Iran Hosts Military Drone Tournament With Russia, Other Allies
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace division has launched a two-week drone competition with strategic allies Russia, Belarus, and Armenia.
Dubbed the 2022 Falcon Hunting competition, the event will showcase the performance of various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), allowing the four nations to demonstrate how their drones guide precise artillery fire during day and night missions.
IRGC aerospace official Ali Balali explained that the Falcon Hunting competition communicates a message of “peace and friendship” among the four nations.
Balali also said the event would facilitate an effective exchange of ideas for using military drones.
Alleged Iran-Russian Drone Deal
Iran’s hosting of the competition comes after the US accused Tehran of planning to supply combat UAVs to Moscow to use against Ukraine.
The Middle Eastern country is also allegedly preparing to train Russian forces to operate the drones.
“The Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs, on an expedited timeline,” White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters.
The White House also claims that several Russian officials have visited Iran twice to assess its combat drones as Moscow seeks to bolster its arsenal for the war in Ukraine.
