Underground-basing of IRGC-ASF ballistic missile force

Above: line of IRGC-ASF MRBMs on TELs inside claimed underground ballistic missile force base

On 13OCT15, IRGC-ASF Commander Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh permitted what he claimed were first ever imagery to be published of ballistic missile force bases bored into the "heart of a mountain," stating "Those who are happy about their options on the table should just take a look at [Iran’s] options under the table… Our power and capabilities are like an iceberg that floats above water and whose tip barely shows above the clear water.”

Hajizadeh further claimed numerous such tunnels exist across the country at a depth of 500 metres.

"The Islamic republic's long-range missile bases are stationed and ready under the high mountains in all the country’s provinces and cities," he said, according to Sepah News.

The commander said the missiles were ready to be launched from all over Iran, on the order of "the supreme commander-in-chief," Leader of the Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“This is a sample of our massive missile bases," Hajizadeh said, adding that "a new and advanced generation of long-range liquid and solid fuel missiles" would start to replace the current weapons next year.

COMMENTARY: Contrary to the depiction that this is the first time Iran has published imagery of missile underground shelter complexes, there does appear to be examples shown in the past for both ballistic missiles on TELs (see below) as well as coastal defense cruise missiles on mobile launchers.

It appears the bores in the depicted tunnel complex are noticeably larger than those seen excavated by TBMs for Iran's light rail metro projects. However, additional construction techniques may have been specified and applied.

Also the timing of these ballistic missile announcements deserve consideration. If indeed the current Syrian offensive involves a significant IRGC ground force contingent, that is to say combat unit formations, perhaps the Iranian calculation involves publicity such as this touting the IRGC-ASF ballistic missile force for its strength as a deterrent, intended for both extra-regional as well as regional states supporting forces arrayed against the Syrian Arab Republic. This might especially be the case if the upcoming phase of the Syrian offensive is as destructive as some observers are expecting it to be.

Or perhaps the timing might better be explained as a consequence of Iran's ratification process for the JCPOA, as well as renderings specified on Iran's military industrial complex by the nuclear agreement and subsequent UNSC resolution.

IRGC-ASF Ghadr series MRBM mounted on TEL at underground ballistic missile force base

Giving a sense of scale for this section of claimed underground ballistic missile force base

Foreground: triconic warhead of Ghadr series MRBM on TEL

Background: wall surfaces of underground ballistic missile force base

IRGC-ASF Commander Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh

What may have been previous published imagery of IRGC-ASF underground ballistic missile force base, here depicting a ballistic missile with the more advanced RV type. This still from a video broadcast weeks ago on IRIB television.

VIDEO:

Photos: Fars News Agency via Mashregh News

Test launch of Iran AIO 'Emad' medium-range ballistic missile

MODAFL on 11OCT15 announced the test launch of Emad ("Pillar") medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), featuring a newly designed reentry vehicle and more advanced guidance and control system.

"The Emad missile is able to strike targets with a high level of precision and completely destroy them," IRNA quoted Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan as saying.

The Emad appears to be a liquid-fuelled Shahab ("Meteor") variant, with claimed range of 2500 km, 100 meter CEP for accuracy and a 750 kg (1,653 pound) payload.

Iran's defense minister further stated IRGC-ASF ballistic missile force would take delivery of Emad MRBM some time in 2016.

COMMENTARY: Since the signing of JCPOA, a vocal group of Iranian lawmakers have been pressing for displays of Iranian ballistic missile technology. The political object advanced by these lawmakers has been to display Iran's sovereignty over matters of defense, regardless of continued sanctions.

Defense Minister Dehghan, while stating that ballistic missile drills and test launches are subject to defense requirements, nevertheless emphasized the sovereignty issue during today's MODAFL announcement, where he stated "To follow our defense programs, we don't ask permission from anyone...", meaning foreign powers.

Precision strikes by conventionally-armed ballistic missiles are capable of inflicting serious losses to an adversary during wartime,. A recent case in point: during the Yemen conflict on 04SEP15, an OTR-21 Tochka tactical ballistic missile hit an arms depot close to the positions of Pro-hadi forces, killing over 100 troops (52 UAE, 10 Saudi, 5 Bahraini, and an unspecified number of Yemeni troops loyal to the exiled prime minister).

During peacetime, a second-strike capability potentially rendered by precision-guided  ballistic missiles are useful in serving as a deterrent against attack.

For a country like Iran-- with a relatively weak air force-- indigenously constructed ballistic missiles offer a more economical and effective means of strike delivery than otherwise possible, due to sanctions and factors related to hostile foreign power alliances.

Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) Emad ("Pillar") MRBM serial "FVEA001"

AIO Emad MRBM in firing position on transporter erector launcher (TEL)

AIO Emad MRBM airborne during claimed successful test flight

Video still of AIO Emad MRBM on TEL prior to launch

Video still detail of AIO Emad's numbered fins, on TEL prior to launch

Video still of AIO Emad's mounted cameras, providing imagery during flight

IRIB video broadcast weeks ago previously depicting a similarly advanced guidance system on ballistic missile transported by TEL through IRGC-ASF underground fortified tunnel system.

PRESS TV VIDEO:

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

On first day of Vienna talks, U.S. presses Iran on ballistic missiles

 

Above: IRGC-ASF parades thirty TEL-mounted MRBMs, September 2013

According to the Wall Street Journal:

Talks on a permanent Iran nuclear accord opened Tuesday with the U.S. pressing Tehran to agree the deal should encompass caps on its expanding ballistic missile capabilities.

The dispute is the latest in a growing number of issues that divide Washington and Tehran as the Obama administration seeks to use diplomacy to end the military threat posed by Iran's nuclear program.

The U.S. and its allies view Iran's missiles as part of the country's potential nuclear threat, thus a subject for the talks on a permanent nuclear agreement.

"They have to deal with matters related to their ballistic missile program," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

But Iran says the missiles are part of its defense establishment and beyond the limits of nuclear talks. In any case, the issue of whether Iran's ballistic missile capabilities will be on the agenda already has exposed a rift between the Americans and Iranians.

Focusing on Iranian defense-related issues on the first day of negotiations in Vienna serves to deflect and throw off balance Iran's stated agenda of demonstrating its nuclear program is peaceful in nature.

This is the sort of thing the SL branch of IRIG, the IRGC and a majority of Iran's parliament have been expecting, in their publicly voiced pessimism that these talks would not succeed.

Like the previous Khatami administration during the early 2000's where Iran made attempts at improving relations with the U.S., Britain and France, engaging in negotiations in 2003 that went nowhere and even going so far as assisting U.S. military endeavors during the lead-up and initial phase of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, the current Rouhani administration has gone out on a political limb in again reaching out to the United States with hopes of improved relations.

By focusing on matters of Iran's defense crucial to its doctrine of deterrence from attack, the Obama administration risks missing opportunities the likes of which missed during the Bush administration, and by doing so potentially providing a domestically perceived sense of vindication to political forces inside Iran dismissive or outright resistant to yet another Iranian outreach effort.

Bina ASM/SSM and Rainy MRBM

Bina ASM/SSM

Video still from Iran TV of IRGC-AF Su-25UBK armed with two Bina ("Sighted") air-to-surface missiles (ASMs) mounted on inward wing pylons.

Video still from Iran TV of IRGC-AF Su-25UBK firing Bina ("Sighted") ASM

 

Iran media photo of Bina ASM/SSM model 1392 (2014)

Side view close-up of Bina ASM/SSM model 1392 (2014)

Side view of Bina ASM/SSM model 1392 (2014)

Partial view of "Paveway" LGB-like semi-active laser homing seeker head

Rainy MRBM

Rainy MRBM cluster warhead or MIRV dependent on various Iran media claims

Associated by Iran TV with Rainy MRBM launch, a liquid-fueled MRBM closely resembling Shahab-3/Ghadir series of ballistic missiles. Reports circulating describe Iran's president attempted to halt or suspend this MRBM launch presumably to assist current IRIG executive branch driven efforts at rapprochement with West.

Above: Iran TV presentation on Rainy MRBM and Bina ASM/SSM launches

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency and Masregh News

IRGC-ASF equipped with new TELs

 

According to Fars News Agency:

The Iranian Defense Ministry on Sunday supplied large numbers of long-range ground-to-ground missile launchers to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Addressing the ceremony, Vahidi said that the delivery of such a large number of missile launchers demonstrates the Islamic Republic of Iran's self-sufficiency in designing and building the strategic system and shows the Iranian Armed Forces' massive firepower and their ability to give a crushing response to the enemy.

There had been suggestions that a shortage Transport Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicles might be a limiting factor on Iran's ability to provide adequate chances of survivability for its missile forces in the event of an aggressor first strike. If so, this latest claim indicates an effort to address this need. Additionally, it could suggest or purposely indicate an increase in Iranian MRBM stocks. Even so, in the above photo provided by Iranian media, slight variations in these TELs are evident, suggesting non-standardization and some level of improvisation, in addition to slight universal changes interpreted as refinements in erector construction.

Below are examples of TELs exhibited in the past. Note the slight variations in design and construction:







Photos: PressTV and Military.ir