NYT on Iranian Satellite Launch
April 5, 2006 :: News
Iran’s recent satellite launch demonstrates that the Islamic Republic is attempting to master a new range of sophisticated technologies—satellites and rockets—which could be used to further its nuclear program. William J. Broad and David E. Sanger examine this issue in the New York Times, providing quotes from a broad range of military and space experts. The spacecraft, a microsatellite weighing a few hundred kilograms, was launched last October from Russia. Iran claims that its space program is aimed at improving telecommunications and monitoring natural disasters. However, Iran is currently developing its own delivery devices, the biggest of which “could hurl not only satellites into space but warheads between continents,” according to Broad and Sanger. Thus, while it might be tempting to dismiss Iran’s efforts as crude and benign, Iran’s space-based technologies could very well be used for strategic purposes. If Iran had the ability to monitor and guide its nuclear missiles to their targets, it would become a much more capable and deadly enemy. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Analysis, Iran, Space-Based Systems
Iran Tests “Sonar-Evading” Underwater Missile
April 5, 2006 :: News
Iran recently tested a new “sonar-evading” underwater missile, which it claims is capable of traveling at 375 km per hour, three to four times faster than conventional torpedoes. General Ali Fadavi of the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said that “no vessel can escape from this missile,” which is known as “Hoot,” meaning whale. As usual, Western analysts are skeptical of Iran’s claims. Radio Free Europe catalogues the various inconsistencies and contradictions that surround the alleged missile. Jason Alderwick of the International Institute for Security Studies in London studied video footage of the Hoot released by the Iranian government: “Certainly they seem to have undertaken some form of test, of some ‘missilized’ underwater projectile, but to go so far as to claim it is a credible, fully operational underwater missile I think is overstating [the matter] considerably,” he says. He points out that the best conventional torpedoes have a speed of approximately 110 km per hour: to get them to run at three or four times that speed through rocket power while remaining stealthy is unlikely. Another problem is range: launching an underwater missile at high speed through a dense substance like water means a large consumption of fuel. Although Iran did not specify the Hoot’s range, if its claims are true than the missile would only be useful when attacking ships at close range. (Article, Link)
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Iran Tests Second “Radar Avoiding Missile”
April 5, 2006 :: AP :: News
Iran announced Tuesday that it has tested a second “radar-avoiding missile” during its war games in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. The new missile, known as “Kowsar,” was described by Iranian state television as a medium-range surface-to-sea missile designed to sink ships. It is allegedly equipped with remote-control and searching systems, and features a guidance system that can avoid any electronic jam. The Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, as saying that Iran is now able to “confront any extra-regional invasion,” thus referring to the U.S. without mentioning it by name.
On March 31, Iran test-fired what it referred to as a “Fajr-3” missile, claiming that the missile could avoid radar, similar to the Kowsar. Western intelligence sources, however, have expressed their doubts as to the validity of Iran’s claims. (Link)
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Iran Claims Test of Fajr-3 Missile “Invisible” to Radar, Interceptors
April 3, 2006 :: News
Iran has test-fired what it referred to as a “Fajr-3” missile on Friday, March 31, claiming that the missile has the capability to avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously. According to Gen. Hossein Salami, air force chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the Fajr-3 was launched as large military maneuvers began in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The test is one of several part of a series of Iranian wargames.
Some television and media reports, citing little or no evidence, have suggested that the missile tested could have a comparable range to Iran’s longer-range ballistic missile, the Shahab-3, which can travel 2,000 km. But previous intelligence reports indicate that Iran has used the designation “Fajr-3” to reference one of its many artillery rockets, one with an estimated range of only 45 km (approximately 25 miles). If this Fajr-3 is in fact the “ballistic missile” that the Revolutionary Guards test-fired, then Iran would seem to have attracted worldwide attention for a test of apparently little significance.
A number of sources dispute Iran’s technical claims for the Fajr-3, however, regardless of whether it is anything more than upgraded artillery. Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Russia, speculated that “most probably it is a clone of a Chinese missile or Chinese and old Soviet technologies combined,” which would make the missile “interceptable and predictable.” He added that “there is hardly any realistic ground” to Iran’s statement that the missile is able to strike multiple targets. Pukhov therefore believes that Iran is “fighting the U.S. on the information front.” (Article, Link)
» Defense News: Uzi Rubin doubts Iranian claims of indigenous technology
» Russian Expert Disputes Iranian claims
» Fajr-3 description from Globalsecurity.org
» NTI Description of Fajr artillery
» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign
Iran to Test Shahab-2 as “Friendship Message” to Neighbors
March 29, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Iran plans to carry out military wargames in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, including a test of the Shahab-2 ballistic missile. Rear-Admiral Morteza Saffari, commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy, recently stated that the “Noble Prophet” military exercise will be held from March 31 through April 6, and will take place 40 km from the Iranian coast. The wargames will begin with the firing of a Shahab-2 as a “peace and friendship message” to the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman littoral states. Over 1,500 military and privately-owned vessels will take part in the exercise, as well as fighter-bombers, logistics aircraft, and helicopters. Saffari noted that IRGC Navy’s objectives include “preparing the armed forces to defend the independence and territorial integrity” and “resisting the enemy’s psychological warfare.” (Article, Link)
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Jane’s: Iran Moving Shahab-3 Missiles
March 8, 2006 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
Jane’s Missiles and Rockets reports that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which controls Iran’s ballistic missile forces, has been moving its mobile Shahab-3 batteries every 24 hours as a precautionary measure. According to Western intelligence sources, the batteries have apparently remained within a 35 km radius, presumably to stay within range of their command-and-control centers. The IRGC has also moved Shahab-3 units to Kermanshah and Hamadan provinces in the west of the country, with reserve batteries deployed in Fars and Isfahan provinces further east. (Article, Link)
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» Missile details: Shahab-6
Exile Group: Iran Hiding Missiles
March 8, 2006 :: News
Iran is hiding more than 300 long-range ballistic missiles in two towns, reports an Iranian exile group. As quoted in the Associated Press, the National Council of Resistance of Iran added that North Korean experts in guidance systems, warhead production, missile fuel systems, and explosion and blast systems are working with Iranian officials at the Hemmat Missile Industries Complex, northeast of Tehran, to develop a new missile with a range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles). (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, North Korea
Opposition Group: Iran Increasing Missile Production
March 2, 2006 :: News
Iran has ramped up its production of missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, says a key opposition figure. Speaking to the Associated Press, Alireza Jafarzadeh, head of the Washington-based Strategic Policy Consulting think tank, stated that Iran has “significantly increased the production line” of its Shahab-3 missiles, and is now turning out missiles at a rate of approximately 90 per year, more than four times its previous production rate.
Jafarzadeh quoted unnamed sources inside Iran as confirming that Iran’s most advanced Shahab has a range of 1,900 km (nearly 1,200 miles), which would allow it to easily strike Israel and U.S. military bases throughout the region. He added that Iranian engineers, working with North Korean experts at the Hemmat Missile Industries complex in Tehran, are 70 percent finished on prototype Ghadar-101 and Ghadar-110 missiles, which are believed to have ranges of up to 3,000 km (1,800 miles), putting central Europe within range. These new missiles are believed to have a launch time of 30 minutes, compared to several hours for the Shahab-3.
Three years ago, Jafarzadeh helped reveal what was then Iran’s clandestine nuclear program. In January, he divulged details of Iran’s enrichment plans, which were confirmed a few days ago by the IAEA. (Article, Link)
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» Missile details: Shahab-6
Report: Iran Has Conducted Four Missile Tests in 2006
February 15, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
The German news agency DDP reports that Iran has conducted four missile tests since the beginning of 2006. Citing employees of Western security services, the report claims that Iran tested a modified intermediate-range ballistic missile, an air defense missile, a cruise missile, and an anti-tank missile. The modified intermediate-range missile is believed to have been a Shahab-3 with a range of 900 km. The report adds that Iran recently transferred several Shahab-3 missiles to neighborhoods surrounding the cities of Kermanshah and Hamad on its western border, from which it could reach targets in Israel (the distance from Kermanshah to Tel Aviv is 850 km). The air defense missile that was tested was an Iranian version of an as-of-yet unidentified Russian SAM, most likely the S-300, while the cruise missile was an Iranian version of the Chinese HY-2 Silkworm missile. The Silkworm apparently flew 150 km during the test, which would make it capable of reaching targets in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The report adds that Iran is attempting to acquire new engine components for these cruise missiles from Germany and Switzerland, which are then smuggled through Iranian cover firms registered in Dubai’s free trade zone in the United Arab Emirates. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Shahab-6
Russia to Proceed with Tor-M1 Sales to Iran
February 9, 2006 :: News
Russia will proceed with supplying Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran. In November, Moscow reached a $1 billion deal with Tehran, under which it would supply up to 30 systems to be used to defend Iran’s most important state and military facilities Isfahan, Bushehr, Tehran, and elsewhere. Despite international concern over Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Mikhail Dmitriev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, stated that “there is no reason not to fulfill this contract.” Dmitriev, however, categorically denied media reports that Russia was or is considering selling other weapons systems to Tehran, including S-300P surface-to-air missile systems batteries. (Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Russia
