TEHRAN, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Iranian military officials set up an assembly line to build modernized destroyers for the country's navy, a naval commander announced.
Rear Adm. Gholam-Reza Khadem Bigham, the deputy commander of the Iranian navy, said defense officials were getting to work on new military systems.
"The assembly line for the production of missile-launching frigates with advanced systems and modern features have been set up," he was quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency as saying.
Iran last year unveiled two destroyers that defense officials said were fitted with updated radars and advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
"The military capabilities … need to meet our defense requirements to protect the Islamic Republic's interests against aerial, surface and sub-surface threats," the admiral added.
Iranian air force officials announced this week that defense researchers were working on the third generation of a smart bomb dubbed Qassed, Persian for "messenger." Tehran claims the new smart weapon has a range of more than 60 miles, double that of previous versions.
Iran last year tested its first domestically made stealth drone and claims to be self-sufficient in supporting domestic defense measures.
A measure to purchase a missile-defense shield from Russia collapsed, however, because of mounting concerns over sanctions imposed on Iran.
