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Iran uses domestically made drones in large military exercise

Iran's military training and exercises regularly focus on potential conflict with the United States.

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Iranian military trucks carry surface-to-air missiles during a parade on the occasion of the country's Army Day, on April 18, 2017, in Tehran. — ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

Iran's military conducted a major drone drill on Tuesday, using unmanned aircraft produced in Iran.

The Iranian army, navy and air defense force participated in the drill, which featured hundreds of Iran-made drones and will last until Wednesday. The drill focused on “kamikaze” drones, named after the Japanese pilots during World War II, that hover around a location before finding a target and striking it. The exercise also included air-to-air missiles, which are fired from one aircraft to destroy another, and precision-guided missiles, according to the state-run Press TV news outlet.

Iranian security forces regularly conduct military drills. In July, the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched its first underground missile.

Some recent training exercises have focused on the United States. In June, Iran built a mock aircraft carrier modeled after an American one.

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