What Military Equipment Can Iran Use to Counter the US and Israel?

Reference News Network reported on March 3 According to the website of the "Spanish People" on February 28, the threat has been realized. Israel and the United States launched a coordinated attack on Iran on the morning of February 28.

One of the reasons the Pentagon provided for approving the operation was Iran's long-range missiles. Trump stated in a speech the night before that Iran now possesses long-range missiles capable of striking Europe.

In a scenario of direct escalation targeting Israeli and U.S. military bases, ballistic missiles become the most likely delivery system due to their range and payload.

One of the most advanced ballistic missiles in Iran's arsenal is the "Castle Destroyer" missile, which entered service in 2023. With a range of 2,000 kilometers and a warhead of 1,500 kilograms, this missile is the most powerful platform in Iran's missile cluster.

To simplify the development process, Iran chose to derive various variants and improvements from the "Meteor"-3 platform. The "Meteor"-3, which entered service in 2003, is one of the oldest missiles in the country's arsenal.

The "Meteor"-3 has a range of approximately 1,300 kilometers, sufficient to cover the area from Iran's western border with Iraq to Israel.

Its direct variants include the "Power Type 1" missile and the "Imad" missile; there are also minor variations such as the "Meteor"-3A, "Meteor"-3B, "Meteor"-3D, and "Meteor"-3M.

Reportedly, the "Power Type 1" missile was first publicly displayed in 2007, but Iran did not conduct its first test launch until 2015. This system has a range of about 1,950 kilometers and a takeoff weight of approximately 19 tons. Additionally, it can be equipped with a 750-kilogram warhead, making it one of the most important medium-range missiles in Iran's plans.

As for the "Imad" missile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that Iran introduced it as a "long-range" missile in October 2015. The "Imad" has a range of 1,700 to 1,800 kilometers and is capable of carrying a 750-kilogram warhead.

The latest addition to this missile category is the "Haj Qasim" missile, which was first unveiled in August 2020. According to Iranian authorities, it has a range of about 1,400 kilometers, can carry a 500-kilogram warhead, and is equipped with a solid-fuel engine and advanced guidance system.

This medium- and long-range missile arsenal allows Iran to maintain a threat to U.S. military bases in the region, as well as to other American allies in the Near East and Middle East.

The second leg of Iran's arsenal consists of hypersonic missiles.

In fact, according to some intelligence reports, Tehran has used this type of ammunition to breach Israel's defense systems.

The first such system publicly displayed was the "Conqueror" missile, which made its debut at an event in 2023.

Ali Hajizadeh, then-commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated: "This hypersonic precision-guided missile has a range of 1,400 kilometers and can penetrate all defense systems."

The range of the "Conqueror" is sufficient to strike Israeli territory as well as U.S. air bases in the region.

The "Conqueror" has a maximum speed of 14 times the speed of sound.

Also in 2023, Iran showcased its military strength again by incorporating the "Conqueror"-2 missile into its arsenal, which is a new version of its hypersonic missile.

Additionally, according to the Iranian Tasnim News Agency, this system falls under the category of hypersonic glide vehicles.

In terms of technical parameters, Iranian media noted that its range can reach 1,500 kilometers.

Tasnim News Agency reported that the "'Conqueror'-2 can choose its flight trajectory like a cruise missile," and it can "deceive the enemy's missile defense systems at any time through maneuvering actions." The media also stated that its maximum speed can reach around 10 times the speed of sound.

In February 2023, the Iranian government announced the completion of the development of a new cruise missile with a range of 1,650 kilometers. Iran named it "Paveh." This missile has the capability to change targets mid-mission and can even strike moving targets.

Reports indicate that the "Paveh" is designed for large-scale swarm attacks, with one missile serving as the leader and other platforms following, maintaining continuous and autonomous communication within the swarm.

Additionally, Iran has become a major producer of drones globally. The main model is the "Witness"-136, which is a suicide drone that uses a GPS navigation system to target locations over 1,000 kilometers away and can fly at low altitudes, making it difficult for conventional air defense systems to detect. (Translated by Su Jiawei)