Iran’s navy forces took delivery of a number of long-range and precision-guided naval cruise missiles, named “Abu Mahdi”, whose command-and-control systems have been equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRGC)’s Navy took delivery of the “naval cruise missiles -- with a range of more than 1,000 km, significant destructive power and operational range -- in a ceremony attended by senior military officials as part of the plan to bolster the naval force’s combat power.

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said during the ceremony that the Abu Mahdi cruise missile is capable of confronting electronic warfare and evading radar systems and has utilized artificial intelligence to chart its optimal flight path, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.

The domestically-manufactured naval cruise missile would expand Iran’s naval defense coverage zone by several times and allow the navy units to broaden their operational range, Defense officials say.

The projectile, known as the first long-range naval cruise missile, has distinguishing features in terms of precision-strike, destructive power, bypassing maritime terrains and penetrating into the enemy’s air defense systems. It can be deployed in a short period of time, can choose among targets in the field and can streak at low altitudes for radar-evading maneuvers and alter its course and height in midair.

The cruise missile has a powerful warhead capable of detonating various warships, frigates and destroyers by hitting the target from different directions. The Abu Mahdi launch system can prepare and fire several missiles at short intervals, with various trajectories and from diverse fixed and mobile launchers.

The projectile’s seeker has both active and passive radar homing systems, which make it suitable for electronic warfare, increase its stealth capabilities, and turn the missile into a “specter” that rains on the target without being detected.