Iran's Su-22 hits home from a distance of thousands of kilometers
According to PressTV on July 26, Iran has just received 10 upgraded Su-22s - a version that can carry smart weapons and long-range missiles.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has successfully improved and upgraded its fleet of 10 Sukhoi Su-22 attack aircraft to be able to carry smart weapons and cruise missiles with a range of over 1,500km.
Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh - Commander of the IRGC's Air and Space Force said: "The IRGC's Su-22 attack aircraft will be equipped with cruise missiles with an attack range of 1,500 km."
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| Number of weapons Iran's Su-22 can carry. |
The impressive statement was made by Mr. Hajizadeh on the sidelines of the handover ceremony of 10 Sukhoi Su-22s that were upgraded and improved by Iranian experts to the IRGC Air and Space Force held in Tehran.
Despite possessing outstanding features such as flying at Mach 2.1 (more than twice the speed of sound) and having a ceiling of 15,000m, Iran's Su-22 aircraft have not been upgraded in some areas and therefore they must be further improved.
After the upgrade, Iran's Su-22 can carry and drop smart, controlled cluster bombs, launch air-to-ground and surface-to-air missiles with near-absolute precision, and can interact and relay data with UAVs from a distance of several kilometers - this is a feature that no other Su-22 in the world has except Iran.
Iran's continued display of advanced weapons comes as relations with Israel are on the brink of war due to the situation in Syria. Tensions have especially escalated along the border between Damascus and Tel Aviv.
Israel has repeatedly accused Iran and Hezbollah of increasing their military presence in Syria, a country ravaged by a seven-year civil war, and sees it as a threat to the country.
Israel has repeatedly stated that it will not allow Iran to build a permanent military presence in Syria and is ready to go to war with the Islamic Republic to prevent this.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: "Whoever hurts us, we will hurt them seven times more. Whoever hurts us, we will act to hurt them first."
In response, Iran also made similar statements and the continuous display of advanced weapons in recent times is considered by experts to be a necessary preparation by Tehran for a possible conflict with Israel.
Clip: Iran introduces upgraded Su-22 squadron
