Iran has claimed that it used a newly developed air defence system, named 'Arash-e-Kamangir', to shoot down a United States MQ-9 Reaper drone near theStrait of Hormuzearlier this week. According to Iran's state-backed media, the American drone, estimated to cost between $16 million and $30 million, was intercepted near Qeshm Island using the locally developed system in whatTehrandescribed as a demonstration of its "hidden capabilities".
"This operation, which was carried out using a system with hidden capabilities, is a clear and decisive message from Iran," Iran's Fars news agency quoted unnamed officials as saying.
The reported interception marked the first claimed combat use of the defence system, which takes its name from Arash-the-Archer, a legendary figure in Persian mythology. Known in folklore as Arash-e Kamangir, the hero is said to have fired a mythical arrow to determine the boundary between Iran and Turan, or Central Asia, sacrificing his own life in the process.
According to Iranian legend, Arash climbed a mountain and released an arrow that travelled an extraordinary distance before landing and marking the frontier, a story that has long symbolised sacrifice, resilience and national identity in Persian culture.
Analysts told Al Jazeera that the Arash-e Kamangir interception may not be a new revolutionary weapon but another step in Iran's wider adaptation of mobile, lower-cost air defence.
According to the report, some of Iran's smaller defence systems are designed in a way that the interceptor can wait in the air, circling in the sky until a target drone or aircraft appears.
There are also short-range anti-drone or anti-aircraft weapons, which are cheaper and less sophisticated than major air defence batteries but are also easier to manufacture and replace.
While Iran describes the system as having stealth-detection capabilities, so far, it has shared few technical details about it.
Ananya is a journalist with a strong grounding in breaking news and a deep-rooted passion for geopolitics. She has 6 years of experience in TV and Dig...View More
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