Iranian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

A meeting of the Supreme Space Council today was held and the goal of reaching 36,000km orbit (GEO) by the end of 2025 was heavily emphasised. This would relate to Soroush-1 SLV.

It seems optimistic and very ambitious, but Iran's space program has usually progressed heavily under conservative administrations compared to liberal/moderate administrations.

Yukiolweipqled51 said:

How badly was Iranian space program and ICBM/ballistic missile program hurt by the deaths of late Tehrani Moghaddam and his team? There hasn't been any new ballistic missile developed since then in Iran if I am not wrong. All of them are variations of old Shahab-3/Sejjil-2 or North Korean Musudan ballistic missile called Khorramshahr in Iran.

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You shouldn't put the Shahab-3 (a liquid fueled rocket based on Soviet Scud missile technology) in the same bracket as the Sejjil-2 (solid rocket). Iran probably has the technology to make a solid fuel ICBM if they wanted to given the size of solids they are testing.

Yukiolweipqled51 said:

Is there any update on this beauty?

I was pleasantly surprised by Iranian achievements in air defence systems like Bavar-373, then with Ghaem ICBM motor static tested by late Tehrani Moghaddam and news of ongoing development of frigates and submarines.

How badly was Iranian space program and ICBM/ballistic missile program hurt by the deaths of late Tehrani Moghaddam and his team? There hasn't been any new ballistic missile developed since then in Iran if I am not wrong. All of them are variations of old Shahab-3/Sejjil-2 or North Korean Musudan ballistic missile called Khorramshahr in Iran.

Going by this visit, it seems the new president is confident Iran can launch sizeable payloads of above 1000 kg to LEO and GEO orbits.

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Qaher-313 was a prototype to serve as a technology testbed. It lacks serious funding and the project has probably been cancelled.

Raad-500 and Haj Qasem are new advanced ballistic missiles unveiled in recent years. It's true there hasn't been a longer range missile, but the Khorramshahr is a heavily adapted and upgraded version of the North Korean Hwasong 10/Soviet R-27 (which North Korea was never able to master) and was not related to Moghaddam's work. There are also political constraints, e.g. Khamenei prohibiting work on longer range missiles and giving instructions to work on greater precision instead.

In my opinion, Moghaddam's loss put Iran's heavy solid fuel missile/SLV programs back by around 5 years, because his entire team was lost along with him. But from 2016 work continued and it's clear that Iran has far more powerful engines than it has revealed, more than sufficient for a solid fuel ICBM if the decision is made (even the Zoljanah first stage/Khorramshahr/Sejjil + Salman second stage = ICBM of 5000-8000km range).

From what I have seen so far, North Korean solid rocket technology is behind that of Iran. North Korea is ahead on the liquid rocket technology but that will be a technological dead end.

gelgoog said:

From what I have seen so far, North Korean solid rocket technology is behind that of Iran. North Korea is ahead on the liquid rocket technology but that will be a technological dead end.

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Curious about this. The North Koreans have a 2 stage solid rocket SLBM in the form of a Pukguksong-1 in service since 2017 with a 2000km+ range. The sejjil missile latest versions may have longer range but adapting to sub launch would be more complex?

Yukiolweipqled51 said:

My bad. Haj Qasem ballistic missile is a game changer of sorts. Evading exoatmospheric ABM systems and defeating endoatmospheric ABM systems is not exactly a mean feat. Good job.

I suspected that too. His loss, along with that of his team, hurt Iranian missile and space program quite badly. There are other notable names I have heard that I wish not to reveal here or in the public sphere. Quite certainly, Shahid Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam was not the sole leader of Iranian ballistic missile/space programe. There were other leading figures. I have no doubt that Iran is capable of building and launchign an ICBM, it is probably due to political reasons that may not be to the liking of many Iranian well wishers or supporters that Iran is avoiding doing the obvious.

However, I doubt the Zoljanah SLV put any meaningful payload to LEO and that the thin diameter missile will be any good for repurposing as an ICBM. That is apparently the case. The better candidate might be the Qaem/Ghaem space launch vehicle/ICBM.

North Koreans have tested a few different types of ICBMs. I believe in this regard they are considerably ahead of Iran.

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Correct assessment of the Haj Qasem.

Zoljanah can put 220km payload to LEO. The real technological breakthrough is the Salman engine, even the Zoljanah first stage is years behind Iran's more advanced (but not revealed) solid fuel engines. A first stage of (Khorramshahr or Zoljanah (only the first stage, 1.5m diameter) or Sejjil) + Salman = ICBM. So the technology is already there, only political constraints stop it.

Qaem is indeed a superior option for an ICBM, and don't forget it was successfully tested 10 years ago. The footage was declassified recently, suggesting the technology has been mastered and probably even advanced beyond. Where was NK 10 years ago?

North Korea has different considerations for their missiles. Iran has tested indigenous engines about as powerful as anything North Korea has (liquid fuel RD-250 procured from Russia is responsible for their leap in ICBMs).

The number of US soldiers injured in the ballistic missile attack by Iran against the US military base at Al Assad in Iraq (Operation Martyr Soleimani) awarded Purple Heart medals has now increased to 39 (from 110+ injured in the attack).


"The Army has approved 39 Purple Hearts for soldiers injured in January 2020 when Iran attacked Al Asad Airbase in Iraq with 16 ballistic missiles, according to an email obtained by Army Times.

“The Army’s Human Resources command approved 39 Purple Heart submissions it recently received for Soldiers wounded in the January missile attack on Al Assad airbase,” said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Gabriel J. Ramirez in a statement. “They continue to review an additional 11 nominations, which will be decided on the individual merits.”

Most of the 39 soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries in the attack, which came amid a period of spiraling tensions in the region after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. The email included a list of awardees, which included Sgt. 1st Class Daine Kvasager, who told last month about how his injuries have changed his life.

“The person I was prior to a traumatic brain injury, he’s gone,” Kvasager told CBS News. “There’s parts that remain. The pieces are all still there, just — yeah, he’s not coming back.”

Another soldier interviewed by CBS, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Pridgeon, also received the award, as did Spc. Jason Quitugua, who will receive the Purple Heart posthumously. The junior enlisted soldier died by suicide following his injuries.

“He struggled, you know, like we all are, like I am,” Kvasager, who served with Quitugua, told CBS News. “It’s just heartbreaking.”

Oops, that wouldn't be fun trying to explain to the boss as to what happened.

Pusser01 said:

Oops, that wouldn't be fun trying to explain to the boss as to what happened.

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Old news, it's already back up and fine and construction has resumed.

IRGC-N recently took delivery of 110 FAC/speed boats of various sizes.

@Pusser01