An Omid attack UAV is launched from a rail during the exercise. (defapress.ir)
The Omid unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was unveiled in Iran's Army Day parade in April was seen in action for the first time during a joint exercise by the Islamic Republic's regular military branches on 24–25 August.
The Omid resembles the Harop loitering munition made by Israel Aerospace Industries but lacks the electro-optical system for acquiring and homing in on targets.
Ground Forces commander Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari said the UAV was developed by his branch of the military. The Fars News Agency cited him as saying that it is a high-speed, stealthy, loitering UAV that can destroy both fixed and moving targets.
The spokesperson for the exercise indicated the Omid is more specialised, telling IRIB News that it is an anti-radiation UAV that destroyed a radar target after being sent relevant information by an Ababil-4 UAV during the drill.
The media coverage of the exercise showed at least two Omids were launched from rails using rocket boosters, although it was unclear what targets they were used against. Close-up photographs of one of the Omids showed it was built crudely compared with the four that were displayed in the parade and were seen more clearly inside what was described as an underground UAV base in May.
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