Iran 'upgrading smart bomb Qassed'

A top Iranian Air Force commander has announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran has upgraded its smart bomb, named Qassed-3 (messenger), with a longer range.

"The precision tools of the Qassed-3 smart bomb and its operational range have been extended to hit targets precisely," Deputy Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Thursday.

"This weapon, that is used for fighter jets, is in the testing stage and we will announce this new achievement to the public after identifying the exact range of the bomb," he said in an interview with IRNA.

When asked about the extra-regional threats against Iran, the Iranian commander explained that the Armed Forces are responsible for upgrading weapons to counter possible threats, and that the Air Force is not an exception.

"Definitely, the Qassed-3 is being upgraded to counter possible threats," General Nasirzadeh noted.

"We are always researching, recreating, and upgrading our systems. In fact, upgrading is our top priority," he added.

The new smart bomb is the improved version of Qassed-1 and Qassed-2.

Qassed-1, which is a 2,000-pound (900 kg) laser-guided smart bomb, was successfully tested by F-4 and F-5 fighter jets in 2006.

The second generation of Qassed bombs is in production and has a range of about 50 kilometers (30 miles).


/Press TV/