Zafar Missile Test A Hoax--Iran

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.

http://www.uskowioniran.com/2013/02/zafar-anti-ship-missile.html

Video link for the Feb 24, 2013 test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dxTq0CyTbQ

There is only one little problem with this latest missile test: the same clip was posted on YouTube on Jan 26, 2013:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OOHpn66qC2w&feature=plpp

And again on Feb 21, 2012:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7qWUaXkA7c



And yet again on Feb 4, 2012 clip:

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.

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zX8FUzDhQE

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

(2) http://www.iranmilitaryforum.net/naval-forces/iran-naval-missiles/

Photo source:PressTV, Uncyclopedia.wikia.com

Iran's VTOL drone a hoax

Photo source: Top left:ettellaat newspaper, Top right: the original photo from Chiba university (note the small wind turbines in the original Japanese picture), bottom left:Chiba university, bottom right: Chiba university

By: Jabbar Fazeli, MD

A regular reader of this blog has brought it to our attention that the Iranian VTOL drone unveiled this month is actually a Japanese drone, QTW (Quad Tilt Wing) UAV (1). The Japanese drone was developed by Chiba university's Nonami robotics and system control laboratory in 2008 in collaboration with "GH craft".

The reader was kind enough to provide a link to another post by Gary Mortimer at suasnews.com describing this on November 16, 2012; the post included links to the Japanese website and photographs.(2)

The Japanese GTW UAV is capable of carrying a 5 kg payload for 15 minutes, in case you were wondering.

When I wrote about the subject on November 8, 2012 (3), I was working under the assumption that the Islamic Republic regime was simply embellishing its accomplishments, claiming that its VTOL drone was the "first" in the world. I clearly underestimated the regime's willingness to fabricate news for propaganda purposes. It is no longer content to spin real news to its benefit, but is now blatantly fabricating news and accomplishments out of thin air, no pun intended.

Clearly the propaganda chiefs in Iran are underestimating the "rain man" factor, and the ability of many to catch them red handed when they do lie. The Iranians should also keep in mind that the IAEA has a few rain men of its own.

I look forward to hearing the cyber basij's retort on this issue; multiple posts under different names welcome.

References:

(1)http://mec2.tm.chiba-u.jp/~nonami/english/research/uav/gal.html

(2) http://www.suasnews.com/2012/11/19700/iranian-koker-1-vtol-drone-faked-images/

(3)http://www.uskowioniran.com/2012/11/iranian-vtol-drone-first-in-world-not.html