Iraq showcases locally made surveillance drones at defense expo in Baghdad
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's Defense Industries Commission (DIC) exhibited domestically produced drones during a two-day security and defense exhibition in Baghdad to bolster border surveillance and internal security.
'We have started building drones used for surveillance,' DIC Chairman Mustafa Aati told Rudaw during the second day of the event on Sunday.
The drone weighs 60 kilograms, has a wingspan of 4.8 meters, and can fly at distances between one to three kilometers. It can remain airborne for five to six hours, cover a range of around 80 kilometers, and be deployed within 20 minutes.
'We also have contracts with security agencies to increase it [drone production], which will be made use of for border surveillance and internal security,' he added. 'We have the right to build drones within the framework of the objectives that the security forces need.'
Around 150 domestic and international companies participated in the exhibition. Among them, Iran displayed a range of drones and both heavy and light weapons, expressing readiness to expand support for Iraq.
According to Iranian political and security analyst Amir Mousavi, who spoke to Rudaw at the event, Iran's participation signals that it has 'opened the door to providing assistance with all its military and security capabilities, especially in the areas of border security, electronic issues, and the supply of drones, to control sensitive and remote areas on the border, as well as desert and mountainous regions."
In late March, the DIC announced it had saved $700 million over the past two years by manufacturing weapons and ammunition locally, reducing reliance on imports.
In September 2019, Iraq's legislature passed a bill to establish the DIC with aims of expanding military production. Iraq's interior minister last September showcased the first batch of domestically produced armored vehicles manufactured by the commission.
Halkawt Aziz contributed to this report.
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