A Clear Case Of تكرار
By: Jabbar Fazeli, MD
Yesterday, the Iranian Pasdaran (IRGC) proudly announced yet another test of an indigenously produced anti-ship cruise missile. It is reported to be the fastest and latest such missile. The IRGC released a video of that test which was posted on this blog yesterday.
Yesterday, the Iranian Pasdaran (IRGC) proudly announced yet another test of an indigenously produced anti-ship cruise missile. It is reported to be the fastest and latest such missile. The IRGC released a video of that test which was posted on this blog yesterday.
Video link for the Feb 24, 2013 test:
There is only one little problem with this latest missile test: the same clip was posted on YouTube on Jan 26, 2013:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uo7HSldU0u4
Based on the above, it appears that the IRGC kept reusing the clip of the first test every time they announced a new test of the Zafar missile. Considering that all the Zafar missile test clips look the same, the IRGC actually has no proof that it ever conducted a test since the unveiling of the Zafar missile 12 months ago.
Based on the above, it appears that the IRGC kept reusing the clip of the first test every time they announced a new test of the Zafar missile. Considering that all the Zafar missile test clips look the same, the IRGC actually has no proof that it ever conducted a test since the unveiling of the Zafar missile 12 months ago.
Is the original Zafar missile test clip a hoax too?
Aside from the apparent fabricating of the news of the follow up missile tests, I was also puzzled by the part of the video clip that shows the point of impact.
If you watch the clip carefully you can see that the "missile" appears to be traveling underwater in the terminal phase, and not at sea skimming altitude as the missile specifications call for (1,2).
The impact with the decoy also appears to happen under the surface, and not above sea level. I would invite experts on this weaponry to comment on the plausibility that the impact with the target actually represents a torpedo impact, and not an AshM impact. In other words, whether or not the missile test being shown is actually showing a missile being fired and instead of a missile hit, we see a Torpedo impact.
In the meantime, I included a clip below that shows an older generation Iranian AshM test in which the impact with the target clearly occurs above sea level and not underwater.
August 9, 2011
According to reliable Iranian government sources, the next generation cruise missile will be supersonic and intercontinental anti-everything named "خيال". This part was a joke, but the total loss of credibility of Iran is no joke!
References:
(1) http://tehrantimes.com/politics/105920-zafar-cruise-missile-successfully-fired-from-irgc-speedboat
Photo source:PressTV, Uncyclopedia.wikia.com
