Iran: Fielded Forces

Overview / Army / Navy, Marines / Air Force / Other

Overview / Leadership / System Essentials / Infrastructure / Population / Table of Contents

Second Kilo submarine for Iran

Overview

The Iranian military consists of the army, air force, navy, and a Revolutionary Guard force. Officially about 8% of the country's GDP accounts for defense. This number does not include several arms purchases made in the early 90s. Most recently it is believed that the rising national debt is curtailing some arms acquisitions. Total active duty armed forces numbers 513,000, while reserves add another 350,000.

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Army

The Iranian army contains 345,000 total active duty members, of which 2/3rds are conscripts. The army is divided into 3 army headquarters with 4 armored divisions and 7 infantry divisions, 1 airborne brigade, and 1 special forces division.

Equipment:

MBTs: 1245+ T-54/55, Chinese T-59, T-62,T-72, Chieftain Mk3/5, Mk-47/48, M-60A1
Light Tanks: 80 Scorpion
RECCE: 25 EE-9 Cascavel
IAPCs: 200 BMP-7, 700 BTR-50/-60
Artillery: 2,320 individual pieces
Gnd-Grd Msl: Frog-7, 6+ Scud-B and C (under local development)
Air Def Guns: 1,500 individual pieces in range from 23mm, 57mm
SAM: SA-7, some HN-5
Army Helos: 100 AH-1J (attack helicopter), 40 CH-47C, 170 Bell 214A, 40 AB-205A, 90 AB-206

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Navy

The Iranian navy numbers about 18,000 officers and seamen.

Surface Combatants:

2 destroyers
3 frigates
2 corvettes
10 fast attack craft-missile
3 fast attack craft-gun
7 large patrol craft
72 coastal patrol craft
71 inshore patrol craft
4 landing ships (logistics)
5 landing ships (tanks)
18 utility landing craft
14 hovercraft
3 minesweepers-coastal
2 minesweepers-inshore
3 replenish and supply ships

Submarine Forces:

2 Kilo class diesel submarines

Naval Aircraft

2 Lockheed P-3F Orion
5 Lockheed C-130H-MP Hercules (used for long range maritime reconnaissance)
7 Agusta AB 204 ASW helicopters (shipborne)
6 Agusta-Sikorsky ASH-3D Sea King (shore-based)
2 Sikorsky RH-53D (shore-based)

Marines

3 battalions reported.

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Air Force

The Iranian air force numbers some 30,000 members. The American equipment cannot be assumed to be fully operational. Additionally, some of the 112 Iraqi combat aircraft flown into Iran during Desert Storm remain but they are probably not operational.

Fighter Bomber Aircraft: 9 squadrons -- 60 F-4D/E, 20 Su-24, 60 F-5E/F
Fighter Aircraft: 7 squadrons -- 60 F-14, 25 F-7, 30 MiG-29
RECCE: 5 RF-5, 3 RF-4E
Transport/Tanker: 4 Boeing 707, 9 Boeing 747F, 11 Boeing 707, 19 C-130E/H, 15 F-27, 5 Falcon-20

Trainer: 26 Beech F-33A/C, 10 EMB-312, 45 PC-7, 7 T-33, 5 MiG-29B, 5 FT-7, 20 F-5B

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Other

The Revolutionary Guard Corps is a special division of the Iranian Army with 120,000 troops. Ground forces include 13 regional commands, loosely organized in battalions of no fixed size. There are perhaps 12-15 Infantry and 2-4 armored divisions and many independent battalions. This group serves independently, or in concert with the army. The naval forces of approximately 20,000 men are located in 5 island bases and control coastal defense. They operate the CSS-N-2 Silkworm surface to surface anti-ship missile jointly with the navy.

The Basij are civilian forces with a strength as high as 1,000,000 volunteers which are loosely organized and train in small arms munitions. Basij members are not currently integrated for military operations.

The Gendarmerie with a strength of approx. 45,000 serve mostly as border guard elements.

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