Iranian Army Unveils New Helicopter-mounted Missile, Shafaq

The Iranian Army unveiled new military helicopter gear, including new homegrown air-launched missile dubbed ‘Shafaq’ (Twilight), during a ceremony at the Ground Force’s Airborne Unit in Tehran on Monday.

A military helicopter mounted missile can hit targets within a range of 8 to 12 kilometers, Tasnim reports.

The ceremony also saw unveiling of the accomplishment of a plan to arm all reconnaissance, logistical and transportation helicopters of the unit with rocket-launchers and heavy machine guns, including a program to equip all airborne unit choppers with night-vision cameras, which would enhance aircraft capabilities in nocturnal military missions.

As a result of the Western-imposed sanctions following the Iranian Revolution, the country sought independently manufacturing in order to meet domestic needs.

The country reverse-engineered parts, assemblies and, in some cases, whole aircraft, including the Bell 205, 206 and 214, since the 1990s.