In recent years, the Iranian government states that it has self-sufficiency in essential military hardware and defense systems.
Iran established an arms development program during the Iran–Iraq War to counter the weapons embargo imposed on it by the U.S. and its Western allies. Since 1993, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats, submarines, unmanned aerial vehicles, and fighter planes.
From 1925 to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran used to be equipped with the very latest Western hardware. Cases exist where Iran was supplied with equipment even before it was made standard in the countries that developed it (for example the US F-14 Tomcat, or the British Chieftain Tank). Primary suppliers included the United States, Britain, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany), Italy, Israel, and the Soviet Union.
The Iran–Iraq War, and post revolutionary sanctions at the time had a dramatic effect on Iran's inventory of western equipment. Under the pressures of war, all supplies were quickly exhausted and replacements became increasingly difficult to come by. The war eventually forced Iran to turn to the Soviet Union, North Korea, Brazil, and China to meet its short-term military requirements. Nevertheless, the experience of using quality equipment was not lost on any of the branches of the Iranian armed forces. Disappointed by the older Warsaw Pact equipment, Iran sought to develop its own ability to mirror the technology of its likely enemies, and to provide a totally reliable source of equipment for the future.
After the Iranian revolution, developments in military technology were carried out with the technical support of Russia, China, and North Korea; building upon the foundations established by western contractors. Iranian reliance on these countries has rapidly decreased over the last decade in most sectors as Iran sought to gain total independence; A major exception however, is the aerospace sector, where Iran is still dependent on external help. Iran has, at present, reverse engineered existing foreign hardware, adapted it to their own requirements and then mass-produced the finished product. Examples of this abound, such as the Boragh and the IAMI Azarakhsh. In an attempt to make its military industries more sustainable Iran has also sought to export its military products, see Iranian Military Exports.
This illustration shows a prototype of Iran's mobile air defense system, Bavar 373, with cylindrical containers. However, the final product unveiled in 2016, is equipped with cube containers.
The following list consists of some weapons systems that Iran manufactures domestically:
Saba 248 – medium-weight, double-engine, quadrotor aircraft, capable of carrying eight occupants
209 (Comprehensive and integrated missile system of helicopter 209); It can fire all types of helicopter air-based missiles with the nature of Fire and Forget, which is installed and operational on the Kabri attack helicopters.[23]
A1 – A1 is capable of flying for at least two hours, and can carry a 5-kilogram payload.[24]
Ababil[25] – Domestically manufactured surveillance plane. Ababil-5 is for attack missions and the Ababil-T is for short/mid-range attack missions.[24]
Arash UAV – a suicide and anti-radar drone with a portable launcher[26][27]
Fotros – UCAV with a range of 2000 km, flight ceiling of 25,000 ft and 16–30 hours flight endurance, armed with missiles.[34]
Gaza - a wide-body UAV with a flight endurance of 35 hours and an operational range of 2,000 kilometers. It is capable of carrying 13 bombs and 500 kilograms of payload.[35][36][37]
Hamaseh – A medium-range drone,[38] capable of carrying air to ground missiles.[39]
Kaman-12 (UAV)– combat UAV. The aircraft can fly at 200 kilometers per hour for 10 straight hours. It can use an airstrip as short as 400 meters and covers a 1,000-kilometer combat radius. The UAV weighs 450 kilograms and can carry a payload as heavy as 100 kilograms.[40][41]
Kaman 22 (UAV)– The first wide-body combat UAV made by Iran. The aircraft can fly at a 3000 km distance for 24 hours.[42]
Karrar – capable of carrying a military payload of rockets to carry out bombing missions against ground targets. It is also capable of flying long distances at a very high speed.[43] It can also carry interceptor missiles.[44]
Khodkar – wide-body combat and surveillance; using J85 turbojet engine (converted Lockheed T-33)[45]
Shahed 129 – UCAV with 24-hour flight capability and armed with Sadid missiles.[61]
Shahin – a drone that can collect information on the positions and movements of enemy forces on reconnaissance missions[62] It is equipped with a 24/7 vision camera and is able to climb up to a height of 15,000 feet and shoot for up to 4 hours.[63]
Shaparak (Butterfly) – has a maximum operational radius of 50 kilometers (31 miles), and a maximum flight ceiling of 15,000 feet (4,600 meters). This UAV is capable of three and half hours of non-stop flying, and can carry an 8-kilogram (17-pound) payload.[64]
Switch Blade (suicide detection drone) - This drone system with 4-hour work continuity is the construction of the production, optimization and modernization center of Shahid Zarharan, all stages of which are designed and produced completely locally in the country. This UAV can carry out the intended operations up to the speed of 120 kilometers per hour over the sea and water surface. These drones are able to destroy all kinds of fixed and moving targets. The range of this drone is 4 km.
Muharram (suicidal destruction drone) - The 25 kg warhead-equipped drone system is utilized for the purpose of eliminating enemy targets and fortifications. Developed and manufactured domestically within the country by Shahid Zarharan Production, Optimization, and Renovation Center, this drone system boasts a flight duration of 9 hours. It has undergone assessment and field trials during the latest drills conducted by the Army Ground Forces.[83]
Shahin - native drone system - It is developed/constructed to enhance the coordination of operational helicopters in a given area. It possesses advanced capabilities such as target identification, search functionality, and the transmission of battle area images. Additionally, the drone system is equipped with a 24/7 vision camera, enabling continuous monitoring, and can ascend to an impressive altitude of 15,000 feet while maintaining a shooting duration of up to 4 hours.[84]
Qaem-100 satellite carrier; the first 3-stage satellite carrier with solid fuel developed by the IRGC Aerospace Force, carries satellites weighing 80 kg into an orbit 500 km above the Earth.[91]
Asr (radar) – Asr radar is described by Iranian officials as a S band naval three-dimensional phased array radar with a range of 200 km and capable of simultaneously identifying and intercepting 100 targets at water level or above, this radar will be installed on Jamaran frigates.[112][113][114]
Cheshm Oghab (Eagle eye) Naval radarRASIT ground-surveillance radar – Iran captured a number of Iraqi radars during the 1980–1988 war, and now manufactures a reverse-engineered version carried aboard a truck[116]
Ghadir – The Ghadir radar system which covers areas (maximum) 1,100 km in distance and 300 km in altitude has been designed and built to identify aerial targets, radar-evading aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles as well as low-altitude satellites.[121][122][123]
Arash – long-range radar, entered service in December 2013.[120][124]
Khalij-e fars and Moraqeb – three dimensional phased array radar systems that can detect aerial threats up to a range of 800 and 400 kilometers respectively[126][127]
Fat’h 14 (Conquer 14) – with a range of 600 kilometers and can detect small airborne targets at a high altitude[128]
Me’raj 4 – ground-based long-range 3D surveillance radar system[citation needed]
Nazir – long-range radar system with the capability of detecting radar-evading targets[129]
Fateh-110 – Single-stage solid-propelled SRBM with a range of 300 km.
Fath-360 – An Iranian short-range tactical ballistic missile with range of 80 to 100 km.
Fateh-313 – Solid-propelled SRBM with a range of 500 km.
Raad-500 – Solid-propelled SRBM with a range of 500 km. Tactical lightweight variant of Fateh-110 family of tactical SRBM with a 200 km increased range[149]
Zolfaqar – Solid-propelled SRBM with a range of 750 km.[150]
Ashoura – Two-staged solid-propelled MRBM with a range of 2,000 km.[156]
Sejjil – Two-stage solid-propelled MRBM with a range of 2000 km.
Kheybarshekan (Kheibarshekan) – Precision-Striking Ballistic Missile, a range of 1,450 km. The mentioned ballistic missile is among third-generation long-range missiles indigenously developed/manufactured by military experts at the IRGC's Aerospace Division.[157]
Rezvan - Liquid fueled missile with a 1,400 km range.[158]
Unnamed anti-ship ballistic missile with a reported range of 1500 km and a speed of 8 Mach.[159]
Kheibar (Khorramshahr-4) - Liquid fueled missile with a range of 2,000 km and a warhead weighing 1,500 kg.[160]
Fattah-1 - Hypersonic missile with a range of 1,400 km and a reported speed of Mach 13.[161][162]
Fattah-2 - Hypersonic missile with a range of 1,500 km and a reported speed of Mach 13.
Heidar 1 and 2 - Heidar-1 is UAV-launched, it has a range of 200 km and a speed of 1000 km/h.[165]
Asef - air launched long range missile installed on the Sukhoi Su-24[166]
Paveh - cruise missile with a range of 1,650 km[167]
Qadr-474 - ship based cruise missile with a 2,000 km range[168]
Heydar; long-range cruise missile -It can be installed on most helicopters, equipped with a thermal seeker, with a range of 200 km and high accuracy in spotting fixed and moving targets.[169]
Talaiyeh - strategic cruise missile with a range of over 1,000 km[80]
Sa'ir 100 mm Anti-Aircraft Guns – Upgraded automatic version of KS-19 100 m gun, it can detect and intercept targets automatically through radar or optical systems at low and medium altitude[185]
Sayyad-2 (Hunter II). Upgraded version of the Sayyad-1 system with higher precision, range and defensive power. It is equipped with a 200-kilogram warhead and has a speed of 1,200 meters per second. The Sayyad-1 missile defense system is composed of two-stage missiles that can target all kinds of aircraft, including bombers, at medium and high altitudes.[citation needed]
Fath (victory) – the 40-millimeter naval cannon's range is 12 km and shoots 300 projectiles per minute.[190][191]
Mersad – Iran's first advanced air defense system based on the US MIM-23 Hawk. It is capable of hitting modern aircraft flying at low and medium altitudes. It is equipped with sophisticated radar signal processing technology, an advanced launcher, and electronic equipment for guidance and target acquisition. Mersad uses domestically manufactured Shahin missiles.[192]
Mesbah 1 air defense system – can target and destroy fighters, helicopters, cruise missiles and other objects flying at low altitude. Mesbah 1 is equipped with a three-dimensional interception radar and an optical guidance system. Mesbah 1 can fire four thousand rounds per minute.[193][194]
Mehrab (altar) – Medium-range smart missile. Mehrab is equipped with anti-radar and anti-jamming systems, and if the enemy tries to jam the missile guidance system, it immediately identifies the source of the interference and changes its course toward the source and destroys the jammer.[195]
Raad – Air defence system with a range of 50 kilometers and engagement altitude of 25 to 27 kilometers[196]
Zubin air defenseBavar-373 – Iran-made air defense system carrying surface-to-air Sayyad-4 (missile), which uses two or three types of missiles to confront aerial targets in different layers.[197][198]
Ya Zahra – Low-altitude mobile air defense system.[199]
Soheil – Quadruped- MANPADS missile launcher, which can detect and intercept aerial targets.[200][201]
Herz-9 – Passive low-altitude mobile air defense system with an operating range of 10km and an altitude of 5km.[202][203][204]
Talaash - A mid-range, high-altitude mobile air defense missile system which uses an upgraded copy of SM-1 (RIM-66) missile called Sayyad-2, in November 2013 Iran launched the production line of Sayyad-2 missile. It can also use Sayyad-3 missiles.[205][206]
Majid air defense systemAsefeh – Asefeh is three-barrelled 23 mm Gatling gun that is reportedly capable of firing up to 900 rounds a minute, it is currently under development by IRGC ground force and will be used as a close in weapon system to defend against cruise missiles.[207]
3rd Khordad – missile system with a range of 75 kilometers and an altitude of 30 kilometers[208]
Tabas – missile system with a range of 60 kilometers and an altitude of 30 kilometers
Dezful air defense SystemDamavand - A long-range missile system
Zolfaqar - A low-altitude missile system
Majid[209][210] Expected to replace older Rapier, Ya Zahra, Herz-9, and FM-80[211]
9 of Dey - A missile system which is capable of engaging and destroying cruise missiles and drones.[212]
Arman (missile system) Anti-Ballistic Missile system with 3 120-km range missiles and a phased-array radar
Lt. General Qassem Soleimani - Ship point air defense missile/gun system[213]
Yasser – 750 lb air-to-ground missile. Was created by simply removing the nose section of the MIM-23 and replacing it with a modified M117 gravity bomb with its tail fins removed.[222]
Bina – Laser-guided air-to-ground and ground-to-ground missile. It appears to be an AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missilessws with a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker fitted to its nose.[223]
Shafaq[225] Carries a 13-kg warhead and has a speed of Mach 2.2. It can destroy targets within a range of 20 kilometers. It is equipped with fire-and-forget guidance technology and an infrared search and track system enabling it to operate in extreme weather conditions day and night.[226]
Yasin – 50-km range guided bomb.[228]It's a part of the Yasin family of guided bombs which include Yasin-90, Yasin-98, and Yasin-400.
Qaem 1/5/9 – Electro-optically or thermally-guided weapon.[229]
Qaem 114 – Electro-optically guided anti-armor 1,000mm penetrating dual-charge warhead missile similar to the US-made AGM-114 Hellfire[230]
Fadak – 2-4-km range guided or unguided 80mm and 11–16 kg weight air-to-ground rocket with a high-explosive anti-armor warhead and a speed of 700 meters per second[231]
Qadr 29 missile; The Qadr 29 missile system with a range of 150 km is equipped with four kilograms of warheads that are used in suicide and reconnaissance operations. It can be installed on all types of 206 helicopters.[243]
Heidar-7 – Based on BTR-60PB with TV remote control station for ZU-23-2. Limited production.
Makran IFV – Upgrade of the BTR-50PK with a new unmanned turret equipped with a 30mmShipunov 2A42 and 7.62mm machine gun, newly welded frontal and side armor, a new engine, and new electronics.[265]
Fallagh – ultra-light tracked combat vehicle with remote weapon station[275]
Nazir – Unmanned Ground Vehicle armed with missile[276]
Network-based intelligent robot (Heydar 1) – It has 6x6 active wheels, load-carrying and high-explosive capabilities, 360° degree rotation and barrier detection. It has a rifle (AK platform) and is capable of targeting and firing automatically at targets and there is also a suicide version for striking the tanks with below hit.[277]
Roo'in tan – It is a lightweight tactical bulletproof car that is resistant to steel core bullets up to .50cal[278]
Moudge class – upgraded and modified British Alvand (Saam) class (aka Vosper Mk 5 type) frigates.
Jamaran – multi-mission frigate with a displacement of around 1,400 tonnes, can carry 120–140 personnel on board and is armed with a variety of anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles.[322]
Helicopter self-defense systems; Utilization and use of Chaff and Flare self-protection systems, DRFM system, communication jamming system, laser warning system and GNSS navigation jamming system on flying devices increases the combat power and survival of helicopters.[350]
^YJC, خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران | آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان. "خودروی تانکبر "پوریا" در 29 فروردین 95 رونمایی میشود". خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران | آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان | YJC (in Persian). Retrieved 2 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"In the late 1980s, the North Korean-produced 240 mm M-1985 multiple rocket launcher (MRL) was exported to Iran and subsequently produced under license (with minor changes) by Shahid Bagheri Industries as the Fajr-3 (a.k.a., Fadjr-3)." Vital Perspective (2006), "Military Briefing on Hezbollah's Missile Capabilities: Examining the Fajr, Zelzal". URL accessed 2006-08-02.
^"Fajr-3 has the same caliber, range and warhead weight as three known North Korean systems." GlobalSecurity.org (2006), "Iranian Artillery Rockets". URL accessed 2006-08-02.
^"Archived copy"(PDF). diomil.ir. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)