On August 29, an Iranian rocket exploded on the launch at the Imam Khomeini Space Center. After satellite imagery indicated a launch failure, an Iranian official anonymously confirmed that an explosion had taken place. The failure represents the third of its kind for this year; Iran previously failed to launch rockets in January and February....
On August 27, Iran revealed a new cruise missile, named “Mobeen,” at Russia’s MAKS military exhibition. According to state media, the subsonic cruise missile has a range of 450 km and weighs 670 kg when armed with a 120 kg payload. According to the exhibit, the missile entered service in 2018. Related Links: Iran Displays...
Speaking on August 24, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami stated that Iran had successfully “tested a new missile.” While Salami declined to describe the name or type of missile tested, the statement came on the heels of earlier reports describing launch preparations in northern Iran. Related Links: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard boasts of...
On August 21, Iran officially inducted the Bavar-373 surface-to-air missile system into service. Speaking at the National Day of the Defense Industry ceremony, Iranian officials stated that the weapons system could track up to 60 targets and possessed a maximum engagement range of 250 km. A Bavar-373 battery is typically comprised of 6 launchers, an...
On August 10, Iran unveiled the Falaq, an indigenously-upgraded surveillance radar with a range of 400 km. According to state media, the system is a domestically overhauled variant of the Gamma, a Russian-made phased-array radar. Related Links: Iran Army unveils ‘Falagh’ surveillance radar system, Mehr News Iran unveils ‘improved’ radar air defense system, Reuters
On July 24, Iran test fired a Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), according to a U.S. military official. The launch took place at a southern coastal site in Iran, and traveled around 1,100 km before landing east of Tehran. Iran last test fired a ballistic missile in December 2018. Related Links: In Escalation, Iran Tests...
On July 12, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) struck Iraqi Kurdish militant groups with missiles, artillery, and drones. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC employed its new armed M-6 drones to attack several positions in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. In a statement, the IRGC said the strikes came in response to...
On June 20, Iran shot down a U.S. reconnaissance drone operating above the Strait of Hormuz. Following the attack, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps alleged that the drone had violated Iranian airspace, a claim U.S. Central Command denied in an official statement. Official reports have alternatively identified the drone as a RQ-4A Global Hawk or...
On June 9, the Iranian Defense Ministry showcased its indigenously-developed Khordad 15 air defense system. Paired with the Sayyad-3 surface-to-air missile, the system incorporates a new phased-array radar and can reportedly strike airborne targets at a distance of up to 75 km. The Sayyad-3 missile was first displayed publicly in April 2017. Related Links: Iran...
The United States deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group and B-52 bombers into the Persian Gulf after intelligence reports showed Iran moving short-range ballistic missiles by boats into the area. The deployment came in response to Iranian preparations “to possibly attack U.S. forces in the region,” according to USCENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Bill Urban. It...
