IRGC attacks replica carrier in latest exercise

Jeremy Binnie, Abu Dhabi - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 February 2015



An explosion rips through the replica aircraft carrier. Source: IRNA
Key Points
The mock aircraft carrier that Iran was seen constructing in 2014 has been used as a target in an IRGC exercise
The exercise appears to have been an expensive propaganda effort that failed to demonstrate Iran's ability to engage major naval vessels with over-the-horizon weapons
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) put on an unconvincing demonstration of its ability to attack an aircraft carrier during its 'Great Prophet 9' exercise on 25 February.

The exercise involved the replica aircraft carrier that was seen under construction in Iran in 2014. Satellite imagery showed the replica was more than 200 m long and 40 m wide.

However, the target was both stationary and close to shore during the exercise and there was no sign that the IRGC was taking into consideration the powerful escort of destroyers and frigates that make up a carrier battle group.

Iranian TV footage showed at least one shore-based anti-ship missile being launched at the mock carrier, which was well-within visual distance of the shore.

A number of short-range air-to-surface anti-ship missiles were also launched at the target, at least one of them by a Bell 206 helicopter: a type of aircraft that would have no hope of approaching within range of a carrier battle group without being destroyed.

One of the anti-ship missiles appeared to miss the target, although may have flown through the mock vessel's hull.

The exercise also involved a large number of fast inshore attack craft (FIACs) bombarding the target with unguided artillery rockets and commandos fast-roping from Mi-7/18 helicopters on to its deck.

The Iranian media reported that two Khalij Fars ballistic anti-ship missiles were launched during the exercise, although the Iranian media did not immediately release any imagery to support this claim.

Likewise, there was no evidence to support claims that underwater missiles with a speed of 100 m/s were used: an apparent reference to the Hoot supercavitating torpedo Iran claims to have.

Earlier in February IRGC Deputy Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami highlighted the importance of the Khalij Fars missile to Iran's ability to take on the US Navy.

"We considered the possibility that the enemy's anti-missile systems would intercept our cruise [anti-ship] missiles, so we had to develop a complementary capability that would guarantee the destruction of these aircraft carriers," he said. "[The now deceased Iranian missile expert] Major General Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam came up with a very sophisticated idea: the use of ballistic missiles to destroy moving targets at sea."

He also revealed that the Khalij Fars was first tested years before the weapon was unveiled in February 2011.

"About eight years ago, when I was the commander of the IRGC air force, we tested the use of a ballistic missile against a ship for the first time. After several failed attempts, using a telemetric system, we tracked the missile's movement and the way it was locking on to the target … it was maybe a few meters, less than 10, from the target," he said.

IHS Janes