 31.
Fars also reported on Wednesday that several foreign vessels, including a US warship, were warned by a patrol aircraft of the navy to leave the area where the exercise is being conducted after the vessels came within the range of the missiles and torpedoes of the naval units involved the war game.
