During the Iran-Iraq war, the British-made Rapier low-altitude air defense systems played a significant role in repelling the Iraqi air raids. These complexes were actively used until about the second half of the 90s. However, due to wear and tear and the impossibility of acquiring conditioned missiles and spare parts, Iranian specialists had to carry out refurbishment themselves and, possibly, establish the production of missiles. However, unlike the I-Hawk air defense system, on the basis of which the Iranian Mersad was created, there is no information about the creation in Iran of its own version of the Rapier. Some time ago, the American special services managed to cut off the supply to the Islamic Republic from an unnamed African country of "components" for British-made anti-aircraft systems. Most likely, it was about the "Rapier", since the very ancient "Taygerkat" was decommissioned long ago.
In the West, many experts believe that the Rapira air defense systems remained in Iran in single copies and are intended mainly for demonstration at parades and exhibitions in order to deceive potential aggressors and raise the patriotic feelings of its own population.
To replace the British short-range complexes in Iran based on the HQ-7 air defense system (the Chinese version of the French Crotale), the Ya Zahra-3 air defense system was created in 2010. The first anti-aircraft complexes FM-80 (export version HQ-7) were received back in 1989. Soon, the production of missiles was established for them, which received the Iranian designation Shahab Thaqeb. At the beginning of the 21st century, a complex of its own production appeared, and the Chinese FM-80s underwent repair and modernization. SAM Shahab Thaqeb with a radio command guidance system is capable of hitting targets at a distance of 0.5 to 12 km and an altitude of 0.03 to 5 km. That, in general, corresponds to the characteristics of the Soviet mobile SAM "Osa-AKM".
SAM FM-80
Unlike the Chinese HQ-7 air defense system, mounted on lightly armored wheeled vehicles, all elements of the export FM-80 are located on a two-main towed trailer. The structure of the FM-80 air defense system, along with four ready-to-use missiles in massive TPKs, includes: a monopulse target tracking radar, an optoelectronic module with a target tracking system and an infrared direction finder for automatic tracking of missiles.
The diesel generator used as a power source is usually located on the tow truck of the air defense system module. The control cab is on another off-road truck or in a towed van.
At the firing position, all elements of the air defense system are interconnected by cable lines. Target designation over the radio network is carried out from the Matla ul-Fajr or Kashef-2 radar. In Iran, the FM-80 air defense system is often used in conjunction with paired 35-mm anti-aircraft machine guns, in this case, the complex includes the Skyguard anti-aircraft fire control system.
LMS Skyguard
In 2013, the Herz-9 air defense system was presented to the public, which also uses Shahab Thaqeb missiles. All elements of the complex are located on the wheelbase of a two-axle truck MAN 10-153, but the number of missiles in the TPK has been reduced to two units.
SAM Herz-9
After the appearance of photographs of Herz-9, most experts agreed that the Iranians managed to significantly reduce the dimensions of the hardware of the complex and place all the elements of the air defense system on one chassis. But at the same time, due to the peculiarities of the placement of the missile defense system, significant difficulties arise when recharging, and a special crane or manipulator will have to be introduced into the composition of the anti-aircraft battery. To date, there is no data on the adoption of the Herz-9 air defense system into service.
By far, the most effective short-range anti-aircraft missile systems available in the armed forces of the Islamic Republic are the Tor family combat vehicles. According to official data, in December 2005 a $ 700 million contract was signed for the supply of 29 9K331 Tor-M1 combat vehicles. Deliveries of "Tors" to Iran began in the first half of 2006. According to the statement of the general director of Rosoboronexport Sergei Chemezov in January 2007, Russia fully fulfilled its obligations under this contract.
Fighting vehicle 9K331 Iranian SAM "Tor-M1"
The combat capabilities of the Tor-M1 have been significantly increased compared to the earlier version of the complex. "Tor-M1" became the first Russian military air defense system with a radar, which uses a phased array antenna with electronically controlled beam scanning. This constructive solution makes it possible to significantly reduce the reaction time and to produce with high accuracy automatic tracking and destruction of two targets simultaneously. High-performance computing facilities based on specially developed algorithms made it possible to achieve complete automation of the entire process of combat work, from analyzing the air situation to hitting a target.
The 9K331 Tor-M1 combat vehicle is the smallest unit capable of conducting combat operations autonomously - from detecting air targets to destroying them. For this, the combat vehicle has its own means of detection, guidance and communication: a detection radar, a guidance and tracking station, a radar interrogator, a television-optical sighting device, navigation equipment, displaying the air situation, monitoring the functioning of systems and means of a combat vehicle. Eight missiles ready for launch are located in the antenna launch module. The vertical launch of the rocket is provided by an ejection device. SAM "Tor-M1" is capable of destroying air targets (including high-precision weapons) with a probability of 0.5-0.99, at a distance of 1.5-12 km and an altitude of 0.01-6.0 km. The anti-aircraft missile battery includes 4 combat vehicles 9K331, battery command post 9S737M "Ranzhir-M", transport-charging, transport and maintenance vehicles.
SAM "Tor-M1" are definitely the best short-range systems available in the Iranian armed forces. But with a high fire performance, a high probability of hitting a target, the ability to deal with high-precision ammunition separated from the carriers, high noise immunity and mobility, they still have a short range and are unable to fight high-altitude targets. This, in turn, makes it advisable to use them with long-range and high-altitude anti-aircraft systems.
The Iranians have deployed batteries of the Tor-M1 air defense missile system around their critical facilities. Russian complexes are considered as the last line of air defense in the event that air attack weapons are not hit by medium and long-range anti-aircraft systems. In August 2010, a number of news agencies published information that the Iranian "Tor-M1" shot down an F-4 fighter of the Iranian Air Force near the Bushehr nuclear power plant, after the plane, for unknown reasons, entered the no-fly zone around the nuclear power plant. The pilot and navigator successfully ejected and survived.
SAM "Tor-M2E"
In an interview with Sergei Druzin, Deputy General Director of the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern for Scientific and Technological Development, given at the end of 2013, information was announced about the supply of Tor-M2E air defense systems with new, more effective missiles to Iran. It is not known to what extent this information corresponds to reality, since Tor-M2E was not shown in Iran. But in the past, at various arms exhibitions, the Almaz-Antey concern has repeatedly presented the Tor-M2E version, made on a Belarusian-made MZKT-6922 wheeled chassis and painted in desert camouflage. According to Western sources, 1200 9M331 missiles were delivered to Iran along with the Torahs.
According to Jane Defense Weekly, in 2008, 10 Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile-gun systems were delivered to Iran through Syria. Iran sponsored the Syrian Arab Republic when concluding a contract for the purchase of air defense missile systems in 2006. The contract provided for the supply of 50 "Shells" at a cost of one combat vehicle of $ 13 million.
The Pantsir-S1 air defense missile system with combined missile and artillery weapons is capable of effectively fighting the most modern air attack weapons at ranges of up to 20 km and an altitude of up to 15 km. The combat vehicle of the complex has 12 ready-to-use anti-aircraft missiles and 1400 30-mm shells. Detection of air targets is carried out by a three-coordinate radar with a circular view (based on a phased array), decimeter range with a range of work on large targets at medium altitudes up to 80 km. Targets with RCS of 2 m² can be detected at a range of 32-36 km. For tracking, a dual-band radar (mm + cm) is used, which ensures the operation of the complex for a wide class of targets. Millimeter-wave radar provides detection and destruction of targets with an RCS of 0.1 m² at a distance of up to 20 km. Capturing a target with an RCS of 2 m² is possible at a distance of 30 km. The fire control system also includes an optoelectronic station capable of detecting and tracking aerial targets, as well as guiding missiles using an optical camera and a heat direction finder. The use of two independent guidance means - radar and OES - allows you to capture and track four targets simultaneously.
Syrian "Pantsir-C1"
According to Western estimates, taking into account the supply of additional missiles, automated control systems, simulators and spare parts, the transaction amount was approximately $ 1 billion. Although all relevant reference books regarding the state of the air defense of the Islamic Republic indicate the presence of the Pantsir-C1 air defense system in this country, in Iran itself this complex has not been openly demonstrated.
In addition to short-range mobile complexes of its own and foreign production, the Iranian armed forces have a considerable number of MANPADS of various types. According to observers, the outdated portable Strela-2M and the Chinese HN-5A are no longer used. However, the Strela-3 MANPADS and the Chinese QW-1 / 1M are still in service (up to 2006, 1100 units were delivered).
Iranian serviceman with Strela-3 MANPADS
In the late 80s, Iran provided China with significant assistance in the creation of modern MANPADS, buying up a significant number of faulty FIM-92 Stinger from the Afghan mujahideen. The American complexes supplied to the rebels to fight the Soviet aviation, after a while fell into disrepair due to the failure of the batteries. Some of the MANPADS acquired as a faulty second-hand were reanimated and adopted by the Iranians (approximately 50 units), and a smaller part was sent to the PRC for study. After that, the Americans, having received information from their Afghan informants, caught themselves and began to actively buy out the remaining faulty Stingers. But it was too late, American MANPADS were adopted in Iran and became a source of inspiration for Chinese designers. Soviet Igla-1 MANPADS were captured by UNITA militants during the hostilities in Angola and transported to Zaire, from where they were sold to the PRC. As a result, in 1992, China created the QW-1 MANPADS, a conglomerate of the Russian Igla-1 and the American Stinger. The improved version of the QW-1M has an improved sight and missile with better aerodynamics. The rocket of the QW-11 portable complex differs from the QW-1M in a more advanced homing head and the presence of a proximity fuse, which makes it possible to fire at targets flying at extremely low altitudes. According to some reports, production of more modern portable Chinese QW-18 complexes is possible in Iran, but the Iranians do not comment on this in any way. The missile used in the QW-18 is equipped with a new dual-spectrum anti-jamming seeker. The Chinese QW-11 and QW-18 MANPADS are very similar in appearance, and it is difficult to distinguish them without a detailed study.
Iranian soldier with Misagh-2 MANPADS
In Iran, under a license received from the PRC, the production of Misagh-1 and Misagh-2 MANPADS has been launched. But what modifications of the Chinese complexes served as prototypes is not known exactly. According to their characteristics, the Iranian Misagh-1 MANPADS are fully consistent with modern requirements. The slant range to the target is 500 - 5000 m, and the reach in height is 30 - 4000 m. The maximum speed of the missile defense system is 600 m / s. MANPADS weight - 16, 9 kg. SAM weight - 10, 7 kg. The mass of the high-explosive fragmentation warhead is 1, 42 kg.
In February 2017, the Iranian news channel Irinn announced the start of serial production of the new Misagh-3 MANPADS. In appearance, this is a further development of the early models of the Misagh family.
Apparently, Iran was also supplied with Russian portable Igla complexes or their components. During military parades in Tehran, twin installations mounted on the chassis of off-road vehicles were repeatedly demonstrated. Outwardly, these "twin" MANPADS very much resemble the Russian support-launcher "Dzhigit". In total, Iran can have more than 3500 units of MANPADS of various types.
At military parades regularly held in the Iranian capital, calculations of MANPADS on motorcycles and ATVs are constantly demonstrated. It is believed that this increases the mobility of portable systems and allows you to quickly transfer shooters to threatened directions. However, riding on rough terrain with a 17 kg pipe on the shoulder is from the realm of circus tricks. What looks spectacular on a parade often has nothing to do with reality.
Iran remains one of the few countries where there is a significant amount of anti-aircraft artillery, including large caliber, in service. Moreover, the Islamic Republic is still actively working on the creation of new various types of anti-aircraft artillery systems, which, apparently, is intended to compensate for the lack of modern anti-aircraft missile systems. As is known from the experience of local wars, large-scale use of anti-aircraft guns can create many problems even for the aviation of a more technologically advanced enemy, since advanced electronic systems are not required to conduct defensive fire. In addition, air attack weapons that break through the air defense system at low altitudes are very vulnerable to rapid-fire small-caliber anti-aircraft guns. At the same time, in the case of maintaining the operability of the control system of air defense units, a combination of MZA and air defense systems can be very effective.
In 2009, the Saeer automatic 100 mm anti-aircraft gun was demonstrated for the first time. This gun, created on the basis of the Soviet post-war anti-aircraft gun KS-19, is guided and controlled centrally from the battery command post. The guns, equipped with electric power tracking drives and an automatic loading system, connected to an optoelectronic control system, fire without the participation of personnel. With a range of 21 km at air targets and an altitude reach of 15 km, a four-gun anti-aircraft battery can fire 60 100-mm shells per minute at the enemy.
100-mm anti-aircraft gun Saeer
The introduction of "deserted technology" allows you to avoid losses among the calculations in the event that the enemy strikes an anti-aircraft battery during firing. The reduced gun servant is only needed during reloading of ammunition and deploying or folding the battery.
The gun store contains 7 shells ready to fire. Installation of a remote fuse when firing occurs automatically. For an anti-aircraft gun of this caliber, it would be advisable to create a projectile with a radar fuse, but it is not known whether such projectiles are included in the ammunition of Iranian anti-aircraft guns. The official transfer of the first batch of 100mm Saeer anti-aircraft guns to the troops took place in 2011. It is not clear whether the matter was limited to an experimental batch or whether the mass production of guns was organized.
The KS-19 anti-aircraft gun, adopted in the USSR in 1949, is considered hopelessly outdated and the modernization attempt made in Iran is unlikely to be able to breathe new life into this artillery system. Modern anti-aircraft missile systems with similar range and altitude indicators have a much higher probability of defeat, are much more mobile, better camouflaged on the ground and require fewer calculations.
Iranian 57mm anti-aircraft guns fire at aerial targets during a 2009 exercise
Since the 60s of the last century, Iran has been armed with 57-mm anti-aircraft guns S-60 and ZSU-57-2. According to some reports, in the batteries of 57-mm towed anti-aircraft guns, the outdated fire control system has been replaced by an Iranian-made Skyguard fire control system with an updated optoelectronic target search and tracking system.
At the same time, in the last decade, the outdated ZSU-57-2 are no longer shown at exercises and parades. Most likely, these self-propelled guns were transferred "for storage" or written off, which is explained by their obsolescence and physical wear and tear. In modern conditions, the effectiveness of 57-mm twin guns mounted on a tank chassis is more than doubtful due to the lack of a modern aiming system and a low practical rate of fire.
ZSU Bachmann
Nevertheless, in 2016, the Iranians demonstrated a Bachmann SPAAG with two 57-mm guns on the KrAZ-6322 chassis. Most likely, this anti-aircraft gun is integrated with the Skyguard LMS, because otherwise there is no point in it, due to the low probability of hitting a rapidly moving target when manually installing the sights.
35-mm charger Samavat
The most common and effective anti-aircraft artillery system is the 35mm Oerlikon GDF-001 and its local version known as the Samavat. These installations completely supplanted the 37-mm 61-K and 40-mm Bofors L60. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Iranians not only modernized the Swiss-made anti-aircraft machine gun, but also created a new optoelectronic target search and tracking system based on the Skyguard MSA.
Thanks to the presence of electric tracking drives, 35-mm anti-aircraft guns can be aimed at a target remotely according to data received from the fire control system. Each gun has 112 rounds ready to fire. The rate of fire of a paired anti-aircraft machine gun is 1100 rds / min, which is a very good indicator for such a caliber. The effective slant range for air targets is 4000 meters. The weight of the Samavat charger is 6.4 tons.
The number of 35-mm MZA in Iran is estimated at 1000 units, with about a third of anti-aircraft installations deployed in permanent positions around strategically important objects. In 2016, 35-mm anti-aircraft guns opened fire twice on remotely controlled quadcopters that approached the restricted areas.
Compared to the 35-mm MZA, the ZU-23 has more modest characteristics, but at the same time, the 23-mm twin anti-aircraft gun is much more compact, lighter and cheaper. Installation ZU-23 can no longer be considered as a modern means of engaging air targets, but good service and operational characteristics and relatively low weight make the 23-mm "zushka" still in demand. The installation, weighing 0.95 tons, is capable of striking air targets at a distance of up to 2.5 km. Rate of fire up to 1600 rds / min.
Due to the absence of a centralized control system in the anti-aircraft battery, the defeat of modern high-speed targets is possible only with barrage fire with a probability of 0.01 per gun. At the same time, the Iranian armed forces consider the ZU-23 as an effective means of fire support for ground units and is widely installed on various wheeled and tracked chassis.
To increase the efficiency of 23-mm installations in Iran, a program for their modernization was launched. The increase in combat effectiveness was supposed to be carried out in two directions: an increase in the rate of fire and the introduction of a centralized control system and guidance drives into the battery. In the late 90s, the Iranian media published footage taken during the tests of the "automated" ZU-23, remotely controlled without the participation of calculations by a single guidance equipment. However, this development did not progress beyond testing.
Mesbah-1
An attempt to increase the density of fire led to the creation of a monstrous eight-barreled Mesbah-1 mount on the carriage of a 35-mm Samavat anti-aircraft gun. Thanks to this, it became possible to aim at the target without the participation of the calculation. In one second, the installation fires more than 100 shells. Earlier, at the military parade, a six-barreled gun "Mesbah" was demonstrated on a wagon of a 57-mm gun mount S-60.
The Mesbah-1 anti-aircraft gun was first presented in 2010 at an exhibition of the achievements of the Iranian military-industrial complex. Iranian television also showed a ZSU based on a three-axle off-road truck, but there is no information about the adoption of the Mesbah-1 into service.
23 mm Asefeh charger
Another direction was the creation of a three-barreled 23-mm anti-aircraft gun Asefeh with a rotating block of barrels and a rate of fire of 900 rds / min. But the rest of the characteristics and prospects of this weapon are reliably unknown. Judging by the available images, the weapon, made according to the Gatling scheme, is mounted on a self-propelled chassis and can be guided in both manual and automatic modes.
In Iran, several dozen ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" are still in operation in mechanized units. Some of the Iranian Shiloks were repaired and modernized at Iranian enterprises, after which they received the designation Soheil.
Replaced: auxiliary power plant, hardware of the radar equipment, display screens and sights. A night thermal imaging channel was added to the sighting equipment, and two launch tubes for MANPADS appeared on the right side of the tower.
Until recently, the Iranian Individual Combat Industries Group under the designation MGD produced the 12.7 mm DShKM heavy machine gun. It is currently being replaced in production by a licensed copy of the Chinese W-85.
12.7 mm W-85 machine gun of Iranian production
Large-caliber MGD and W-85 machine guns mounted on light off-road vehicles are used as mobile air defense systems along with MANPADS. However, the practical rate of fire of machine guns is relatively low, which reduces the likelihood of hitting a target. To correct this deficiency, using MGD, four and eight-barreled versions of anti-aircraft machine gun installations were created. The total rate of fire of eight DShKM machine guns is 4800 rds / min. The range of destruction of air targets is 2400 meters. The big disadvantage of multi-barreled installations is the long and baggy reloading. Taking into account the fact that 12, 7-mm machine guns are powered from boxes of 50 rounds, they are enough for a few seconds of intense fire.
12.7-mm multi-barreled mounts are intended to replace 14.5-mm ZPU-4 in the army. During the Iran-Iraq war, ZPUs, which use Vladimirov's large-caliber machine guns, were captured in significant quantities as trophies. Perhaps a number of ZPU-2 and ZPU-4 were received from Syria, China or North Korea. Since the production of 14, 5-mm cartridges for this weapon in Iran is not conducted, and the machine guns themselves are badly worn out, they are removed from service.
12.7 mm ZPU Nasir
A much more high-tech and compact weapon is the 12.7mm six-barreled Mukharam machine gun. It was first shown in 2014. According to the Iranian media, this weapon is capable of firing 30 rounds per second. On the basis of the Mukharam machine gun, a remotely controlled 12, 7-mm ZPU Nasir was created. The new anti-aircraft machine gun mount is equipped with an optoelectronic sighting and search module and can be installed on various chassis or act autonomously in the field position. In this case, a weapon with an electric guidance drive is mounted on a tripod and connected to a remote control panel with a cable.
As you can see, from all of the above, the Islamic Republic pays great attention to the protection of units of the Ground Forces from air strikes. The number of anti-aircraft guns developed is simply off scale. Another issue is that a significant part of Iranian air defense systems was created on the basis of foreign samples 40-50 years ago and cannot be considered modern. Simultaneously with the purchase of high-tech missile systems in Russia and China, Iran is saturating the troops with weapons of its own design, albeit not so effective, but massive and inexpensive to manufacture. Also noteworthy is the very high degree of combat readiness of Iranian air defense units. Constant combat duty is carried not only by long-range anti-aircraft systems, but also by short-range air defense systems and calculations of anti-aircraft guns.
