TEHRAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian official said Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully tested a homemade long-range, high-precision kamikaze drone equipped with a 50-kilogram warhead.
Ali Kouhestani, the head of the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC's Ground Force, made the remarks in an interview with the semi-official Tasnim news agency, which was published on Sunday.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named "Meraj-532," has a range of 450 kilometers, and is capable of flying at a maximum altitude of 12,000 feet for three straight hours, said Kouhestani, noting that the drone can hit targets with pinpoint accuracy.
The suicide drone is equipped with a piston engine and can take off from a vehicle, Kouhestani added.
He said the UAV has a 50-kg warhead and can be assembled and prepared for flight easily, making it suitable for rapid reaction operations.
Iran has made significant progress in the area of manufacturing UAVs over the past years. The country is currently producing drones capable of carrying out a wide range of missions.
