Posted on 01/15/2006 4:30:21 AM PST by Khashayar
Iran on Sunday commissioned its second domestically built submarine, a craft that can fire missiles and torpedoes simultaneously, state-run radio reported.
The report said the submarine, named Ghadir, was Iran's second homemade submarine, and was unveiled during the third day of military maneuvers in southern Iran.
Iran's armed forces began their biggest military maneuvers Friday in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean on Iran's territorial waters close to Pakistan and involved submarines, warships, missiles, jet fighters and gunships.
In May, Iran officially launched the production of the locally built submarine, claiming it was a stealth craft.
Its name, Ghadir, is derived from a site in the Arabian Peninsula holy to Shiite Muslims, the overwhelming majority of Iran's 69 million people.
Iran produces the Shahab-3 missile, capable of reaching Israel and U.S. forces stationed in the region. Since 1992, it also has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and a fighter plane.
I have seen larger septic tanks.
And killed itself in the process
These seem to be for operating in shallower water. Litoral zone naval combat is another can of worms, distinct from blue water operations in the open ocean.
I hope the eggheads have puzzled this out pretty thoroughly.
IIRC, a few years back the Iranians cut a deal with Mozambique to use port facilities to service their Kilos, too.
Nice color. I think we could easily launch that whole sub from one of our missile tubes.
And that crew didn't have 6 dozen virgins waiting for them, either.
Excellent analysis Rod. They are dumping off junk weapon systems they no longer need for buko dollars. Smart business on their part.
I had one of those long ago - it came in a box of cereal.
They have been talking about it since Gulf War 1. One of the reasons they dumped the massive Seawolf class for the Virgina class attack boats. Don't know the operational specifics but the Navy IS aware of the problem. Only question is which is better, our solution or their plan? Only combat can determine that for sure
Exactly. And running on battery power to avoid detection, it would be quite deadly.
Not something to joke about.
Did you hear the one about the Iranian rocket ship?
...at 500 feet it ran out of coal.
Wow..I learn so much from my fellow freepers(and you guys make me laugh with your funny comments too). What is Litoral zone naval combat?
So they can domestically produce a sub that a person cannot even stand up in and two crew members cannot even pass by each other inside it.
You certainly cannot hold a missile and a torpedo in that little thing let alone fire them simultaneously.
The US made subs in 1865 which were better than this.
That's what these are for: http://navysite.de/weapons/phalanx.htm
"Not something to joke about."
There is room for both...lol. Call me old fashion, but I am somewhat comforted by our American 'bravado'. It is good to know that we still have men that are not fearful and reduced to impotent pantywaists by the liberal endoctrination in this country.
Please read the comments in #80 again.
" A sub like this can carry more plastic-explosive than the power-boat that almost blew the Cole in-half."
We must think of everything in terms of their possible bomb potential. Things may appear to have one use and really be meant to be a container for explosive materials.
And they do an excellent job...too bad not many tankers have them!!
I don't think our military analysts are laughing. They may have chuckled in the first few seconds after seeing it, but they know the potential for destruction one of these things has.
I had one of those baking powder submarines when I was a kid. They came free in breakfast cereal. You could also get a baking powder PT boat but you had to send away for that and they cost fifty cents.
bump
Thanks for the kind wishes. I do like a good chuckle, and I hate to sound like a "wimp", but I regret I seem inadvertently to have hurt someone's feelings or something. Not quite sure what went on there - it's always difficult to know, when the interchange is electronic and thus facial expressions are unseen - but people are sometimes sensitive about their threads and the responses they draw. Oh, well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.