Iran shows off underground air base with Russia's Sukhoi jets
In the first public display of an underground air base, Iran presented missile-mounted warplanes and bombers at a moment of growing concerns over its controversial drone deliveries to Russia.
The Iranian Army's Air Force unveiled on Tuesday what it said was a vast military facility built "hundreds of meters" beneath a mountain in an undisclosed location in the country.
In a detailed report, the state broadcaster aired videos of the center, dubbed Eagle 44, where fighter jets, bombers and drones are being stored, as they were said to be practicing thwarting enemy attacks on a regular basis.
Military officials have said fighter jets at the facility are equipped with cruise missiles, and pinpointing bombs that could penetrate into the very heart of the enemy soil. The center, according to the report, is entirely resistant to American bunker busters and remains hidden from reconnaissance missions.
At times of a full-blown war, the facility is also said to be capable of maintaining operations "for months" thanks to its abundant fuel and ammunition storage supplying the warplanes, on which "homemade" and "radar-evading" cruise missiles Yasin and Ghaem are mounted.
