Iran has unveiled two new domestically produced air-launched anti-ship missiles, state TV announced on 25 September. The Qader long-range (200 km) and Nasr short-range (35 km) missiles were displayed to mark the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1980 to 1988 Iran-Iraq war, Press TV reported. Both missiles were shown mounted on the underwing pylons of an Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II combat aircraft. According to Defence Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan, these normally surface-launched missiles have been given an air-launched capability so as to increase their operational range and effectiveness. Press TV showed footage of the missiles being test fired from an F-4. The sea-skimming Qader is an updated version of the Nour missile (itself allegedly based on the Chinese C-803) that is used in the surface-to-surface role against static targets. The first deliveries of the Qader missile system is reported to have taken place late in September 2012 for the Iranian Navy and also to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Naval Force. While the air launched version was paraded during the National Army Day in July 2013, the Press TV report marks the first official acknowledgment of its existence. The short-range Nasr (apparently developed from the Chinese C-704) dates back to about 2005, and was already believed to have an air-launched capability. The missile has been shown publically before at various trade air shows in Iran, and it is unclear from the Press TV report as to what extent the missile shown underslung on the F-4 is new. It could be that this latest version is the improved Nasr-2, which had been referenced in Iranian press reports, but never officially acknowledged.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 18:11:01 +0000
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