Report:
New Iranian Missile Launchers Could Overwhelm Israeli Defenses
Iran
could have enough launchers to send a salvo of medium range ballistic
missiles that would overwhelm Israeli ballistic missile defense
systems, according to a Wednesday report from IHS Jane’s.
31
May, 2013
A
May, 26 broadcast on Iranian television showcased a collection of
transporter erector launchers (TELs) capable of launching the Iranian
Shahab-3 guided ballistic missiles.
“Iranian
television footage showed at least 26 TELs lined up in two rows for
the event, which marked their purported delivery to the Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, which operates the
country’s ballistic missiles,” according to the report.
The
Shahab-3 is based on a North Korean design and is capable striking
Israel from Iranian territory.
“The
delivery of such a large number of missile launchers demonstrates the
Islamic Republic of Iran’s self-sufficiency in designing and
building the strategic system and shows the Iranian Armed Forces’
massive firepower and their ability to give a crushing response to
the enemy,” Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said in
a report carried by Iranian state news.
The
more missiles Iran can launch at once, “the greater its chances of
overwhelming defensive systems, such as Israel’s Arrow, which only
have a limited number of interceptors ready to launch at incoming
targets,” according to the Jane’s report
Arrow
is a joint U.S.-Israel BMD system which saw its first deployment in
2000.
Despite
the Iranian rhetoric, some U.S. analysts doubt Iran’s ability to
overwhelm Israel’s defensive systems.
“The
Iranians are very good at telling themselves they have terrific and
devastating technology which a cynic or skeptic like me may doubt,”
naval analyst Norman Friedman told USNI News.
“It
is a lot easier to multiply [launchers] than missiles.”
The
training and coordination to fire enough salvos to overwhelm a modern
BMD system is substantial, former U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Tom Marfiak —
the anti-air warfare commander during Desert Shield and Desert Storm
— told USNI News.
“Launching
a single missile from a mobile TEL is a complex task for a trained
crew. Much has to go right,” Marfiak said.
“Launching
a number of missiles, nearly simultaneously, from multiple TEL’s,
is a good deal more complicated than just lining them up for a
parade.”
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