Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and the traditional Army commanders on Tuesday claimed they have achieved progress in building unmanned aerial vehicles.

IRGC Commander-In-Chief Major General Hossein Salami and Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, speaking at a ceremony described the country’s drone industry as “valuable and empowering”.

“Manufacturing UAVs with its various technologies is very significant today in both the Army and the IRGC”, Salami said.

Praising the self-sufficiency in military technology in the Army, especially in the Air Force, Mousavi said the Army has made good progress in building fighter jets and helicopters and their components.

Most of Iranian-made fighter jets, such as Kowsar, Saeqeh, and Azarakhsh, are mainly based on the American Northrop F-5, with some analysts describing them to be inefficient as a weapon but having potential for training a new generation of fighter pilots.

The US and Israel pioneered the use of drones in the Middle East, although China has now become a major supplier, selling to Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Iran and Turkey have developed indigenous production.

The two military commanders also stressed the importance of closer cooperation and focusing their efforts on areas such as electronic warfare – using electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to an enemy or impede enemy assaults.

Iran showcased some of its latest drones Monday on Army Day, including the "strategic multi-functional combat drone" Kaman-22 and the single-engine multirole tactical drone Ababil-5.