Irans new toy

[RF|46th|Pvt.Niallirl]

 TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's armed forces on Friday successfully test fired a domestically produced missile which can evade radar, state television reported, a development analysts said could be worrying for Western forces in the Gulf.

Western nations have been watching developments in Iran's missile capabilities with concern amid a standoff over the Iranian nuclear programme, which the West says is aimed at building atomic bombs. Iran says the programme is civilian.

"The missile command of the air force of the Revolutionary Guards has successfully tested a new generation of missiles," Hossein Salami, head of the Revolutionary Guards air force, told state television.

"This missile can evade radar and it can evade anti-missile missiles," he said.

"This technology is completely new, without copying any other missile systems that may exist in other countries," he said, adding that the missile could carry multiple warheads.

Television had said the type of missile tested was called Fajr-3 but Salami did not name the new weapon or give the missile's range, saying it depended on the warhead weight. He said it was a defensive weapon.

The U.S.-based military affairs Web site globalsecurity.org describes the Fajr-3 as a 240 mm artillery rocket with a 25-mile range, one of a group of light rockets Iran has developed mainly for tactical use on the battlefield.

However, it also says Iran has been working on another missile, called the Kosar, that would be undetectable by radar and designed to sink ships in the Gulf.

"WORRYING FOR WEST"

Accompanying the report of the test, state television showed footage of a single missile being launched from land. The television report also described it as a "long-range missile".

Iranian officials could not be reached for more details.

Lee Willett, head of the military capabilities programme at London's Royal United Services Institute, a defence think-tank, said the missile could be a worry for Western navies in the Gulf, wary of threats that could cut off shipping lanes.

"It is potentially a significant issue for coalition forces in the Gulf because there is a very important focus amongst the coalition navies on maritime security operations both at and from the sea, with a particular interest in what is happening from Iran," Willett said.

The test was part of a week of Iranian naval manoeuvres that started on Friday and were due to take place in the Gulf and Sea of Oman. Ground and air forces are also taking part in the wargames to show Iran's "defensive capabilities", the official IRNA news agency reported.

Diplomats in Europe said this month that Iran was stepping up development of missiles capable of carrying atomic warheads. An Iranian official denied the charge.

The diplomats, citing an intelligence report, said the programme included plans to arm Iran's Shahab-3 missiles, which experts believe has a maximum range of around 2,000 km (1,240 miles), with nuclear warheads.

Experts say North Korea has been key to Iran's missile development. A German diplomat in February said Iran has purchased 18 disassembled BM-25 missiles with a range of about 2,500 km from North Korea.

The Iranian exiled opposition group, the National Council of Resistance in Iran, has also said Iran was working on developing so-called Ghadr missiles, with a range of up to 3,000 km (1,864 miles).


Now with nuke reasearch and non detectable missliles this is gonna be a problem

[Ammond]

Beat those War Drums louder!! 

[RF|46th|Pvt.Niallirl]

War in ira(q)(n) take your pick

[The Conman]

Hi all, love the mod. anyways...

I think that its great that Iran is standing up to the US. The western world shouldn't be worried because Iran won't fire on the US or any allies for that matter for no reason. But they are worried because they do have a reason, the US is in the middle east for no good reason, its that simple. I think its about time that the americans got a good old-fashioned spankin' to give them a wake up call that they dont run the world anymore. Who cares if it costs an aircraft carrier or two, their floating anachronisms anyways.

[Air]

When did they run the world again?

[MadSlob]

well they are now anyways.and really have been the dominant western power since 1945

[Air]

Just because they are involved in military actions in Iraq doesn't make them the most dominant country. I think China will come out of the dust as the most powerfull nation in the world.

[[DPRK]820th|MSGT.Tnerb]

Correction..... I now know too Idiot's you and the president of Iran.  I hope you find it in your heart to leave the country if you are in the U.S.  Because obviously you don't like our freedoms here.

[[PIMP]O-shet]

if you ask me the US shouldn't be as worried about the nuke as Israel. yes the nuke does threat American troops, but it can also reach Israeli populated areas one of them with over 1 million citizens. use of that weapon against US troops will make the US retaliate against Iran, but they aren't sure about the Israeli response (Israels army is not built as an attacking/conquering force with exception of long range fighter/bombers (F15E/F16I)) IMO they wont try to mess that way with the US. since they know it will bring about their destruction for sure. Israel cant do that much after being nuked (they can take it out before launched). i think this will end the same way as with the Iraqi reactor.

[Stepchild]

Who cares if it costs an aircraft carrier or two, their floating anachronisms anyways.

Who cares? Probably the 3000+ families of the men and women that serve on each of those aircraft carriers. Yes, losing one aircraft carrier would kill more people then the US has lost in total so far in Iraq. I'll tell you what, grow some balls, stand up for the thing you are doing right now, which is exercising your rights to free speech, and volunteer to be on one of those aircraft carriers, and see if your paper thin opinion changes. That has to be one of the most asinine statements I've ever heard, and please follow Tnerb's advice.

And btw, "floating anachronisms"? They're chronologically out of place?

The problem goes a bit deeper then anything said so far, we don't want another cold war, thats why the UN, not the US, came up with laws restricting nukes. And maybe we don't have to worry about this government in Iran, but what about the next guy? or the next?

Just because they are involved in military actions in Iraq doesn't make them the most dominant country. I think China will come out of the dust as the most powerfull nation in the world.

Nope, they fact that US is the most all around domininate country in economics, technology, military, entertainment and politically, is the reason it's the leading world power.

[Metman]

Do not under-estimate china. They are going to have an industrial infrastructure in 2008, the likes of which the world has never seen. They already have an edge in industrial ability now. As it stands now it would take the US a minimum of 3 years to ramp up to equal China's manufacturing ability. Add that with the sheer size of their army of currently enlisted (let alone the massive number or mobilizable), and you have a very capable China. Coincidently, we import 12% of our vital electronic components for OUR military from them. Japan could fill the gap in that regard, but Japan some suggest would be China's most opportunistic target if it were to become expansionist again. That would open a whole new can of worms considering that the majority of the electronic components that our hight tech weapons rely on are made in Japan.

I am not suggesting that China is on the verge of starting a new crap-storm, in fact we are in relatively good terms with them at the moment. However, the day may come that we regret spending billions of dollars at places like Walmart, Costco etc.

[Plaid2daBone1]

Hi all, love the mod. anyways...

I think that its great that Iran is standing up to the US. The western world shouldn't be worried because Iran won't fire on the US or any allies for that matter for no reason. But they are worried because they do have a reason, the US is in the middle east for no good reason, its that simple. I think its about time that the americans got a good old-fashioned spankin' to give them a wake up call that they dont run the world anymore. Who cares if it costs an aircraft carrier or two, their floating anachronisms anyways.

I would guess that the parents, wives, children, and friends of the approximately 3,000-4,000 sailors and Marines that would die if the Iranians sunk an aircraft carrier would care.  If aircraft carriers are such a floating anachronism, why is every country who wants to be a maritime power building one?

[ManX]

hahahaha you gota love this stuff.makes my day reading this beurocratic bs

big question is

who's gonna fire it first on another country 

[Plaid2daBone1]

I guess you'd either need to read history or remember what has all ready happend to know that the first shots have already been fired...

In the early morning of October 23, 1983, the First Battalion, 8th Marines Headquarters building was destroyed by Hezbollah terrorist-driven truck, laden with compressed gas-enhanced explosives.  The Iranian Revolutionary Guard organized, trained and equipped Hezbollah.  The resulting explosion and the collapse of the building killed 241 Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers
 
On July 3, 1988, during Operation Earnest Will, USS VINCENNES was situated in the Persian Gulf when it shot down Iranian commercial Iran Air Airbus after mistaking it for an Iranian F-14. The total of 290 dead civilian passengers, included 66 children.