Iran Starts Ground “Martyrs of Unity” Drills http://en.moqawama.org/essaydetails.php?eid=16362&cid=274  Local Editor

The ground forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guard have started Monday the main and practical stage of "Martyrs of Unity" drill, east of the country. The military exercises cover an area of 300 kilometer square in order to raise the readiness level of the Revolutionary Guard. The combat units of ground forces have used Sunday, "the second day of the Martyrs of Unit maneuvers," home-made armor equipment for the first time. Maneuvers' spokesman, Brigadier Hamid Sarkhily, has underlined two models of the new Iranian-made equipment used by combat units in the exercises. Sarkhily explained that the equipment used in the exercises are the prototypes of personnel carriers, featured by its multiple capabilities, i.e. camouflage, movement, and high-speed mechanism to move troops to the area of operations, and are designed and developed by Iranian experts. Also, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Commander, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said that Iran is prepared to counter any aggression or threat. According to IRNA, speaking at the beginning of the main phase of Martyrs of Unity military drills by IRGC ground forces, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said that we are prepared to counter even in case the enemy merely thinks about threatening Iran. He termed Martyrs of Unity military drills as an exercise for tactics related to an asymmetrical warfare aimed at preventing the enemy's progress in vital and important areas. Meanwhile, the Commander of IRGC Ground Forces, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said that bolstering the security along Iran's border areas and promoting the defense and combat capabilities of IRGC ground forces and transferring the experiences gained during the eight-year war imposed by Iraq on Iran to the young officers are among the main objectives of the maneuver. Earlier in December 2011, the Velayat 90 naval drill was launched. It had four stages, namely the preparedness, the expansion of forces, the tactical, and the power phase, which were carried out successfully with the surface and subsurface vessel units and aviation units penetrating to the targeted depths.