The lightweight, tripod mounted man-portable pan-tilt mount developed by ESC Baz, coupled with remote control unit, to provide standard EO sensors or EO/IR binoculars to be used as remote controlled surveillance sensors without risking operator exposure. Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense Update

June 29, 2011 by Tamir Eshel DEFENSE UPDATE

Israel’s surveillance specialist ESC Baz is displaying its range of perimeter surveillance, mast-mounted, mobile and man portable surveillance systems at Combat 2011. At the exhibition the company provides a peek into the new lines of products, including man portable surveillance systems utilizing standard multi-sensor binoculars already available with the user (ESC currently support a wide range of binoculars from Elbit Systems, ITL, Sagem, Thales, FLIR Systems and others). The system dubbed ‘AMI’ is configured as an ‘ambush kits’, employing the sensor mounted on remotely controlled pan-tilt tripod mounted unit, keeping the observers protected from enemy fire. The system is remotely controlled from a portable console over wire or wireless link. Another system on display is a compact telescopic mast, that can folded and tucked covertly inside vehicles. The mast is erected by remote operation, elevating surveillance equipment to a height of six meters.

Another product ESC Baz is showcasing here is the Hands-Free Radio (HFR) system, the kit provides security and undercover personnel riding motocycle with continuous, uninterrupted and covert communications, both with and without the helmet. The HFR kit comprises a miniature earphone, bluetooth helmet and Push to talk (PTT) wireles system controlling the radio from the handles. The system uses conduction connectors to switch seamlessly from mounted to dismounted operation in covert mode, without giving away suspicious signals. ESC Baz is also offering the HFR for horse mounted security and police forces.

June 28th, 2011 MDAA SOURCE: Star Tribune

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander claimed on Tuesday that his country has the ability to produce missiles with an even greater range than those currently in its arsenal.

But Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Guard’s Aerospace Force, stressed that Tehran will not manufacture such missiles because Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf are already within reach.

The remarks came as Iran conducted a second day of large-scale military maneuvers, part of 10 days of war games that are the country’s latest show of force amid a standoff with the West over Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Hajizadeh said Tehran’s arsenal already boasts missiles with a range of about 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) that were specifically designed for Israel and U.S. targets. The two missiles in Iran’s possession that have such a range are the Shahab-3 and the Sajjil.

“There is no threat from any country to us other than the U.S. and the Zionist regime,” Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the semiofficial Fars news agency. “The range of our missiles has been designed on the basis of the distance to the Zionist regime and the U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region.”

Hajizadeh said Iran “possesses the technology” to manufacture missiles with a range greater than 1,250 miles, but said “we have no intention to produce such missiles.” He did not elaborate.

In Israel, Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor denounced Hajizadeh’s remarks.

“This new Iranian bragging demonstrates once again the aggressive policies of the ayatollahs’ regime,” Palmor said. “Not that we had any doubts prior to this statement. But this renewed threat makes it obvious why Iran is the No. 1 threat to this whole region and beyond.”

Western intelligence reports say Iran is seeking to acquire the capability to produce intercontinental missiles with a range of up to 3,750 miles (6,000 kilometers), a claim Iran has denied.

Hajizadeh said some U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan are as close as 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Iran’s borders and can easily be hit by Iran in case of an attack.

The Revolutionary Guard, which is in charge of Iran’s missile program, kicked off the war games on Monday by unveiling an underground smart missile silos, claiming that medium- and long-range missiles stored in them are ready to launch if Iran was attacked.

The silos are widely viewed as a strategic asset for Iran in the event of a U.S. or Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities.

As part of the 10-days of military exercises, Iran on Tuesday also fired 14 missiles, including Shahab-1, Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 as well as Zelzal missile.

Iran remains locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear program, which the U.S. and its allies suspect is aimed at developing atomic weapons. Iran rejects the charges, and says the program is only for peaceful purposes.

28 juin 2011 Rachad Suleymanov – APA

Bakou -  L’Azerbaïdjan et la Turquie lancent la production commune des lance-grenades de calibre 120 mm, a confié pour l’APA, une source à la compagnie turque de l’Industrie de la construction métallique et de la chimie (MKEK).

Le processus de préparation à la fabrication est en cours, en vertu du contrat signé au mai avec le Ministère de l’Industrie de la Défense d’Azerbaïdjan (MSN). La production sera lancée par le MKEK et l’usine « Charg » du MSN.

Le lance-grenade HY1-12 est destiné à détruire les cibles à une longue distance.

28/06/2011 LeFigaro.fr - AFP

L'Iran a lancé mardi matin 14 missiles balistiques de divers modèles à courte et moyenne portée, dans le cadre manoeuvres "défensives" menées par les Gardiens de la révolution pendant dix jours, a annoncé la télévision d'Etat.

Les Pasdaran, qui contrôlent les missiles iraniens, ont tiré un "Ghadr" de moyenne portée (1.800 km) et 13 autres modèles de courte portée: "Zelzal" (400 km), Shahab 1 et Shahab 2 (300 à 500 km), a précisé la télévision citant le général Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commandant des forces aériennes des Gardiens de la révolution, l'armée d'élite de la République islamique d'Iran.

Le Ghadr, qui peut théoriquement atteindre Israël, ennemi juré de la république islamique, ainsi que les bases américaines au Moyen-Orient, est une version améliorée du missile à carburant liquide Shahab-3 iranien issu du No-dong nord-coréen, selon les experts occidentaux. Les Shahab 1 et 2 ainsi que le Zelzal sont des dérivés du "Scud" soviétique.

Selon Téhéran, les manoeuvres entamées lundi sont purement défensives et ne menacent aucun pays. Les Gardiens de la révolution font tous les ans des exercices semblables, notamment dans la région du Golfe.

Le général Hajizadeh cité par l'agence officielle Irna a toutefois précisé mardi que les missiles iraniens "sont dirigés vers des cibles américaines dans la région et vers le régime sioniste". Le commandant des forces aériennes des Pasdaran a en revanche affirmé que les missiles iraniens ne "menacent pas les pays européens", selon Irna.

Jun 27, 2011 By David Eshel AviationWeek.com

Tel Aviv - With much of the Middle East in turmoil, new realities are emerging for Israel and her neighbors, reshaping the strategic environment that has remained nearly constant for more than 30 years, since the 1979 peace accord with Egypt.

Israel is responding to this uncertainty, and to other regional challenges, through its new multiyear defense plan. Designated “Halamish” (firestone), the plan covers such emerging concerns as potential threats from the so-called “Arab Spring,” ballistic missile defense (BMD), cyberwarfare, the strategic necessity of protecting offshore natural gas fields and an expanding role for the navy, as well as conventional issues of tactical mobility, force projection and maneuver warfare.

The former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, remarked at the annual Herzliya global policy conference near Tel Aviv in February that Israel’s defense doctrine must change to meet the challenges of the Arab Spring. A major influence on the new IDF multiyear plan is the dramatic change in Egypt. As events unfold there, the possibility that the Muslim Brotherhood or more radical Islamic elements might gain influence in any Egyptian government threatens the peace treaty with Israel.

The new chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, is taking a cautious approach to Egypt, with good reason. Although popular voices in Egypt have expressed discontent with Israel for years, it is doubtful that a future government will revert to a military campaign against Israel. Two elements will influence thinking in Cairo. The first is that Israel remains the best-equipped military force in the Middle East, having highly advanced long-range precision weapons combined with 24/7 space- and ground-based surveillance that can detect any military movement through the Suez Canal for deployment in the Sinai Peninsula. Moreover, the IDF’s new permanent redeployment into the southern Negev desert, on the eastern flank of the Sinai, should allow rapid movement of armored forces to seize strategic mountain passes long before any Egyptian force could get there.

The second reason concerns a major strategic asset: Egypt’s defense capabilities have been underwritten by U.S. military aid to the tune of $1.3-1.5 billion per year since 1979. This money has rebuilt the Egyptian armed forces with advanced Western arms and training. Not only will this assistance depend on Egypt maintaining its peace agreement with Israel, but should a radical leadership opt for hostilities, it might lose its ordnance in a futile and costly mobile desert war, in which the IDF has always excelled. Long gone are the Soviets, who replaced Egypt’s arsenal twice, in 1967 and 1973.

The Egyptian military is one of the largest and best-armed in the region. The air force has more than 400 fighter jets and nearly 100 helicopter gunships. The armored corps has 3,600 tanks, including the U.S. M1 Abrams, manufactured in Egypt. The army has 1,600 artillery guns and a large inventory of surface-to-surface missiles.

In principle the Halamish multiyear plan continues the IDF’s doctrinal approach as laid out in the Tefen plan, but may contain another focal point. While both plans identify Iran as the greatest threat to Israel, followed by the northern front—which includes Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians in Hamas-ruled Gaza—Halamish includes two more potential threats—Egypt and the West Bank, should a hostile Palestinian state that includes Hamas be created by a United Nations vote in September.

Where the Halamish plan deviates from Tefen is in the following assessment, which serves as the introduction of the new multiyear plan: “There is an increasing probability of conflict on multiple fronts.”

While this is not a new concern for Israel, it is significant when it appears in a military multiyear plan for the first time in 15 years. Moreover, two relatively new components are envisioned as strategic aspects: the threat to Israel’s rear—especially the dense urban environment along the coast—and to strategic installations. Another item gaining priority is offensive and defensive cyberwar.

A major portion of the Halamish budget will be allocated to intelligence assets and space observation for real-time advanced-warning capabilities. The high-resolution TecSar satellite, which features radar imaging, transmits images at night and in poor weather. TecSar overflies areas of interest once every 90 min. But the air force wants enough satellites aloft to keep the Middle East covered so there would be no spot where Israel cannot see what’s going on every 15 min.

According to the latest intelligence estimates, Hezbollah’s arsenal consists of 40,000 rockets, ranging from standard 122-mm Katyushas to the medium-range Fajr-3 and -5, and Zelzal long-range rockets that could reach deep into Israeli territory. Recent firings of Grad rockets by Hamas from Gaza targeted the outskirts of the Ashdod port, and there are unconfirmed reports of longer-range rockets in its arsenal.

Counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) and ballistic missile defense (BMD) is another realm that receives major attention in the plan, gaining high priorities in funding from local and U.S. sources. The IDF is accelerating acquisition of more Iron Dome C-RAM batteries, with a third scheduled later this year and four more expected in 2012, probably procured with $200 million of U.S. funding. Increased efforts are also envisioned in the development of the David’s Sling medium-range missile defense system and the exoatmospheric Arrow-3 BMD system, which will enhance the multilayer Homa missile defense including operational Arrow-2 batteries.

In Halamish, the IDF will continue procurement of the Namer armored personnel carrier, which is based on the Merkava Mk 4 tank chassis, as well as outfitting new and existing Merkava Mk4M tanks with the Trophy active defense system. Should the threat of a high-intensity conflict with Syria and Egypt prove credible, this would require upgrading the army’s order of battle and accelerating production in these areas, through additional funding that could be requested. There is also a provision in Halamish to enhance infantry battalions with new, locally developed capabilities that make the soldier more lethal and improve his survivability on a battlefield.

A major plan to upgrade capabilities is also envisioned for the artillery corps, which is regarded as a prime element in high-intensity combat. Substantial investments are planned to increase the extended-range, precision multiple-launch rocket system batteries for deployment on the Golan Heights. Other precision weapons for artillery could include the Rafael Spike extended-range and non-line-of-sight missiles. Such weapons could enhance long-range engagements in the Sinai desert.

In the coming year, the IDF will finalize a new multiyear plan for hardening critical infrastructure, which could be exposed to cyberattack. The importance Israeli decision-makers allocate to cyberwar was emphasized by Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor recently at a Jerusalem think tank. “Because highly lethal war is difficult, one looks for other ways. One of those other ways is the intelligence community all over the world trying to do things that don’t look so ugly [and] do not kill people.” Meridor declined to discuss the Stuxnet virus found in Iranian computer networks last year, but his remarks underscored Israel’s efforts to enhance capabilities in this area. Over the past two years, officials have quietly unveiled cyberwar capabilities that are now a core pillar of defense strategy.

In coming months, Gantz will decide if the Israeli navy receives funding to purchase two missile ships. Procurement of the ships was approved in 2007 ahead of the outgoing multiyear plan, but the soaring cost of the U.S. Littoral Combat Ship—the vessel Israel wanted—caused the IDF to postpone the purchase.

Recent developments give the navy a new set of priorities. So far, 50% of Israel’s natural gas is received through a contract with Egypt. However, two explosions on the Sinai pipeline severely interrupted supplies and placed this source in question. The recent discovery of the Leviathan natural gas field, 135 km (84 mi.) off the Israeli coast, the world’s biggest deepwater gas find in a decade, promises billions of dollars in revenue for decades. North of that site is Tamar, where drilling over the past year has yielded signs of considerable reservoirs. The sites will eventually supply 70% of Israel’s energy needs for electricity. As such, they will be designated strategic assets that require protection.

The navy is looking at the possibility of building the two ships it wants at Israel Shipyards in Haifa, from a German design. Navy officials estimate the initial cost of the plan at $55 million, but that is expected to increase substantially.

Navy planners say a major investment in maritime reconnaissance and monitoring systems is inevitable. The navy will also have to procure specialized vessels and allocate personnel to secure dozens of natural gas facilities, including rigs, underwater cables and temporary exploration sites.

Much of the implementation of the multiyear plan will depend on procurement of the F-35I Joint Strike Fighter. Although funding will be through U.S. military assistance, Israel will still pick up substantial costs. There is already talk of cheaper alternatives—e.g., purchase of a squadron of F-15s from the U.S. Air Force.

Jun 27, 2011 By Zelie Pollon/Reuters AviationWeek.com

TEHRAN - Iran’s Revolutionary Guards began a 10-day missile training exercise on Monday “to preserve its readiness against enemy strikes,” a veiled reference to attacks the United States and Israel have refused to ruled out to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

“The war games, dubbed ‘Great Prophet 6’, include the testing of short-, medium- and long-range missiles,” Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the elite forces’ aerospace unit, was quoted as saying by the Sharq daily.

The Islamic Republic, which is locked in a dispute with the West over its nuclear activities, regularly announces advances in its military capabilities in a bid to show its readiness for any attack by Israel or the United States.

Iran, which denies it is developing nuclear weapons, says it has a wide range of missiles, some capable of striking Israel and U.S. Middle East bases.

Hajizadeh said the exercise, to be carried out on land and at sea, was a “message of peace and friendship to countries of the region,” adding that the war games were not threat to anyone.

Iran, a predominantly Shi’ite Muslim state, has said it would respond to any attack by targeting U.S. interests in the region and Israel, and could close the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic shipping lane by which about 40 percent of the world’s traded oil leaves the Gulf region.

Jun 27, 2011 ASDNews Source : Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)

Washington - The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Thursday of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of five UH-60M BLACKHAWK VIP helicopters and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $217 million.

The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested a possible sale of 5 UH-60M BLACKHAWK VIP helicopters, 12 T700-GE-701D engines (10 installed and 2 spares), 6 AN/APR-39A(V)4 Radar Signal Detecting Sets, 80 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Devices, 6 Star Safire III Forward Looking Infrared Radar Systems, 6 AAR-57(V)3 Common Missile Warning Systems, 6 AN/AVR-2B Laser Warning Sets, C406 Electronic Locator Transmitters, Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems and Weather Radars, Aviation Mission Planning Station, government furnished equipment, ferry support, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, ground support, communications equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics support services, tools and test equipment, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $217 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by meeting the legitimate security and defense needs of a partner nation that, has been and continues to be an important force for peace, political stability, and economic progress in the Middle East.

The UAE will use these helicopters for intra-country transportation of UAE officials to militarily critical training and operation sites. The UH-60M BLACKHAWK helicopters will enhance the safety of key UAE personnel by providing for the detection and avoidance of rocket/missile attacks by indigenous or foreign terrorist elements. The UAE will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

photo RP Defense

27 juin 2011 Par Armand Aboaf (Paris) www.armisa.com - israelvalley.com

Israël a présenté le système de défense Iron Dome, de la société Rafael. Pour la 1ère fois le système de défense Iron Dome a été présenté au Bourget. Une projection en 3D (avec lunettes spéciales), réservée aux professionnels a permis de se rendre compte du fonctionnement et du déploiement de ce système qui est devenu la pierre de voûte de la défense des civils soumis aux attaques répétées des roquettes et obus divers.

Iron Dome, en hébreu Kipat Barzel, ou dôme de fer, est un système de défense aérienne mobile, développé par la société « Rafael Advanced Defense Systems », conçu pour intercepter des roquettes et obus de courte portée. Le système a été créé pour faire face aux attaques de roquettes lancées depuis la bande de Gaza et du Liban en direction des villes israéliennes.

C’est durant le conflit israélo-libanais de 2006, que le besoin est apparu dans toute sa dimension pour protéger les populations civiles soumises aux tirs de roquettes. Plus de 4000 avaient alors été tirées vers Israël.

En février 2007 le Ministre de la Défense israélien Amir Peretz sélectionna le projet Iron Dome comme étant la solution défensive aux attaques de roquettes.

Depuis, plus de 200 millions de dollars ont été investis.

En mai 2010, la Maison Blanche avait annoncé que le président américain Barack Obama demanderait un financement de 205 millions de dollars auprès du congrès américain pour soutenir la production et le déploiement d’Iron Dome. La Chambre des Représentants des États-Unis a approuvé ce financement.

Le système est conçu pour détruire les roquettes dans un rayon de 70 kilomètres. Selon son fabricant, Iron Dome est conçu pour être opérationnel de jour comme de nuit, quelles que soient les conditions météorologiques, et est capable de faire face à des attaques simultanées

Iron Dome est composé de trois éléments principaux :

- Un radar de détection et de pistage : le radar est construit par la société israélienne Elta.

- Un ordinateur de gestion de bataille et d’armement (BMC : Battle Management & Weapon Control)

- Des lances missiles: le système lance le missile intercepteur Tamir de grande maniabilité, équipé de capteurs électro-optiques. Chaque batterie comprend 25 missiles.

Le radar détecte les lancements de roquettes, calcule leurs trajectoires, envoie les informations à l’ordinateur central, qui les utilise pour déterminer la localisation de l’impact. Si le projectile constitue une menace, notamment s’il se dirige vers une zone peuplée, un missile d’interception est alors lancé.

Iron Dome détermine quelles roquettes, Qassams ou Katyushas, seront dangereuses et susceptibles de s’écraser sur des zones habitées et quelles sont celles qui ne représenteront pas de danger particulier. Le système ne lance pas de missiles intercepteurs pour les roquettes qui ne présentent pas de menace.

Aujourd’hui Le système Iron Dome est pleinement opérationnel. Il a été déployé à Sederot en premier, ville qui a été durement touchée par les attaques de roquettes de toutes sortes et se trouve encore sous le feu de la majeure partie des tirs de roquettes à partir de Gaza.

Lors de la mise en place du premier système Iron Dome, Pinhas Buchris, directeur général du Ministère de la Défense, avait déclaré que le système changera la vie des habitants du sud et du nord du pays.

En Avril 2011, le système Iron Dome a été utilisé avec succès en opération en interceptant tous les Qassams et Katyushas qui présentaient une menace réelle pour les localités du Sud d’Israël.

Le système ne lance de missiles intercepteurs que pour les roquettes qui présentent une menace sur les localités habitées.

Afin de répondre au menaces du nord et du sud, Israël devra déployer quelques 20 stations Iron Dome le long de la frontière avec Gaza et le long de la frontière avec le Liban. Ceci représente un investissement de près d’un demi-milliard de dollars.

Aujourd’hui 2 systèmes sont en opération face à Gaza., le Ministre de la Défense israélien est en discussion avec les Etats-Unis, l’Inde et plusieurs pays européens, dont la France, qui ont déjà manifesté un réel intérêt pour le système Iron Dome.

Ce système pourrait être déployé pour protéger les forces de l’OTAN en Afghanistan et en Irak notamment, et tout site sensible.

June 27, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

Turkish firm Otokar has a second (to an unnamed recipient) export sale of its new 6x6 Arma wheeled armored vehicle. The 18.5 ton vehicle has a crew of two and carries eight passengers. Armament is one 12.7 or 7.62mm machine-gun. The vehicle is air conditioned and has a top road speed of 105 kilometers an hour. Range on internal fuel is 700 kilometers. The vehicle is 6.43 meters (19.9 feet), 2.7 meters (8.4 feet) wide and 2.2 meters (6.8 feet) high.

The identity of the two export customers has not been revealed, nor has the price of the Arma 6x6. This vehicle was first offered for sale a year ago.

Jun 25 2011DefenseNews - TRDEFENCE

Israel on June 19 launched a major five-day home front defense exercise intended to prepare its population and emergency services to respond to massive missile attacks, the Israeli military said.

Named “Turning Point 5,” the exercise involves testing nationwide siren systems and the cellular network, distributing emergency kits, improving coordination and practicing evacuation and shelter procedures.

As part of the exercise, now in its fifth year, Israelis are being asked to enter their “pre-selected protected spaces” when they hear sirens sound on June 22.

The sirens will sound twice, once in the morning, once in the evening, to give citizens two opportunities to participate in the drill, the military said.

Among the scenarios being prepared for are sustained rocket attacks on the Tel Aviv region, the electrical grid or a geriatric hospital, local media reported.

Israel came under heavy rocket fire during its 2006 war with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and the country’s southern towns near the Gaza Strip have also frequently been fired on from the Palestinian territory.

For the first time, lawmakers will also be called on to participate in response to a simulated attack on the parliament building in Jerusalem.

Some 80 municipalities will be taking part, along with the military, police, fire service and emergency services. The military’s Home Front command will also test an emergency SMS service during the exercise, the army said.

Speaking on army radio on June 19, Israel’s home front defense minister Matan Vilnai cautioned that the exercise should not be seen as “undermining Israel’s deterrent power.”

“Our enemies know perfectly well that if they attack us, we will strike them with very tough blows, but we must prepare… because they have the capacity to fire missiles and rockets at all of our territory,” he said.

According to Vilnai, gas masks have been distributed to 60 percent of the population and the rest should receive the protection by next year.

June 26, 2011: STRATEGY PAGE

Last year, Israel became one of the top four arms exporters on the planet, shipping $7.2 billion worth of military equipment. The year before, Israel had exported $6.9 billion. The U.S. is the largest exporter, followed by Russia ($10 billion last year) and Germany. Israel is now number four.

Half the weapons exported worldwide last year came from the United States (mostly) and Russia. European nations have long occupied the next three slots (Germany, France and Britain.) But lately, German and Israeli exports have been growing. The other big exporters are Spain, Chinal, Netherlands and Italy. These top ten exporters accounted for over 90 percent of the exports. The major importers are Middle Eastern Arab nations, India, South Korea, China and (until recently) Greece.

Israel and Germany have been gaining more sales because of reliability and quality. Israel has a major advantage in that many of its weapons and military equipment has proved its worth in combat.

But France, and many other air forces, believe that the old 250 pound dumb bombs, with a laser guidance kit, make more economic sense. You don't always need the special abilities of the SDB, just accuracy and a smaller bang.

June 26, 2011 Tehran (AFP) - spacewar.com

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are to launch military exercises on Monday with the firing of different range ballistic missiles, the state news agency IRNA reported.

The exercises, codenamed Great Prophet-6, are to start on Monday, said a Guards commander, General Ami Ali Hadjizadeh, quoted by IRNA, without specifying how long the manoeuvres will last.

"Short-, medium- and long-range missiles will be fired, especially the Khalij-Fars, Sejil, Fateh, Ghiam, and Shahab-1 and -2 missiles," he said.

The general, whose force carries out wargames each year in the Gulf region, said the latest exercises were "a message of peace and friendship to the countries of the area."

In late May, Iran said it had equipped the Revolutionary Guards with a new surface-to-surface missile, the Qiam-1, which was built locally and test-fired last August.

Iran says it has a wide range of missiles, some capable of striking targets inside arch-foe Israel as well as US bases in the Middle East.

The Islamic republic regularly boasts about developing missiles having substantial range and capabilities, but Western military experts cast doubt on its claims.

Iran's missile programme is under the control of the Guards.

Its space and missile programmes have been a concern in the West, which fears Tehran is developing a ballistic capability to launch potential nuclear weapons which it suspects Iran aims to develop under the guise of its civilian atomic programme.

Iran has steadfastly denied these Western charges, saying its nuclear and space programmes have no military objectives.