The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air and Space Force (IRGCASF; fa, نیروی هوافضای سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, niru-ye havâfazây-e sepâh-e pâsdârân-e enghelâb-e eslâmi, officially acronymed NEHSA) is the
strategic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...
,
air
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...
, and
space force
A space force is a military branch of a nation's armed forces that conducts military operations in outer space and space warfare. The world's first space force was the Russian Space Forces, established in 1992 as an independent military service. ...
within the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
(IRGC) of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. It was renamed from the IRGC Air Force into the IRGC Aerospace Force in 2009.
Aviation forces
![An An-74TK-200 of IRGC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/An_An-74TK-200_of_IRGC.jpg)
Most American public sources disagree and argue on which aircraft are operated by the AFAGIR.
The
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP or TWI, also known simply as The Washington Institute) is a pro-Israel American think tank based in Washington, D.C., focused on the foreign policy of the United States in the Near East.
WIN ...
said in 2005 that "
e backbone of the IRGCAF consists of ten Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft (including seven flown from Iraq to Iran during the 1991 Gulf War, kept airworthy with the help of Georgian technicians) and around forty
EMB-312 Tucanos". The Washington Institute also said that the IRGCAF maintained thirty
Y-12 and
Dassault Falcon 20
The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet developed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. The first business jet developed by the firm, it became the first of a family of business jets to be produced under the same name; of these, both t ...
light transports, as well as
MFI-17 Mushshak
The PAC MFI-17 Mushshak (Urdu: مشاق) (English: ''Proficient'') is a license-built fixed-gear basic trainer aircraft manufactered by PAC. An improved version of the Saab Safari (MFI-15), the MFI-17 is manufactured in Kamra, Pakistan by Paki ...
and Super Mushshak trainers and locally built Ababil and Mohajer reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The AFAGIR also operates a sizable rotary-wing force consisting of around twenty
Mi-171 helicopters for transport and armed assault roles, and a large transport force out of
Shiraz
Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 p ...
, equipped with around fifteen ex-Iraqi Il-76s (originally operated by the IRIAF) and twelve An-74TK-200 transports. ''Scramble'' backs up this picture in general, reporting
An-74
The Antonov An-74 (NATO reporting name: Coaler) is a Soviet/Ukrainian transport aircraft developed by Antonov. It is a variant of the An-72.
The An-72 and An-74 get their nickname, , from the large engine intake ducts, which resemble the overs ...
s,
An-14s, and
Su-25Ks at
Tehran Mehrabad,
Chengdu F-7Ms at
Zahedan
Zahedan ( Balochi and fa, , ' ) is a city and capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2016 census, its population was 587,730.
The city was the site of a deadly crackdown in October 2022, with dozens citizens killed by pro- ...
(while saying that MFI-17s were often reported at Zahedan incorrectly), and Il-76 AEW variants at
Shiraz Shahid Dastghaib International Airport, while saying that they might be based at Mehrabad. Scramble also said that an unknown number of "new" Su-25s were delivered in 2003.
However, other, later writings make no mention of
Su-25s or
Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-76; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a comme ...
s.
Anthony Cordesman
Anthony H. Cordesman (born August 1, 1939) holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and is a national security analyst on a number of global conflicts.
Career
He earned his B.A. ...
of the
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. CSIS was founded as the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University in 1962. The center conducts polic ...
, writing in August 2007, said only the AFAGIR "may operate Iran's 10 EMB-312 Tucanos", and that it "seems to operate many of Iran's 45 PC-7 training aircraft" as well as Pakistani-built training aircraft at a school near
Mushshak, "but this school may be run by the regular air force". He also specifically said that reports of the Revolutionary Guards operating F-7s did not seem to be correct.
Anthony Cordesman
Anthony H. Cordesman (born August 1, 1939) holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and is a national security analyst on a number of global conflicts.
Career
He earned his B.A. ...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the Al Quds Force, and Other Intelligence and Paramilitary Forces
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. CSIS was founded as the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University in 1962. The center conducts polic ...
, August 16, 2007 (Rough Working Draft), page 6.
Cordesman also noted claims of the AFAGIR building gliders for use in unconventional warfare, saying that they would be unsuitable delivery platforms, but could at least carry a small number of weapons. However the attached reference was a 1996
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was esta ...
report, making the sources for such assertions extremely thin. Finally, the
IISS
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England.
The 2017 Global Go To Think ...
Military Balance 2007 makes no mention of aircraft at all, referring only to the Shahab 1, 2, and 3 missiles.
In October 2009 it was announced that its name has been changed from IRGC Air Force to IRGC Aerospace Force.
In February 2014
Jane's
Jane's Information Group, now styled Janes, is a global open-source intelligence company specialising in military, national security, aerospace and transport topics, whose name derives from British author Fred T. Jane.
History
Jane's Informat ...
announced that the
Barani missile system had been tested.
This system is a laser-guided air-to-surface missile which releases submunitions: "new generation of long-range ballistic missiles carrying multiple re-entry vehicle
MIRV
A multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) is an exoatmospheric ballistic missile payload containing several warheads, each capable of being aimed to hit a different target. The concept is almost invariably associated with i ...
payloads".
[ The UN Panel of Experts identified it as a variant of the Shahab (Ghadr 1) and questioned its alleged multiple re-
entry vehicle capability, suggesting instead that it carried sub-munitions.]
The Bina missile, which can be carried aloft and is able to be ground-launched from a rail car, was also revealed at the time.[
]
Current aircraft inventory
Aircraft on loan
The Aerospace Force owns some civilian aircraft. As of 2017, six Russian-made transport planes were reportedly leased to Pouya Air
Pouya Air, trading as ''Pouya'', is an Iranian cargo airline with its head office at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran. Third party maintenance is also performed.
History
In late 2012, Yas Air changed its name to Pouya Air, reflecting the ...
, and two more Embraer ERJ-145ER jets acquired.
Missile forces
The IRGC Aerospace Force is responsible for the operation of Iran's surface-to-surface (SSM) missile systems. In August 2013, Ahmad Vahidi. former defense minister of Iran said that his country is ranked sixth in the world in missile production. It is claimed to operate several thousand short- and medium-range mobile ballistic missiles, including the Shahab-3/3B with a range of up to 2,100 kilometers, which is the mainstay of Iran's strategic deterrent. This puts even NATO members Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania within striking range, if fired from Western Iran. If Iran ever produces nuclear weapons, they fall under the direct supervision of the Aerospace Force. Iran says that it has no intention of producing nuclear weapons.
Despite earlier roots, the Iranian military industry
Iran's military industry manufactures and exports various types of arms and military equipment. Iran's military industry, under the command of Iran's Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, is composed of the following main components:
S ...
started the missile development program in earnest during Iran's long and costly war with Iraq. At times, throughout the war Iran found that it could not strike certain Iraqi facilities or targets with its own forces. This resulted in an ambitious missile development programme that is still continuing. Today, Iran is developing space launch vehicles and sophisticated medium-range ballistic missiles. Iran's ballistic missiles possess the capability to deliver a variety of conventional high explosive and submunition, as well as MIRVs. Iran's achievements in missile development have been called "impressive" by IISS
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England.
The 2017 Global Go To Think ...
.
In May 2013 Iran's Ministry of Defense and Logistics delivered a massive number of missile TELs to IRGC AF, “Iranian television footage showed at least 26 TELs lined up in two rows for the event, which marked their purported delivery to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, which operates the country's ballistic missiles”, according to the report by IHS Jane's.
Any Iranian long-range intermediate-range ballistic missile or intercontinental ballistic missile would require an extraordinarily effective guidance system and level of reliability to have any real lethality with conventional warheads, even if it could be equipped with a functional GPS guidance platform. It would probably require nuclear warheads in order to compensate for critical problems in accuracy
Accuracy and precision are two measures of ''observational error''.
''Accuracy'' is how close a given set of measurements ( observations or readings) are to their ''true value'', while ''precision'' is how close the measurements are to each oth ...
, reliability, and warhead lethality.
On 20 June 2020 Iranian admiral Hossein Khanzadi said that the country would start producing indigenous Supersonic cruise missiles equipped with turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which achieves mechanic ...
engines soon.
Short range missiles
Solid fuel program
The foundations for this were laid with the Oghab
The Iranian Oghab ( fa, عقاب, meaning "Eagle") sometimes spelled as Akab and Okab missile is an unguided 230 mm (9 in) artillery rocket with a range of 34–45 km (20–28 mi). It is spin-stabilized in flight but has a prov ...
and Shahin-II missiles. These would lead the way for a number of other rocket artillery systems including Fajr, Nazeat, and Zelzal Zelzal ( fa, زلزال-۱, meaning "Earthquake") is a series of artillery rockets developed by Iran. The series consists of:
*Zelzal-1, with an estimated range of
*Zelzal-2, with an estimated range of
*Zelzal-3, with an estimated range of
Thes ...
. The initial effort in this area relied heavily on technical help from the People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in the form of assembly and manufacturing contracts during 1991 and 1992. Iran was quick to surpass the Chinese level of assistance and became self-sufficient.
=Bina
=
Bina is a laser guided
Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...
dual-capability short-range surface-to-surface
A surface-to-surface missile (SSM) or ground-to-ground missile (GGM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea and strike targets on land or at sea. They may be fired from hand-held or vehicle mounted devices, from fixed ins ...
and air-to-surface
An air-to-surface missile (ASM) or air-to-ground missile (AGM) is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft at targets on land or sea. There are also unpowered guided glide bombs not considered missiles. The two most common prop ...
missile
In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocke ...
. It appears to be an AGM-65 Maverick
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) designed for close air support. It is the most widely produced precision-guided missile in the Western world, and is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, ...
air-to-ground missile with a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker fitted to its nose. Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the ballistic missile had radar-evading capabilities. "The new generation of long-range ground-to-ground ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the ...
with a fragmentation warhead and the laser-guided air-to-surface and surface-to-surface missile dubbed Bina (Insightful) have been successfully test-fired. The Bina missile is capable of striking important targets such as bridges, tanks and enemy command centres with great precision."
Liquid fuel program
After the war, Iran's experience of liquid fuel missiles had purely focused on the reverse engineering of Scud-B
The R-17 Elbrus, GRAU index 9K72 is a tactical ballistic missile, initially developed by the Soviet Union. It is also known by its NATO reporting name SS-1C Scud-B. It is one of several Soviet missiles to carry the reporting name Scud; the most ...
missiles. However, with the post war reorganisation the focus of the effort quickly changed and focused on assembly and maintenance. A domestic version of the Scud-B, known as Shahab-1
The Shahab-1 ( fa, شهاب ۱, Ŝahāb 1, meaning "Meteor-1") was the foundation of the short-range Iranian missile program. During the Iran–Iraq War, Iran purchased R-17 Elbrus missiles from Libya, Syria and North Korea ( Hwasong-5). It is a ...
, was developed and manufactured. This led to its successor the Shahab-2
The Shahab-2 ( fa, شهاب ۲, Ŝahāb 2, meaning "Meteor-2") is the successor to the Iranian Shahab-1 missile. It is based on the North Korean Hwasong-6 (modified version of the Hwasong-5, itself a modification of the R-17 Elbrus).
On Novemb ...
, a variant of the Scud-C
A Scud missile is one of a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was exported widely to both Second and Third World countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name attached to the mis ...
with a range of 500 to 700 km, and finally the Shahab-3
The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (ca ...
.
Since the end of the war, Iran has consistently attempted to recruit foreign help, as well as its large and highly qualified expatriate population, into its missile program. Iranian expatriates who left with the revolution have been slow to return, but many are now doing so and thus heralding a new age for Iran's missile development programme with their tremendous wealth of technical experience.
Other missile systems
Iran has an arsenal of short-range, liquid-fueled missiles including the Scud-B
The R-17 Elbrus, GRAU index 9K72 is a tactical ballistic missile, initially developed by the Soviet Union. It is also known by its NATO reporting name SS-1C Scud-B. It is one of several Soviet missiles to carry the reporting name Scud; the most ...
and Scud-C
A Scud missile is one of a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was exported widely to both Second and Third World countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name attached to the mis ...
, and is now able to produce SCUD type missiles on its own, such as the R-17E, a variant of the Russian R-17 Elbrus (Scud-B). The Aerospace Industries Organization, a subsidiary of Iran's Ministry of Defense, supports the manufacturing process by engaging in SCUD missile restoration. Its short-range missile inventory also includes solid-fueled missiles, such as the Tondar-69
The Tondar-69 is a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) originating in China and operated by the armed forces of Iran. It was originally deployed by the Iranian army in 1992. The design is based on the Chinese CSS-8, which itself was designed ...
and the Fateh-110
The Fateh-110 ( fa, فاتح-۱۱۰ "conqueror"), also known as NP-110 is an Iranian solid-fueled surface-to-surface ballistic missile produced by Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization since 2002. It is single-stage, road-mobile and can c ...
.
Also, Iranian artillery rockets include the Samid, the Shahin-2, the Naze'at
The Naze'at 6-H and Naze'at 10-H/Mushak-120/Iran-130 ( fa, نازعات) are two Iranian long-range artillery rockets with ranges of about 100 km. The Naze'at 10-H is larger, more powerful, and has a longer range than the Nazeat 6-H. Like Ir ...
, and the Zelzal family (Zelzal-1
Zelzal-1 ( fa, زلزال-۱, meaning "Earthquake-1") is an Iranian-made heavy artillery rocket with an estimated range of 160 km. , Zelzal-2
Zelzal-2/Mushak-200 (Persian language, Persian: زلزال-۲, meaning "Earthquake") is an Iranian unguided long-range artillery rocket. The Zelzal-2 is a 610 mm truck-launched rocket that has a payload of 600 kg and a range of about 200 ...
, and Zelzal-3
Zelzal-3 ( fa, زلزال-۳, meaning "earthquake") is an Iranian-made solid propellant guided artillery rocket with a range of 200 km. Cordesman, Anthony H. (2007)Lessons of the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War p. 11. It is an upgrade of the Ze ...
).
File:Fateh-110 missiles and launchers.jpg, Fateh-110
The Fateh-110 ( fa, فاتح-۱۱۰ "conqueror"), also known as NP-110 is an Iranian solid-fueled surface-to-surface ballistic missile produced by Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization since 2002. It is single-stage, road-mobile and can c ...
File:Firing Zelzal 3 missile.jpg, Zelzal-3
Zelzal-3 ( fa, زلزال-۳, meaning "earthquake") is an Iranian-made solid propellant guided artillery rocket with a range of 200 km. Cordesman, Anthony H. (2007)Lessons of the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War p. 11. It is an upgrade of the Ze ...
File:Naze'at Missile by Tasnimnews 01.jpg, Naze'at
The Naze'at 6-H and Naze'at 10-H/Mushak-120/Iran-130 ( fa, نازعات) are two Iranian long-range artillery rockets with ranges of about 100 km. The Naze'at 10-H is larger, more powerful, and has a longer range than the Nazeat 6-H. Like Ir ...
Longer range ballistic missiles (>1,000 km)
, Iran has an active interest in developing, acquiring, and deploying a broad range of ballistic missiles, as well as developing a space launch capability. In mid-July 2008, Iran launched a number of ballistic missiles during military exercises, reportedly including the medium-range Shahab-3. Iran announced other missile and space launch tests in August and November 2008. In February 2009, Iran announced it launched a satellite into orbit and "officially achieved a presence in space."
Fajr-3 MIRV
The Fajr-3
The Fajr-3 (rarely Fadjr-3) ( fa, فجر-۳) is an Iranian heavy 240 mm intermediate-range multiple-launch artillery rocket (MLRS). The Fajr-3 is a license-built copy, with slight modifications, of a North Korean MLRS called the M-1985. The Fa ...
is currently Iran's most advanced ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the ...
. It is a domestically developed liquid fuel
Liquid fuels are combustible or energy-generating molecules that can be harnessed to create mechanical energy, usually producing kinetic energy; they also must take the shape of their container. It is the fumes of liquid fuels that are flammable ...
missile with an unknown range. What makes it Iran's most advanced rocket is that the Iranian government says it has multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles (MIRV) capabilities. Its MIRV capability may give it the ability of avoiding anti-missile surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). The missile was last launched during Holy Prophet wargames, which was the IRGC's largest naval war games ever. The Fajr-3 and the Fajr-3 artillery rocket are different systems.
Shahab-3
Shahab-3
The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (ca ...
is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) that was built by Iran's military. Its first model, also known as Shahab-3A
The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (can ...
has a range of . Soon after Iran came with a new model called Shahab-3B, which has a range of , and can carry a heavier warhead
A warhead is the forward section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket, torpedo, or bomb.
Classification
Types of warheads include:
* Expl ...
. Making this missile was a major step in Iran's missile industry, and it opened the way to longer-range missiles. Shahab-3D, which followed the Shahab-3C
The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (can ...
, is Iran's latest Shahab model. A range including Russia (as far as Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
), Ukraine, parts of Hungary, Serbia, Greece, Egypt, Arabia, parts of India and China, as well as countries closer to Iran.
Jane's Information Group
Jane's Information Group, now styled Janes, is a global open-source intelligence company specialising in military, national security, aerospace and transport topics, whose name derives from British author Fred T. Jane.
History
Jane's Informat ...
said in 2006 that Iran had six operational Shahab-3 brigades, the first of which was established in July 2003. They said that the six brigades were mainly equipped with standard variants, but with others described as enhanced Shahab-3 variants, with ranges of , respectively. Anthony Cordesman
Anthony H. Cordesman (born August 1, 1939) holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and is a national security analyst on a number of global conflicts.
Career
He earned his B.A. ...
at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. CSIS was founded as the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University in 1962. The center conducts polic ...
however said only in August 2007 that 'the air force of the IRGC is believed to operate Iran's three Shahab-3 intermediate-range ballistic missiles units' while noting that their actual operational status remains uncertain.
Ghadr-110
The Ghadr-110 is a medium-range ballistic missile designed and developed by Iran. The missile has a range of 1,800 to and as such is the Iranian missile with the longest range.
It is believed to be an improved version of the Shahab-3
The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (ca ...
, also known as the Ghadr-101. It has a liquid-fuel first stage and a solid-fuel second stage, which allows it to have a range of 2,000 km.[ It has a higher maneuverability than the Shahab-3 and a setup time of 30 minutes which is shorter than that of the Shahab-3.
]
Ashoura
In November 2007, Iranian Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar ( fa, مصطفى محمدنجّار, born 2 December 1956) is an Iranian politician and retired IRGC general. He was interior minister of Iran from 2009 to 2013 and minister of defense in the first cabinet of Mahmoud Ahmad ...
announced that Iran had built a new missile with a range of , the Ashoura missile. He did not say how the missile differed from the Shahab-3, which has a range of .
He told the gathering Basij militia during the manoeuvers they were holding that same week that the "construction of the Ashoura missile, with the range of , is among the accomplishments of the Defence Ministry".
According to ''Jane's Defence Weekly
''Jane's Defence Weekly'' (abbreviated as ''JDW'') is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs, edited by Peter Felstead. It is one of a number of military-related publications named after John F. T. Jane, an Englishman who ...
'', the Ashoura represents a major breakthrough in Iranian missile technology. It is the first two-stage MRBM
A medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) is a type of ballistic missile with medium range, this last classification depending on the standards of certain organizations. Within the U.S. Department of Defense, a medium-range missile is defined b ...
using solid-fueled rocket motors instead of the existing liquid-fueled technology used on the Shahab. This would dramatically reduce the setup and deployment time for the missile and hence, shorten the amount of warning time for the enemy. Jane's noted that while the development parallels Pakistan's Shaheen-II
The Shaheen-II (Urdu:شاهين–اا; codename: Hatf–VI Shaheen) is a Pakistani land-based supersonic surface-to-surface medium-range guided ballistic missile. The ''Shaheen-II'' is designed and developed by the NESCOM and the National ...
MRBM there is no evidence to suggest there had been any prior technology exchange or with its other known technology partners such as North Korea or China.
Sejjil
The new two-stage solid-fuel missile has a range of nearly , it was tested on 12 November 2008. An improved version, the Sejjil-2, was tested on 20 May 2009. Improvements include better navigation system, better targeting system, more payload, longer range, faster lift-off, longer storage time, quicker launch, and lower detection possibilities.
Simorgh
US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
James Robert Clapper Jr. (born March 14, 1941) is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force and former Director of National Intelligence. Clapper has held several key positions within the United States Intelligence Community. H ...
told the Senate Armed Services Committee on 11 February 2014 that Iran was expected to test "a missile system that could potentially have ICBM-class range", a possible reference to the Simorgh
Simurgh (; fa, سیمرغ, also spelled ''simorgh, simorg'', ''simurg'', ''simoorg, simorq'' or ''simourv'') is a benevolent, mythical bird in Persian mythology and literature. It is sometimes equated with other mythological birds such as the ...
satellite launch vehicle (SLV) on which Iran is working.
Emad
On October 10, 2015, Iran launched a new missile, the Emad. The Emad is capable of delivering a nuclear weapon and has a range of 1,700 km (c. 1,000 miles), enough to reach all of Israel and Saudi Arabia. It is considered to represent a great advance in accuracy, with a guidance and control system in its nose cone that functions during reentry into the atmosphere.
As a consequence of Iran's nuclear deal (JCPOA
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA; fa, برنامه جامع اقدام مشترک , barnāmeye jāme'e eqdāme moshtarak (, ''BARJAM'')), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal or Iran deal, is an agreement on the Iranian nuclear ...
), on 20 July 2015 the United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a United Nations resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council (UNSC); the United Nations (UN) body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international pea ...
2231 was endorsed, replacing the Resolution 1929, which "''called upon''" Iran "''not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons''". It has been argued that the language is not a legal prohibition. The U.S. ambassador to the UN Samantha Power
Samantha Jane Power (born September 21, 1970) is an American journalist, diplomat and government official who is currently serving as the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development. She previously served as the 28th ...
said that the Emad missile was inherently capable of delivering a nuclear warhead which is therefore a violation. However, Vitaly Churkin
Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin ( rus, Вита́лий Ива́нович Чу́ркин, p=vʲɪˈtalʲɪj ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ ˈtɕurkʲɪn; 21 February 1952 – 20 February 2017) was a Russian diplomat and former child actor. Churkin served as Russia ...
, Russia's ambassador disputed this interpretation: "a call is different from a ban, so legally you cannot violate a call, you can comply with a call or you can ignore the call, but you cannot violate a call". Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif
Mohammad Javad Zarif Khansari ( fa, محمدجواد ظریف خوانساری, Mohammad-Javād Zarīf Khānsāri ; ; born 8 January 1960) is an Iranian career diplomat and academic. He was the foreign minister of Iran from 2013 until 2021 in th ...
, responded by saying that since Iran does not possess nuclear weapons nor does it ever intends in having one, it does not design its missiles (Emad) to be capable of carrying something it does not have. Nevertheless, the testing of the Emad missile took place before the adoption of the Resolution 2231. The US, France, Britain, Germany, Sweden, Turkey, and Australia asked the UN Security Council to investigate and take appropriate action.
Khorramshahr
Hoveyzeh
The Hoveyzeh Cruise Missile is an all-weather, surface-to-surface cruise missile. The Hoveyzeh is from the Soumar family of cruise missiles. The missile was unveiled and put on display on February 2, 2019, at an exhibition of defense achievements in Tehran during commemorations of the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The surface-to-surface cruise missile is capable of low altitude flight and has a range of , a maximum range has not yet been given.
It has the ability to strike ground targets with high precision and accuracy. Its motor utilizes a turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, an ...
, it releases low heat signatures and the missile is equipped to deal with the most sophisticated types of electronic warfare.
Discussing the capabilities of the missile, the Israeli military intelligence website DEBKAfile states that there is "no military force in the world has so far found an effective means of intercepting cruise missiles before they strike, unless they are short range." The missile is essentially immune to any sort of radar and missile defense systems.
Dezful
Raad-500
Haj Qasem
Missile Magazine System
Hypersonic ballistic missile
On 10 November 2022, during the 11th anniversary of the death of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam
Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam ( fa, حسن تهرانی مقدم) (29 October 1959 – 12 November 2011) was an Iranian military officer in the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and designer of Iran's ballistic missile project. ...
, known as the "father of Iranian missiles", Iran announced it has built an advanced hypersonic ballistic missile calling it a "major generational leap". Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh
Amir Ali Hajizadeh ( fa, امیرعلی حاجیزاده; born 28 February 1962 in Tehran) is commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since October 2009.
During Eghtedar-e Velayat war game, on 8 March 2016, Ha ...
, IRGC-ASF commander, said the missile has a high velocity and can maneuver below and above the Earth's atmosphere. He said "it can breach all the systems of anti-missile defence" and added that he believed it would take decades before a system capable of intercepting it is developed. He also said not only it can breach the most advanced and significant missile defense systems (in the world), but it can also target them. The next day he stated that the tests have been made and that the missile will be unveiled in an appropriate time.
Anti-aircraft forces
Surface-to-air missiles
IRGC Aerospace Force is known to operate the following air defense equipment:
;Medium-range
* Raad/3rd Khordad
* Talash/15th Khordad
;Point-defence
*Misagh-1
The Misagh-1 (also Mithaq-1) is an Iranian man-portable surface-to-air missile. It was developed by the Shahid Kazemi Industrial Complex in Tehran.
The MANPADS was supplemented by the newer Misagh-2
The Misagh-2 (Also known as Mithaq-2) is ...
(QW-1 Vanguard)
*Misagh-2
The Misagh-2 (Also known as Mithaq-2) is an Iranian man-portable infrared-guided surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed ...
(QW-18)
Space Command
The IRGC Aerospace Force has been running its own space program, and on 22 April 2020, it made existence of its own 'Space Command' public. On that date it successfully launched its first military satellite
A military satellite is an artificial satellite used for a military purpose. The most common missions are intelligence gathering, navigation and military communications.
The first military satellites were photographic reconnaissance missions. So ...
, the Noor, into orbit. This was acknowledged by Western experts, and marked joining the club of about a dozen countries to have carried out such a project. The United States Space Force
The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...
's chief of space operations
The chief of space operations (CSO) is the service chief of the United States Space Force. The CSO is the principal military adviser to the secretary of the Air Force for Space Force operations and, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a m ...
, General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
John W. Raymond, said it was unlikely that Iran's Noor satellite provided any information of value, describing it as "a tumbling webcam in space." However, an Israeli security source told Haaretz that the satellite is "indeed an important accomplishment for the Iranian space program in general and its military in particular". Uzi Rubin commented that he "wouldn't be surprised" if an Iranian system of operational military space assets was soon operational.
On 29 July 2020, the Aerospace Force said that it had received detailed images of Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base ( ar, قاعدة العديد الجوية) is one of two military bases southwest of Doha, Qatar, also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport ().
It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and othe ...
in Qatar, where United States Central Command
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Ta ...
's forward headquarters is hosted, captured by the satellite.
On 8 March 2022, a second launch of the Qased launch vehicle
A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload ( spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and ...
from the shahroud space center inserted into orbit the Noor-2 military reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
Commander of the Space Command, Brigadier General Ali Jafarabadi, has stated that the reconnaissance satellite is part of a larger project that will include satellites with communication and navigation capabilities, in addition to reconnaissance.
On 5 November 2022, the IRGC conducted a successful suborbital test launch of the newly unveiled Qaem-100 launch vehicle.
Personnel
Its personnel size is unknown according to the Congressional Research Service
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a public policy research institute of the United States Congress. Operating within the Library of Congress, it works primarily and directly for members of Congress and their committees and staff on a ...
, while International Institute of Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England.
The 2017 Global Go To Think ...
estimated that the military branch had 15,000 sworn members as of 2020.
Commanders
, -
, colspan="7" align="center", Commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
See also
* List of air forces
This alphabetically arranged list of air forces identifies the current and historical names and roundels for the military aviation arms of countries fielding an air component, whether an independent air forces, a naval aviation, or army aviation ...
* List of space forces
This is a list of space forces, units, and formations that identifies the current and historical antecedents and insignia for the military space arms of countries fielding a space component, whether an independent space force, multinational command ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Air Force Of The Army Of The Guardians Of The Islamic Revolution
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military branches
Iranian missile development program
1985 establishments in Iran
Army aviation of Iran
Air forces of Iran
Strategic forces
Space warfare
Military units and formations established in 1985