Iran

[Aimster]

Iran is faced with a great threat from the U.S/Israel and they have the budget to purchase as many weapons as they can to defend themselves. Iran's GDP is close to 550-600 Billion. This puts Iran in the top 20 richest countries. Iran has a booming economy and there are signs of construction everywhere. What's my point?

Their military spending at 3-4% GDP puts Iran at 12-13 on the list of countries that spend money on military. Has anyone seen Iran's military? It's getting old. They can easily purchase new Russian military planes or equipment if they choose to. They haven't and are not interested in new fighter planes. Where does most of their money go? Who knows? However, those nuclear deals with Russia have cost Iran billion(s). Missile research and actually making those missiles should be costly too. Seems they are spending defense budget money for their nuclear plants/missiles (ok obviously missiles, but a lot on it? who knows).

Maybe Iran just doesn't see a point in purchasing new fighters because they know they cannot win an air war? Iran did recently purchase some SU-25s, but why? Who knows what Iran has? If they had something, they would show it off. All I've seen are SU-25s and the reported deal with Russia for new Su-27s either didn't happen or they haven't been delivered yet.

Iran makes a lot of their military equipment. Tanks, fighters, guns, missiles, etc. Maybe they are capable of building their own equipment by putting pieces together.

Why doesn't Iran purchase new weapons? They have a high military budget, but where does it all go?

(I'm not suggesting we attack Iran. I'm just laying it out as I see it).
If anyone wishes to attack Iran then way to do it is to drop a 500 pound bomb right on this when all the mullahs are in there and the reformers are protesting their lack of rights at some university or wherever:
Link

 

[CycloWizard]

Maintaining aging aircraft, vehicles, and weapons probably consumes most of their budget. The USAF actually has an entire directorate dedicated to aging aircraft, and its budget is in the billions. You're right in saying that Iran knows (or at least should know) that they can't hope to do anything against our Air Force. The have a handful of F-15s (I believe) that are far outdated compared to our own. We have many generations of newer fighters that would embarass them.

So, I'm guessing that they're putting their money into maintenance of existing assets. Cheaper than buying new stuff. Besides, Iraq has demonstrated that it's more the number of random people with AK's than the number of tanks you have that can slow us down. No one can compete with us in a stand-up war, so this is likely what they would try as well.

 

[gutharius]

Besides what makes you think they would tell the truth about how much money they actually spend on military purposes. That would be akin to a public depantsing.

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard
Maintaining aging aircraft, vehicles, and weapons probably consumes most of their budget. The USAF actually has an entire directorate dedicated to aging aircraft, and its budget is in the billions. You're right in saying that Iran knows (or at least should know) that they can't hope to do anything against our Air Force. The have a handful of F-15s (I believe) that are far outdated compared to our own. We have many generations of newer fighters that would embarass them.

So, I'm guessing that they're putting their money into maintenance of existing assets. Cheaper than buying new stuff. Besides, Iraq has demonstrated that it's more the number of random people with AK's than the number of tanks you have that can slow us down. No one can compete with us in a stand-up war, so this is likely what they would try as well.

I think they have some F-14 left from when the Sjah was in power. Don't know about the F-15

 

[maddogchen]

they don't have F-15s. they do have some F-14s but they are unflyable. they don't have parts to fix them and fly them. Iran's military I think still has the old 1980 Iran Iraq war thinking where even though they were technologically inferior to Iraq's army, they sent wave after human wave at them. So technology blah, just send fanatical human hordes and drown the enemy in a sea of blood.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Any aircraft of US pedigree were modified to incapacitate their operation when
the US support teams departed - when the Shah fell and the Ayatolahs come in.
They're sitting on scrap metal.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Any aircraft of US pedigree were modified to incapacitate their operation when
the US support teams departed - when the Shah fell and the Ayatolahs come in.
They're sitting on scrap metal.

actually, the Iranian Airforce had an F14 crash this year or last year during some manuevers. You'd be surprised how resourceful some people are.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Flew well didn't it ?

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Flew well didn't it ?

they still fly them. they've reverse engineered many of the parts

 

[Martin]

They're probably doing their best to get the bomb. Once you have it (along with a few missiles to carry it) you don't have to worry about being attacked.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Iran is faced with a great threat from the U.S/Israel and they have the budget to purchase as many weapons as they can to defend themselves. Iran's GDP is close to 550-600 Billion. This puts Iran in the top 20 richest countries. Iran has a booming economy and there are signs of construction everywhere. What's my point?

Their military spending at 3-4% GDP puts Iran at 12-13 on the list of countries that spend money on military. Has anyone seen Iran's military? It's getting old. They can easily purchase new Russian military planes or equipment if they choose to. They haven't and are not interested in new fighter planes. Where does most of their money go? Who knows? However, those nuclear deals with Russia have cost Iran billion(s). Missile research and actually making those missiles should be costly too. Seems they are spending defense budget money for their nuclear plants/missiles (ok obviously missiles, but a lot on it? who knows).

Maybe Iran just doesn't see a point in purchasing new fighters because they know they cannot win an air war? Iran did recently purchase some SU-25s, but why? Who knows what Iran has? If they had something, they would show it off. All I've seen are SU-25s and the reported deal with Russia for new Su-27s either didn't happen or they haven't been delivered yet.

Iran makes a lot of their military equipment. Tanks, fighters, guns, missiles, etc. Maybe they are capable of building their own equipment by putting pieces together.

Why doesn't Iran purchase new weapons? They have a high military budget, but where does it all go?

(I'm not suggesting we attack Iran. I'm just laying it out as I see it).
If anyone wishes to attack Iran then way to do it is to drop a 500 pound bomb right on this when all the mullahs are in there and the reformers are protesting their lack of rights at some university or wherever:
Link

Iran is pretty secretive. I'm not sure we have a full understanding of where it all goes. I imagine they're pouring tons of money into missile development and WMD development, and the infrastructure to support manufacturing it.

 

[AnImuS]

our military expenditure is almost their entire GDP :Q

If a military attack was made on iran concerning their nuclear goals, Would the US try to occupy iran? or simply weaken/destroy their infrastructure?

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: rickn

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Flew well didn't it ?

they still fly them. they've revense engineered many of the parts

I believe the Chinese do the same with the Russian Tech they buy. Reverse engineer and improve.

Kinda like the guys that mod their cars that beat out some performance cars for much cheaper.

If someone has a bit of money ($16.5 billion spent on military) and a need (potential US invasion)...i wouldnt count Iran out, very smart people.

My buddy is from there, education system is far better, especially in the maths and sciences. His family members have started studying in Canada. One is a musician at McGill and his uncle is a nuclear scientist at Waterloo. Dad was an electrical engineer, mom was a computer programmer in Iran, and that was 15 years ago went they came over.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Reverse engineering dosen't always work out . .

by August of 1979, all 79 of the F-14A Tomcats had supposedly been sabotaged so that they could no longer fire their Phoenix missiles. According to various accounts, this was done either by departing Grumman technicians, by Iranian Air Force personnel friendly to the US shortly after the fall of the Shah, or even by Iranian revolutionaries in an attempt to prevent operations by an Air Force perceived to be too pro-Western.

 

[Aimster]

Iran still has operational F-14s. They showed them last month at a military parade. They also showed the Su-25s and some other aircraft from various countries. They reverse engineered most of the parts they needed or they bought them from other countries. What they did was take the parts from other f-14s and put them into others. They do build their own aircraft for the military, but it is not to go against F-22s, etc. It is mainly to attack ground forces from the air.

Iran's air power seems to be only concerned with taking out an aircraft from Israel against their nuclear reactors so therefore they only need enough planes to handle a few Israeli jets. The generals possibly do not see a point in buying new military aircraft and instead focus that money on ground-air missiles and radar systems.

They are having another military parade soon. They have been practicing for a war if the U.S decides to invade. Supposedly, they are training for guerilla warfare and the plan is to invade Iraq causing the Shias in Iraq to rise up and support the Iranians. Iranian T.V showed Shab-3 missles production and they are supposedly very capable of producing 1,000s of these missiles. Then again I wouldn't believe anything a government run t.v station has to say.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: freegeeks
I think they have some F-14 left from when the Sjah was in power. Don't know about the F-15

You could be right. Been a while since I read up on what they have.

Originally posted by: maddogchen
they don't have F-15s. they do have some F-14s but they are unflyable. they don't have parts to fix them and fly them. Iran's military I think still has the old 1980 Iran Iraq war thinking where even though they were technologically inferior to Iraq's army, they sent wave after human wave at them. So technology blah, just send fanatical human hordes and drown the enemy in a sea of blood.

Our military would laugh at these tactics. If they used them, the slaughter would be unparalleled in modern history. The sheer volume of firepower that we can use is mind-boggling, to say the least.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Iran is faced with a great threat from the U.S/Israel and they have the budget to purchase as many weapons as they can to defend themselves. Iran's GDP is close to 550-600 Billion. This puts Iran in the top 20 richest countries. Iran has a booming economy and there are signs of construction everywhere. What's my point?

Their military spending at 3-4% GDP puts Iran at 12-13 on the list of countries that spend money on military. Has anyone seen Iran's military? It's getting old. They can easily purchase new Russian military planes or equipment if they choose to. They haven't and are not interested in new fighter planes. Where does most of their money go? Who knows? However, those nuclear deals with Russia have cost Iran billion(s). Missile research and actually making those missiles should be costly too. Seems they are spending defense budget money for their nuclear plants/missiles (ok obviously missiles, but a lot on it? who knows).

Maybe Iran just doesn't see a point in purchasing new fighters because they know they cannot win an air war? Iran did recently purchase some SU-25s, but why? Who knows what Iran has? If they had something, they would show it off. All I've seen are SU-25s and the reported deal with Russia for new Su-27s either didn't happen or they haven't been delivered yet.

Iran makes a lot of their military equipment. Tanks, fighters, guns, missiles, etc. Maybe they are capable of building their own equipment by putting pieces together.

Why doesn't Iran purchase new weapons? They have a high military budget, but where does it all go?

(I'm not suggesting we attack Iran. I'm just laying it out as I see it).
If anyone wishes to attack Iran then way to do it is to drop a 500 pound bomb right on this when all the mullahs are in there and the reformers are protesting their lack of rights at some university or wherever:
Link

no, Iran buys most of its weapons from Russia and some ohter ex Soviet states. I am not aware of any indegenious weapons of Iran.

and the shahab missles are N Korea's technology