Tehran, Feb 28 (IANS): Iran's armed forces on Tuesday started a large-scale real-combat air defence maneuver in the country to show their preparedness of defending the country's sensitive targets, Iranian media reported.

Forces of the Iranian Army and Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) took part in the drill codenamed Modafean Aseman-e Velayat 1401, which is held in two-thirds of the Iranian airspace, official news agency IRNA reported, citing the maneuver's spokesman Abbas Farajpour.

It would test air defence systems' mobility and the operational forces' pace of reaction in a passive defence scenario, among others, said Farajpour as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Manned and unmanned aerial reconnaissance of the army's aviation branch and IRGC air forces, as well as detection, tracking, and combat systems of air defence divisions, are being tested, he added.

Fully homegrown air defence systems equipped with advanced active and passive radars would surveil the drill area to track and confront any hostile target once detecting it, Farajpour said.

The war game put the country's air defence systems to the test by involving more than 100 manned and unmanned aircraft for launching a mock attack on the country's sensitive nuclear and military centres, semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing Amir-Qader Rahimzadeh, Commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Air Defence Base.

He stressed that the armed forces use mostly home-grown air defence weapons in the drill, including those hidden in underground tunnels for security reasons.

Basij voluntary force and the police will also take part in the joint exercise, the Commander added.