Iran is planning to launch a new satellite into space and unveil its maritime patrol aircraft in February.

The new maritime patrol aircraft will be equipped with upgradable optical and radar surveillance systems for use along the country’s coastline, according to Xinhua. Iran’s Defense Minister brigadier general Ahmad Vahidi said the modern patrol aircraft will also have the capacity to load and upload military hardware and can also conduct better reconnaissance missions.

"Iran has plans for launching a new satellite into space in February as the country celebrates the 34th anniversary of the 1978 victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution," Vahidi said.

The new satellite, named Fajr, will be the first of three that Iran plans to launch over the next few years. In November 2011, Vahidi announced that Iran is ready to launch the three domestically manufactured satellites named Fajr (Dawn), Navid (Harbinger) and Tolou (Rise) into space during the current and next Iranian years.

The reports said that Fajr would be launched into space using the thrusting power of the Safir-e-Fajr satellite carrier, whereas Navid and Tolou would be mounted on the country’s Simorgh (Phoenix) carrier for lift-off. The 50kg Navid satellite is capable of capturing images in low altitudes roughly 250-375km from the Earth.

Iran’s aerospace officials had previously said that the country was planning to launch the Zafar (Triumph) in 2012, which was due to beplaced at an elliptical orbit of 500km. Iran also successfully test-fired a bio-capsule into space with its Kavoshgar-4 (Explorer 4) rocket in February 2010.