Iran’s Missile Force is Worse Than You Think

Iran has the largest and most capable ballistic

missile

arsenal in the Middle East. The Islamic Republic is the first country to develop a 2 km range

missile

before developing a nuclear weapon, giving them the ability to precisely strike anywhere in the Middle East, including Israel and Eastern Europe. According to its own Ministry of Defense, Iran ranks sixth in the world in missile production, even though Iran has been sanctioned by the UN for decades with the aim of crippling the country's economy and military industrial capacity rather than a nation impoverished to the point of being able to do so. can barely afford an army Iran has a well-trained missile

force

equipped with precision-guided munitions To put all this into context In 1998, Iran's best ballistic missile, the recently tested Shahab 3, had half the current range, 1,000 km, so how does Iran continue?

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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps aerospace

force

is the strategic missile force within Iran. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates that today they have about 15,000 troops dedicated to their missile operations. To give you an idea of ​​what the missile program looks like inside Iran, check out this public sign on display in the country written in Persian Arabic and Hebrew shows off his new hypersonic missile and says 400 seconds to Tel Aviv inside Israel were founded in 1985 but this unit Its roots go back even further, when Iran was reorganizing the country and its military after the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

At that At the time they had the largest Air Force in the Gulf with over 400 fighter aircraft, many of which, ironically, were provided by the United States itself. The problem was that Iran's ability to maintain these systems was rapidly declining at the time because they had just severed ties with the West and would now have limited access to new parts and advanced weapons. It was at this point in 1980 that Iraq launched an invasion to take advantage of Iran's perceived vulnerability, Iraq decided to attack major Iranian urban areas with Scud ballistic missiles. Iran retaliated with its own Scud missiles in an exchange that has become known as The War of the Cities.

These important missile exchanges lasted the entire course of the war. Until 1988, leading Iran to develop their own missiles to try to beat Iraq at the missile game, but these early Scud and Iranian missiles were extremely inaccurate between 300M and 3km from the target. Point depending on the version, but they had a longer range than conventional rocket artillery considering this was literally called The War of the Cities, even such poor accuracy is enough if your target is as big as that city over there, Iran had an advantage in its missile development by adopting foreign-supplied rockets and building its own.

Versions in which the Soviet Union was not very interested in supporting Iran during its war with Iraq. This is because the Soviet Union viewed the extremist Islamic theocracy in its view as a threat to global communism, but the People's Republic of China and North Korea were more than willing to play ball with tan, it is because That is why many of Iran's early missiles were based on Chinese or North Korean rockets and the practice of adapting East Asian missiles to current versions produced in Iran continues to this day. Iran further modified the original ground launch. Chinese Type 83 design to allow it to be fired from its US-supplied Iranian F4 Phantom and F14 Tomcat.

China is widely believed to have helped Iran build the San missile complex, where Iran develops tests and builds many of its ballistic missiles. China and North Korea A kindred spirit was seen in the three nations and they were shunned on the world stage to some extent, especially after the Tanaman Square crackdown in China in 1989, so supporting Iran allowed both countries to East Asia the opportunity to secure much-needed influence on the global stage. Furthermore, the bloody war with its neighbor Iraq reinforced the lesson that they needed a strong deterrent against future aggression. Ballistic missiles are particularly attractive to developing militaries like Iran because they are a cheap form of force projection or at least cheaper than a large aircraft.

The force or navy would allow a country to threaten to attack far from its borders without much training. required and it is difficult for the Defenders to stop and, as the country's technology and military-industrial level increase over time, its missiles naturally evolve in range accuracy and payload. Along with it, for example, the first missiles that Iran produced, such as the AAB, only had a range of about 30 km, but by 1987 Iran was producing its own version of the Soviet scud B called Shahab 1 with a range of 300 km. Iran would fire the shahab. 1 in Iraq several times in the 1990s, targeting rebel groups that routinely carried out crossover raids into Iran. shahabz is pers for meteorites and have long been at the center of Iran's missile program.

They use liquid fuel for energy and involve a time-consuming launching process. That is a weakness of the Shahab. It takes a long time to set up the fuel and launch it, making them vulnerable to air strikes. In the 1990s they developed the improved Shahab 2 missile with a range of 500 km or 300 Mi. Iran is believed to have around 300. Of these two types of missiles in its arsenal today Iran would not fire any missiles at Anger in the early 2000s, at least not directly, but they continued to research and develop more reliable missiles with better range. and precision, this includes its anti-ship guided missiles such as the cowsar series in the 2006 war in Lebanon Hezbollah severely damaged two Israeli warships 10 Mi M from the coast and killed four Israeli crew members using these missiles.

Iran was truly becoming the one-stop shop for all of its militant group's missile needs. This is shahab 3. It was first tested in 1998 and put into service in 2003 based on North Korean technology. Its warhead weighs about 2,200 pounds, giving it about the same payload size as one of the United States' Jdam Precision guided air attack missiles. This modification gave it a range of 1600 km, meaning it qualifies as a medium-range missile. This puts NATO members Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania within attack range if it was fired from western Iran's approach. This capability at the expense of everything else makes sense from Iran's perspective Iran China and the rest of The world realized after watching the wars in Iraq in 1990 and then again in 2003, the lesson was clear to them: if allows the US military to amass large numbers of soldiers in a nation just outside its borders, it probably won't end well for them.

From their strategic point of view, massive reserves of long-range missiles are needed to force the US military to spread its forces and decentralize them, weakening them, which is exactly what the US has had to do in adjusting in the region now. this key. The concept is known as anti-access area denial or A2a and the US military believes that the enemy's adoption of these types of anti-access area denial strategies may well be the most difficult operational challenge US forces will face. to face in the coming decades. The arsenal was already used in January 2020 against US forces when they were attacked by Iran's ballistic missiles. 100 US soldiers were injured inside Iraq by 22 retaliatory attacks after the assassination of Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Kasam Salamini through his representatives.

Iran received combat reports on how its weapons were performing in the field funneling that data into its R&D programs to develop new types of missiles for conventional and asymmetric warfare. This is a key term known as battle damage assessment in the military in 2008. Iran unveiled its Sage Yield 2 stage. This solid-propellant missile has a re-entry speed of more than five times the speed of sound, which makes it difficult for the target to intercept it with air defense systems. The Sagal missiles are unique because they are the first that are not based on past and present North Korean technology.

A greater challenge for Iran's potential enemy is because solid-fuel missiles can be launched from a mobile launcher and with less warning than liquid-fueled Shahab missiles, meaning they are difficult for U.S. forces to target and attack before launch, it is said. to have a range of 2,000 km its six test flights landed in the Indian Ocean more than 1,900 km away in 2010 The first budget request from the president of Iran that was presented to Parliament called for more than 400 million dollars dedicated to its ballistic missile projects in 2013 Iran ratified its aerospace route map that called for the development of missiles to deter its enemies according to this publication from the United States defense intelligence agency Iran's missile force Alair Missile Command falls under control of the irgc's aerospace force and serves as a key

iran

ian power projection tool the agmc periodically conducts highly publicized nationwide exercises that demonstrate the force's capabilities and readiness.

Demonstration of force-type events typically include publicized missile launches and statements highlighting Iran's missile capabilities and deterrent posture. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr, former head of U.S. Central Command, said this to the Senate Armed Services Committee last year. Iran has more than 3,000 ballistic missiles of various types, some of which can reach to Tel Aviv and Israel for the last 5 to 7 years. They have invested heavily in the ballistic missile program. Its missiles have significantly greater range over significantly larger areas. improved accuracy, so in 2017 and 2018 Iran really started to show off its shiny new arsenal of advanced long-range missiles: it fired 12 Zagar ballistic missiles at Isis targets 700 km away in eastern Syria and seven new versions Guided attacks of the 110 thick ballistic missiles against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, Iran has also developed its own cruise missiles and defense analysts believe that a derivative of the Iranian Sumar cruise missile was used in the 2019 attack on the complex of Armco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia for the 2020 attack on the US air base in Iraq.

Their new cam1 ballistic missile attacks with truly impressive precision against specific targets within the bases, which is why they achieved a c of less than 10 MC. C means probable circular error, basically a fancy missile talks about the circle where 80% of the hits land, so the smaller the more accurate the missile Iran was showing it had mastered missile and guidance technology by boasting about having developed ballistic missiles medium-range weapons that could reach southern Europe if necessary, but the main objective in their sights would always be the elimination of Israel, but Iran has been under a whole series of sanctions for years, although they mainly target Iran's nuclear program, The sanctions have also been aimed at severely restricting Iran's economy and preventing the kind of military industrial development that would enable advanced guidance systems, new rocket fuels and engines needed for the types of missiles Iran is developing.

The United States first imposedsanctions against Iran in 1979 as a result of the Iranian Revolution that overthrew the friendly US government, but other countries and the United Nations have joined the growing list of embargoes against the country over the years as a result. of Iran's support for international terrorist groups and a contribution to global arms proliferation, along with significant restrictions on Iran's financial and banking systems, these various sanctions packages also target Iran's oil exports, trade in consumer and electronic goods and to Iranian maritime and maritime transport. International markets Iran's economy has suffered greatly The Iranian economy has had numerous recessions since 2000, with inflation reaching up to 40% at its peak in 2014 and unemployment around 20%.

A 2015 US Treasury report estimated that restrictions on oil exports had cost Iran $140 billion. of lost oil revenue and the country's economy was 15 to 20% smaller than it would have been as a result of the last tightening of sanctions that hit in 2012. More than $100 billion in financial assets are frozen in foreign countries and are an important leverage for the United States and the European Union in trying to bring Iran to the negotiating table over its missile program, while Iran has suffered deep wounds to its economy, sanctions have not affected its military programs and of missiles as much as intended, as Iran has adapted to living with sanctions and without many modern conveniences, the government and its police forces have also done a lot to motivate people not to complain about the lack of iPhones and hamburger restaurants;

Secondly, Iran has invented clever ways to evade sanctions by exploiting third countries and black people. markets Iran has established dark banking networks in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, where local governments are less likely to cooperate with Western authorities such as the United States. The United States sanctioned 39 companies in March 2023 for helping Iran circumvent financial and banking restrictions that are supposed to keep its cash flow in the red, many of Iran's industries are crippled and they set up shell companies abroad to hide your true ownership, meaning that every barrel of oil you can sell and every gold bar you can transfer is funneled directly into the coffers of Iran's government.

It means that Iran's state defense industries cannot say no to a contract, even if it would not be profitable in a more market-driven economy. This complex network of front companies and false records is also one of the main reasons why Iran is able to obtain the specialized items it needs for its missile programs, as just one example: a Chinese businessman was criminally charged by a New York court. in 2009 for his role in a vast international conspiracy of covert transactions that allowed Iran's state defense industry organization to obtain tungsten. and high-strength steel Alloys needed for aerospace and missile applications Western intelligence agencies believe Iran used similar methods to obtain the microelectronics and sensors they need for their latest missiles and drones.

Dual-use technology, such as telecommunications navigation device motors and microchips, is banned by the UN. US and EU sanctions, but they continue to appear in Iranian weapons in an examination of Iranian drones deployed against Ukraine, the agency's conflict The weapons investigation found more than 500 components from 70 non-Iranian companies, 80% were from US companies and newly manufactured in 2020 or 2021 demonstrates that Iran can still obtain banned components through its illicit supply chain. Iran has even established a space program to launch satellites, although the West widely believes it is only being used as a front to test new rocket designs and new forms of electronic integration. components in its missiles, this does not mean that international sanctions have had no effect on Iran's military and each missile produced is an important investment for the country.

Israel, the main target of Iran's revolutionary rhetoric, regularly attacks Iran's defense industry and military leaders with drones. attacks and special operations by Mad, which is the Israeli intelligence agency. Iran is also concerned about US air and missile attacks on its production facilities in the event of an all-out war with the United States, so the country has developed underground and camouflaged factories for production and storage. their missiles until they are needed in a video released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps they call one of these facilities their missile city, in quotes, which shows hundreds of missiles and control systems, tunnels and remote operating bases near the Gulf coast.

Iran has exported the knowledge of how to build these underground factories and warehouses to its proxies, as well as the Washington Policy Institute writes that a new capability demonstrated since 2020 is an automated missile launch system that can field up to five fully fueled ballistic missiles. in an underground car for the sequential launch of Ripple shots through a single vertical axis 2023 has been a big year for Iranian missiles. They introduced the country's first hypersonic missile. A new aircraft carrier killer. It is an anti-ship cruise missile, although it is not a true hypersonic glide vehicle. The F hypersonic missile is claimed to use a solid fuel with thrust vectoring. second stage to help it maneuver in the upper atmosphere, making it more capable of surviving against missile defense systems such as Patriot, Iron Dome, and Thad and the Arrow.

Most ballistic missiles follow very predictable trajectories that are much easier to intercept, but the FAS claims to mock the 12's maneuverability and Iran claims that this 2,000 kilometer range is a self-imposed range limit. Intercontinental ballistic missiles are classified as 5,500 kilometers or more in range and today it is estimated that Iran is working on a three-stage range of more than 3,00 km missile, which means that they are still about a decade away from being able to reach the United States with any type of intercontinental ballistic missile. Their space program is what would allow them to attack the United States homeland.

Meanwhile, although IR claims that its space program is simply peaceful, this represents the country's most recent developments, but it is unlikely that they will have many of these hypersonic missiles in service. Most of Iran's missiles will still be older types with shorter ranges and poorer accuracy, but still. It is important not to underestimate their effects, for example a 2015 study by the Rand Corporation concluded that a major US air base could be shut down for at least 8 days with just 50 ballistic missiles if they are moderately accurate and highly accurate versions. Accurate ones would probably need even fewer impacts. to achieve the same effect even without nuclear weapons Iran's conventional missile forces are a major threat to Israel and other regional enemies that even Europe might have to deal with I'm an average infantryman Chris cppy follow me for updates on this topic at Kappy Army on Instagram check out one of our videos while you're here and I'll see you soon