Click to see full-size image, source: farsnews.com
Iran unveiled a new cruise missile named Hoveyzeh on Saturday during celebrations marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to Press TV.
The country’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said that this cruise missile needs a very short time for its preparedness and can fly at a low altitude. The commander added that the missile, which has been designed and manufactured by experts at the ministry’s aviation industries organization, has a range of over 1,350 kilometers.
The missile was reportedly able to hit its target accurately during a live fire test on a 1,200 km range. Press TV released a 37-scond video of the test showing the successfully launch of the missile from a ground base.
Hoveyzeh is almost identical to the so-called Soumar cruise missile, which is according to experts an Iranian-modified version of the Soviet-made Kh-55 cruise missile. Several reports claim that Iran bought at least 12 of these advanced missiles from Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“The long-range Hoveyzeh cruise missile is the long arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the cruise missile defense field … success in achieving this technology after the 700-km Soumar cruise missile is an impressive step in increasing the capabilities of the armed forces and the country’s deterrent power,” Brig. Gen. Hatami said during the unveiling ceremony confirming that the two missiles are linked.
Hoveyzeh missile on the right, Soumar on the left, Click to see full-size image.
More than a year ago, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched what is suspected to be an Iranian Soumar cruise missile at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE. The missile crushed few kilometers after launch, which raise serious questions about Iran’s claims.
Iran says that its missiles are defensive and used for deterrence in the face of repeated foreign threats. However, the U.S. and its allies have been pressuring the Islamic country to restrict its missile program for the last few years.
