Iran's Naval Forces: From Guerilla Warfare to a Modern Naval Strategy

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Chapter Two Iranian Naval Strategy
It was during the Iran-Iraq War that Iran realized the consequences oftechnological inferiority. According to retired Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Ali-Asghar Kazemi, currently a professor of political science at Tehran University, Iran turned to a guerilla strategy after Operation PRAYING MANTIS, a naval battle between the United States and Iran in 1988, during which the United States sank one Iranian VOSPER-class corvette (heavily damaging a second) and one COMBATTANTEclass guided missile patrol craft. Kazemi said that the lesson frmn this battle was that, "in a purely classical naval engagement, the Iranian Navy would not be able to sustain cmnbat capability and will soon be out of effective operation."g Iran has incorporated lessons frmn this conflict and subsequent regional wars such as Operation DESERT STORM, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM into its naval strategy. Preparing for an Asytntnetric War In studying these conflicts, the IRGC decided that Iran should plan to fight an asymmetric war against potential enemies. According to the IRGC cmnmander, an asymmetric war would involve "working on all the weaknesses of the enemy and the maximal usage of our capability." By choosing an asymmetric approach, however, Iran is not abandoning modern military technology. The IRGC claims that Iran would use its growing arsenal of modern weapons, including cruise missiles, modern mines, and submarines, but in a different way and at a time and place the enemy would not know or expect. During the 1990s, the regime sought to rebuild frmn the Iran-Iraq War and bolster its national defenses. The IRGC, the favored military force due to its performance in the Iran-Iraq War, took the lion's share ofIranian Iran's VOSPER-class corvette SAHAND after being attacked by the United States Navy during Operation PRAYING MANTIS in 1988 defense funding, increased domestic weapons production, and ramped up the procurement of weapons from Russia, China, and North Korea:l. Naval acquisitions included C802 anti-ship cruise missiles (both sea- and landlaunched systems) and numerous patrol boats. The IRIN devoted the bulk of its acquisition funding to order three KILO-class attack submarines. Submarines had long been on the IRIN's list of desired platforms. During the Shah's reign, the navy had ordered both U.S. TANG- and German TYPE 209-class diesel submarines. Despite the change of regime, the navy's Shah-era plan to acquire submarines was finally realized. WIth the receipt of new equipment, Iran continued to develop its naval tactics. Even the IRIN focused on developing integrated tactics using several weapons and platforms simultaneously (including its new submarines, smaller missile boats, mines, aircraft, and land-based missile systems) to overwhehn an enemy. Aware of its weakness against a modern air campaign, Iran also began decentralizing its cmnmand structure in order to decrease its ~ }(ahwqjz; Riad, ''iTan Pirms FOT Attn·tion W(.fT In Cuff," DgmuMw.J, 8 M.ry 2006, P. 1. ~ HagizJ"MnaJ".J, F(.fTiboTZ, PoIigWatciz #1179, ''inm} Doctrineqf A.symmetTicJ/awi W(.fTJ(.fTe," WaJ"izingtonlnJ"titutejOT J/iMT EaJ"t Po!i~y: WaJ"izingtonDC., 21 Llfc 2006. 7
Page 2 and 3: Table of Contents Chapter One: Hist
Page 4 and 5: protect its maritime cmnmerce. Howe
Page 6 and 7: ~ . Germany El UAE . France O ChlAa
Page 10 and 11: In 1988, a U.S. Navy ship, SAMUEL B
Page 12 and 13: «Today, the security and tranquili
Page 14 and 15: infrastructure and resources. At a
Page 16 and 17: IRGCN sIllall patrol craft Iran's a
Page 18 and 19: The IRGCN continues to set itself a
Page 20 and 21: Iranian KILO-class suhInarine Irani
Page 22 and 23: Chapter Four Operations and Readine
Page 24 and 25: An Iranian KILO-class subIllarine a
Page 26 and 27: Chapter Five Outlook Subtnarines Su
Page 28 and 29: its asymmetric tactics and numerous

Iran's Naval Forces: From Guerilla Warfare to a Modern Naval Strategy

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