Iran’s IRGC to use AI in air defense, naval operations

Commander of Iran’s elite military force the IRGC announced that it is planning to use artificial intelligence (AI) in its air defense and naval systems.

News ID: 5889

Date: 29 January 2025 - 22:04

TABNAK, Jan 29: Major General Hossein Salami said on Wednesday that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is going to use AI for various purposes in its naval operations, including attacks on adversarial ships or vessels that supply logistics of those ships.

Salami said that the IRGC would seek to maintain ethics in its use of AI in naval operations, saying the technology would help the force to spare the crew of logistics ships from its offensives.

“We are Muslims ... our methodology (of using AI) is as important as our values,” he said, adding that the Iranian-made drones will be equipped with AI to better identify their naval targets, including the most critical parts of a ship when they are attacked.

The general said that AI would also help the IRGC to improve its air defense capabilities, especially when it is faced with simultaneous attacks by several fighter jets.

He said using AI in air defense operating systems would significantly improve their agility in dealing with complicated threats.

The IRGC commander said that AI would also be used for military medicine, aviation safety, and other missions in the force.

The comments came during a ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran where Salami and other senior officials unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for AI use in the IRGC.

“We are determined to make progress on AI and we will take our first steps in a powerful manner,” Salami said in the ceremony.