IRGC clarifies ballistic missile range

 

IRGC-ASF Sejjil type MRBM 

According to FARS News Agency:

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in a statement on Saturday rejected media reports claiming that Iran has developed missiles which could reach targets 12,000 km in distance, stressing that the maximum range of Iran's missiles is 2,000 km.

"Some media have made a mistake when quoting a part of the remarks of the IRGC Aerospace Force Commander (Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh) about IRGC's missiles and said their range is 12000 kilometers," the statement issued by the IRGC's Public Relations said on Saturday.

"Actually, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh has pointed to the IRGC Aerospace Force's defensive capabilities, and said 'at present, the range of our long-range missiles is 2,000km and the reason is that our enemies are within this range ... and they are not much worth to be targetted by costly missiles'," continued the statement.

This writer could not find the Western media report specifically citing a 12,000 km range, however the Iranians might generally be referring to ICBM ranges capable of hitting the United States. This potential capability is based upon speculation as to the ultimate intentions of Simorgh and Sepehr IRILV projects.

This isn't the first time the Iranians have denied development of an ICBM; they did so also during the previous administration.

The Fars article identified three IRGC-ASF ballistic missiles with a range of 2000 km: Shahab-3, Ghadr-F and Sejjil-1/2, the latter cited as a "third generation" MRBM of slightly longer range.

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

Israeli Attack on Sudanese Missile Plan a “Dry Run” for Iran Attack - Mehr

Iran’s Mehr News Agency, citing the Sunday Times, said Israeli attack on the Sudanese missile factory on Wednesday was a ‘dry run’ for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. A squadron of eight Israeli F-15 jets dropped four one-ton bombs on Yarmouk missile factory on the outskirts of Sudan's capital Khartoum.     

“A long-range Israeli bombing raid last week that was seen as a dry run for a forthcoming attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities has destroyed an Iranian-run plant making rockets and ballistic missiles in Sudan,” Sunday Times reported today. The Yamrouk facility reportedly produced Shahab missiles.

The attack occurred in the early morning of 24 October. Four of the F-15Is carried two one-ton bombs, escorted by four others – struck a gigantic Yamrouk missile site. The 2,400-mile return flight took the Israelis four hours, with the jets flying south along the Red Sea. The planes entered the Sudanese air space from the east to avoid Egypt’s missile defenses.

The F-15Is were refueled during the operations. Other Israeli aircraft equipped with anti-radar electronics dismantled the Sudanese early warning and air defense systems.

  

Photo credit: What is left of the Sudanese factory after the Israeli attack. (Satellite Sentinel Project/Mehr News Agency, 28 October 2012)

Great Prophet 7 Maneuvers (1)

Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missiles prepped for launch

Shahab-3 MRBM aboard a transport erector launcher

Shahab-3 ("Meteor-3") MRMB launch

Jubilant IRGC-ASF missile crewmen react to Shahab-3 launch

Shahab short-range ballistic missile launch

Fateh-110 series short-range ballistic missile launch

Fateh-110 seties SRBMs aboard their mobile launcher vehicles

Fateh ("Conqueror") type SRBM in flight

IRGC-AF operated SU-25K and SU-25UBK close air support aircraft

IRGC-AF operated Embraer T-27 Tucano (EMB-312) light attack aircraft

Video


Video: Press TV 


Photos:
Hamed Jafarnejad and Hassan Mousavi at Fars News Agency
Mehr News Agency
Islamic Republic News Agency