WANA (Feb 24) – The Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have conducted the “Combined Exercise 1404” along Iran’s southern coastline, with the participation of a wide range of combat and support units. The drill demonstrated the integration of modern technologies with updated battlefield tactics, highlighting the force’s readiness to respond to contemporary security challenges.

 

The exercise was designed based on realistic threat assessments and focused on joint, multi-layered operations. Commanders described the drill as a clear example of how emerging technologies are being incorporated into ground warfare to improve precision, mobility, and coordination on the battlefield.

 

One of the key features of the exercise was the extensive use of unmanned aerial systems. Micro-drones and loitering munitions were employed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. After identifying targets, engagement tasks were transferred to suicide drones, which successfully struck pre-designated objectives.

 

Coastal and island defense constituted another major component of the drill. Special operations units practiced rapid-response missions aimed at preventing hostile forces from approaching Iran’s shorelines. These scenarios included shore-to-sea fire missions, the use of proximity-fused munitions, and the delivery of heavy fire against simulated enemy positions.

During the exercise, Brigadier General Mohammad Karami, commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, stated that missile, artillery, armored, mechanized, special forces, and drone units all carried out their assigned missions. He emphasized that the overall design of the exercise was based on an assessment of existing and potential threats.

 

In another phase, missile units tested newly inducted systems, successfully engaging targets at various ranges. The drill also featured demonstrations of precision-guided missile strikes conducted under electronic warfare conditions, underscoring the systems’ accuracy and resilience.

 

Additionally, Brigadier General Mohammad Hadi Sefidchian, commander of the Madinah Headquarters, noted that passive defense measures were fully implemented throughout the exercise. He added that both offensive and defensive electronic warfare operations were practiced as part of the scenario.

 

Overall, the Combined Exercise 1404 was aimed at enhancing combat readiness, strengthening coordination among different units, and adapting operational doctrines to the evolving nature of modern and future warfare.