"Today we have successfully tested a new air-to-sea-and-ground missile capable of being fired from planes and helicopters, which can evade anti-missile missiles," war games spokesman Rear Admiral Mohammad Ebrahim Dehqani said.

"The missile, which is labeled Nour (light in Arabic), has a tremendous destructive ability and has an antenna in its warhead which gets activated near the target," he added.

Dehqani said that like the other missiles which have been test-fired during the maneuvers, it was built by Iranians.

However, the deputy of commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards navy, Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, told state television that the missile test-fired today had previously been fired from land and speed boats.

"After much research and experimentation we were able to fire this missile from a helicopter. Before today, we used to fire it from speed boats and land," he said.

The missile has a range of 200 kilometers (124 miles) and is "able to destroy targets without being targeted," he added.

On Tuesday, Iran said it successfully test-fired a new land-to-sea missile, which it described as a "medium-range Kowsar missile... capable of combatting electronic jamming systems."

A day earlier, Iran said it had tested a highly destructive torpedo, prompting the US State Department to voice "concern" at a time of high tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The armament testing "demonstrates a weaponization program by Iran that does nothing to reassure Iran's neighbours or the international community", State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.

Thousands of Iranian troops are conducting war games in Iran's southern waters to prepare armed forces for warding off "threats" amid increasing pressure from the West over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.

The maneuvers involve the Revolutionary Guards Corps navy and air force, Iran's regular army and navy, the volunteer Basij militia, and the Iranian police.

They kicked off last Friday and are due to run until Thursday.

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