Iran Acquires Cruise Missile

DEBKA-Net-Weekly 143 Jan 30, 2003 ^ | Jan 30, 2003 | Anon

[Former Proud Canadian]

Iran Acquires Cruise Missile

From DEBKA-Net-Weekly 143 Jan 30, 2003

February 6, 2004, 8:31 PM (GMT+02:00)

Iran`s threat to Gulf shipping

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary regime last month marked the 25th anniversary of its victory over the Shah by launching a sophisticated missile dubbed Raad and its accompanying advanced radar system designated DM-3b. Minister of defense Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani led the ceremony in full naval dress uniform.

The official handout described the radar system as navigating and guiding the combatant missile in its final stage. The medium-range Raad missile is equipped with a self-guidance device. Shamkhani enthused: the two systems manufactured in Iran’s state aviation industry further enhance the capabilities of Iranian armed forces.

What the handout did not reveal was that Raad is no ordinary coastal or shipboard projectile but a cruise missile, capable of halting Personal Gulf shipping by blockading the Hormuz Strait. It can also choke off incoming and outgoing sea traffic via the Shatt al-Arb, Iraq’s only exit point for its oil exports and entrance for its vital imports.

DEBKA-Net-Weekly ’s Gulf sources report launching bases for the new missiles are going up at four places on Iran’s Gulf coast: the northern end at Bandar a-Khomeini opposite the mouth of the Shatt al Arb and facing Kuwait and Bahrain, at Bushehr, site of its nuclear reactor, at the big Bandar Abbas naval base and Revolutionary Guards headquarters, and at Bandar e-Lengeh west of Qeshm Island.

From these installations, Iranian missiles will cover the tanker and merchant ship lanes leading into the Persian Gulf from the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of Aden.

A fifth launching base will be located on the small highly-strategic island of Great Tumb situated just north of the Hormuz Strait at the mouth of the Gulf.

According to our military experts, the locations of the new Raad missile bases betray both aggressive intent and determination to defend Iran’s Gulf shore from assault by warships or hostile marine landings. Iran’s military command appears to be preparing the country’s national defenses for an anticipated American attack in the course of 2004 or early 2005.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I know its Debka but, if true, would be a real concern to USN operations in the Gulf.

[rhombus]

Nah, couldn't be true. Debka just sexed it up. Nothing to see here, go about your business. Now about Janet's boob...

[tomahawk]

It does say a lot about a nation when Janet's boob, and Kobe's schmeckel, are the center of attention.

And what it says isn't good.

[templar]

It's launch sites would permanently disappear about ten minutes after it was first used.

[Cboldt]

You have a most appropriate moniker for this thread.

[tomahawk]

I'm always hanging around the cruise missile threads :)

[John H K]

Yawn.

DUMBKA makes it sound like Iran has never had "cruise missles" before.

One of DUMBKA's great talents is to report the mundane in a breathless, panicky style to make it look like a big deal.

Cruise missles aren't new technology. The US was just a late-adopter. The Russians have had them for 40+ years.

The Iranians have had Chinese Silkworms for years and years, which can range all over the Gulf and Staits of Hormuz.

[Rebelbase]

Its uses radar targeting on the last leg of the journey to the target and shouldn't be a problem for us.

[Rebelbase]

Damn, I used target twice in one sentence, damn.

[Eala]

Targeting targets, are we?

[thoughtomator]

Janet's boob? Who cares? What I really want to know is where Gary Condit was that fateful night...

[Indie]

It's launch sites would permanently disappear about ten minutes after it was first used.

Got that right! [Unless of course a Rat was President]

[explodingspleen]

Can't we send them just a few more? Pretty please? >:-)

[finnman69]

[tcuoohjohn]

The Iranians have had cruise missiles for years. They have had Chinese made silkworm missiles since 1991.

[tcuoohjohn]

Debka...a very dicey source of information. The Israeli version of Al Jazeera. Sometimes Debka engages in outright fraud and at all times puts a distinctly Israeli spin on information.

[tcuoohjohn]

Very good analysis of Debka credibility.

[ordinaryguy]

The Iranians have had Chinese Silkworms for years and years,

The thing I noticed in the story was:

manufactured in Iran’s state aviation industry

I don't know much about Iran's aviation industry, so I don't know if they've manufactured things like this in the past, but manufacturing the cruise missiles themselves would be a step up from buying Chinese made weapons.

All of this assuming Debka even got the story right.

[duk]

Just saw this, what struck me was that they made it themselves. Also cruise missiles are pinpoint weapons, not dumb bombs. They also can carry nukes!! The breaking story of Pakistan selling nuclear info to Iran,(and others), tells what Iran has in mind with these missiles. All their other "goods" are just high explosive, no need to copy that!!

And for all you "moncho" he men that think this is no threat to the mighty U.S. fleet, remember what the Argentians did to the mighty British. For a third world country with no NUCLEAR assets they did a fair job of humbling the arrogant. They lost in the end, but ONLY because they did not have the tech and weapons Iran has right now. Combine these two assets,(tech & weapons), with Jihad/hate of America, and we are at a great disadvantage.

Going to the bargaining table with a nation that is "willing & able" to fight one on one and face to face with us, means that we do not have the upper hand. Like dealing with Russia, we do so as "equals."

If this story is true, it has changed the entire way we deal with Iran, politically, militarly, economically, and socially.