Download pdf center for strategic and budgetary assessments. Iran continues to meet the west headon as it works towards a legitimate militaryindustrial base while attempting to skirt sanctions. The military balance 20, 379, claims that the sepah has now 31 independent brigades, which seems likely. Irans military power deterring attacks, top general says tasnim chief of staff of the iranian armed forces major general mohammad hossein baqeri said the. Iran s conventional military capabilities iran s revolutionary guard corps asymmetric capabilities iran s missile capabilities iran s internal stability major works gcc iran. Introduction 6 intentions versus capabilities in a divided state 6 the uncertain voices of irans leaders 6 irans military exercises 10 irans traveling circuses of security voices 14 external sources of instability 19 strategic uncertainty and the gulf 20 the problem of the united states and israel 22 focusing on capabilities rather than intentions 23 ii. Iran s military forces and warfighting capabilities. Military strengths and weaknesses by iraq has substantially more equipment than iran in nearly every conventional category, but baghdad s static defensive strategy has permitted iran to seize the military initiative and use its infantry and artillery to best advantage. December 8, 2004 please note that this document is a working draft and will be revised. Irans evolving defense strategy, doctrine, and capabilities jstor. With clarity, brevity, and wisdom, it describes the basic forces at work in every competitive situation whether on.
Given the ambiguous nature of iran s global objectives, this new study focuses on the tangible aspects of iran s military forces and takes an objective look at the threats iran poses to the region and the world. Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities book. These forces total about 523,000 active personnel not including the law enforcement force. Marine corps, warfighting is a worthy successor to suntzus the art of war. Constraining irans missile capabilities brookings institution. Operating from range to defeat irans antiaccess and areadenial. The defensive dimension of irans military doctrine. Irans military strategy is designed to defend against external or hard threats from the united states and israel. Irans military capabilities still lagged behind its doctrine, but by the end of the decade, its forces were gradually evolving into professional, westernstyle militaries. Irans military leadership has expanded the use of the artesh in iranian military operations abroad, partly in response to these growing force requirements. Sep 25, 2007 nations around the world are uncertain and anxious about iran s intentions in the middle east and the wider global arena. Irans military and nuclear capabilities center for. Irgcn several warfighting advantages in some of the.
The threat in the northern gulf pdf book,free download anthony h. They also describe irans missile capabilities and its evolving nuclear program. The threat in the northern gulf praeger security international 97803346125. This could make preventive action by israel or the united states, in the event of an attempted iranian. Introduction 6 intentions versus capabilities in a divided state 6 the uncertain voices of iran s leaders 6 iran s military exercises 10 iran s traveling circuses of security voices 14 external sources of instability 19 strategic uncertainty and the gulf 20 the problem of the united states and israel 22 focusing on capabilities rather than intentions 23 ii. Iran has been aided by the incompetence of senior iraqi officers and the low morale of many iraqi reserve and militia units. Nov 19, 2019 the irgc qods force and its network of proxies will remain critical to iran s military power and tehran will also improve its conventional forces in seeking new capabilities. Cordesman, martin kleiber nations around the world are uncertain and anxious about irans intentions in the middle east and the wider global arena. According to the book, the effort to develop an icbm with the russian rd216 engine in some. Iran adopted an asymmetric approach to war fighting to compensate. Irans missile force could double or triple in size by the time the major limits imposed by the nuclear deal are lifted, fifteen years from now. Later, iran began establishing its own armaments industry.
The iran military and nuclear capabilities project provides analytical reports on iran s changing military and wmd capabilities. Irans growing missile and cyber capabilities could pose major challenges to regional missile defenses, military and critical infrastructure targets, and civilian population centers. Irans coastline is particularly important because tanker and shipping routes pass so close to irans land mass, the islands it controls in the gulf, and its major naval bases. Military capabilities and forces for a dangerous world. They also describe iran s missile capabilities and its evolving nuclear program. The concept of state terrorism in relation to iran in. Johnson, regents professor of public and international affairs, school of public and international affairs, university of georgia u.
Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities center for. The threat in the northern gulf topics irans military forces and ebookmela. Iran s support for lebanese hizballah as well as its influence over proxy groups in iraq. Iran continues to meet the west headon as it works towards a legitimate military industrial base while attempting to skirt sanctions. This book is a fascinating critical examination of the characteristics and development of the armed forces in iran, their role under the shah and their recreation in the war against iraq as the fighting forces of islam. Revolutionary guard forces and restored the capabilities of conventional army forces. Mar 15, 2016 read iran s military forces and warfighting capabilities. Its current president, mahmoud ahmadinejad, has made no secret of his opposition to the west, particularly israel, and his desire to acquire nuclear weapons. Cordesman and martin kleiber published in cooperation with the center for strategic and international studies. Paul wilkinson, professor of international relations and chairman of the advisory board, centre for the study of terrorism and. Cordesman and martin kleiber mentions project koussar in its description of the shahab5 and shahab6 missile projects, which also are allegedly based on the rd216 engine. Cordesman martin kleiber iran s military forces and warfighting capabilities. The continuing evolution of irans military doctrine. Iran s principles of military strategy include deterrence, asymmetrical retaliation, and attrition warfare.
Irans principles of military strategy include deterrence, asymmetrical retaliation, and attrition warfare. Islamic republic of iran air defense force wikipedia. Cordesman and martin kleiber, iran s military forces and warfighting capabilities, 75. Iran s military forces and warfighting capabilities the threat in the northern gulf. The artesh is an important component of irans military capability, although it has long been overshadowed and obscured by the irgc. The threat in the northern gulf topics iran s military forces and ebookmela. Understanding irans military strategy the jerusalem post. Irans support for lebanese hizballah as well as its influence over proxy groups in iraq. By then, irans growing missile and cyber capabilities will pose major challenges to regional missile defenses, military and critical infrastructure targets, and. Force planning should focus on modernizing the capabilities and posture of u. After the coup in 1953, iran began purchasing some weapons from israel, the united states and other countries of the western bloc. Congressionally directed action cda military power of iran. Iran is a far less modern military power in comparative terms than it was during the time of the shah, or during the iran iraq war.
Irans nuclear warfighting doctrine and capabilities. The islamic republic of iran air defense force persian. Read evolution of the us seabased nuclear missile deterrent. Cordesman, martin kleiber nations around the world are uncertain and anxious about iran s intentions in the middle east and the wider global arena. Warfighting available for download and read online in other formats. Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities by. Written in 1989 as a philosophical and strategic guidebook for the us. Operating from range to defeat irans antiaccess and areadenial threats xi iran has begun investing in the capabilities necessary to execute this hybrid a2ad strategy and could continue to improve upon them significantly over the next two decades. Pdf irans military forces and warfighting capabilities. Iran s military strategy is designed to defend against external or hard threats from the united states and israel. Cordesman and klieber, irans military forces and warfighting capabilities, p. The irgc qods force and its network of proxies will remain critical to iran s military power and tehran will also improve its conventional forces in seeking new capabilities. In this encyclopedic, informative book, cordesman and kleiber provide detailed data on iran s current military capabilities and the structure of its armed forces, including the revolutionary guard corps. By the late qajar dynasty, persia formed the worlds first unified military consisting of the ground, naval and air forces.
Before the revolution, the united states undertook three programs spellout, peace ruby and peace. A new era for irans military leadership critical threats. Armed forces of the islamic republic of iran wikipedia. Cordesman, martin kleiber greenwood publishing group, 2007 history 269 pages. Political historian ervand abrahamian credits the victory of abadgaran and other conservatives in the 2004 elections as well as the 2003 and 2005 elections to the conservatives retention of their core base of 25% of the voting population.
The missile was tested alongside other shortrange missiles in september 2009. Cordesman and martin kleiber published in cooperation with. Iran has used ballistic missiles in a warfighting capacity. Irans military capabilities and coastal defenses near the strait of hormuz make iran a major player in international energy security. Irans developing military capabilities long version with appendices anthony h. Nevertheless, it is slowly improving its conventional forces, and is now the only regional military power that poses a serious conventional military threat to gulf stability. The threat in the northern gulf g reference, information and interdisciplinary subjects series praeger security international significant issues series. The military s key task has been to align doctrine with service capabilities. Marine corps, warfighting is a worthy successor to suntzu s the art of war. Iran is a far less modern military power in comparative terms than it was during the time of the shah. Iran s revolutionary guard download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. Ward irans military has tried to develop concepts for warfighting suitable for deterring the united states while dealing with a complex security environment and numerous constraints on its military power.
The threat in the northern gulf significant issues series 9780892065011. Irans conventional military emphasizes niche capabilities and guerilla. Irans military also includes holdings of 1,6 main battle tanks, 1,500 other armored fighting vehicles, 3,200 artillery weapons, 306 combat aircraft, 50 attack helicopters, 3 submarines, 59 surface combatants, and 10 amphibious ships. Irans military power deterring attacks, top general says tasnim chief of staff of the iranian armed forces major general mohammad hossein baqeri said the country has gained such great continue april 20, 2020. The book irans military forces and warfighting capabilities by anthony h. Each nation is assessed on individual and collective values processed through an inhouse formula. The iran military and nuclear capabilities project provides analytical reports on irans changing military and wmd capabilities. Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities praeger security international advisory board board cochairs loch k. Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities, 22. Irans developing military capabilities long version with.
Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities. Irans military forces and warfighting capabilities center. This could make preventive action by israel or the united states, in the event of an attempted iranian nuclear breakout, much more costly. The iraniraq war 19801988 was a defining moment for irans military doctrine and continues to influence irans geopolitical and national security priorities today. The gulf and irans capability for asymmetric warfare ncusar. However, as anthony cordesman and martin kleiber point out, ahmadinejad does not necessarily speak for the iranian. Cordesman and martin kleiber mentions project koussar in its description of the. Irans conventional military capabilities irans revolutionary guard corps asymmetric capabilities irans missile capabilities irans internal stability major works gcc iran. The force planning standard used since the end of the cold war is illsuited for today. The irgc qods force and its network of proxies will remain critical to irans military power and tehran will also improve its conventional forces in seeking new capabilities. Ward iran s military has tried to develop concepts for warfighting suitable for deterring the united states while dealing with a complex security environment and numerous constraints on its military power. Burke chair center for strategic and international studies working draft. Iran s revolutionary guard download ebook pdf, epub.
Revolutionary guard corps qods force leads iranian power projection through a complex network of state and. Read irans military forces and warfighting capabilities. Given the ambiguous nature of irans global objectives, this new study focuses on the tangible aspects of irans military forces and takes an objective look at the threats iran poses to the region and the world. The book iran s military forces and warfighting capabilities by anthony h. In this encyclopedic, informative book, cordesman and kleiber provide detailed data on irans current military capabilities and the structure of its armed forces, including the revolutionary guard corps.
With clarity, brevity, and wisdom, it describes the basic forces at work in every competitive situation whether on the field of battle, in the boardroom, or in the courtroom. Oct 11, 2010 irans military capabilities still lagged behind its doctrine, but by the end of the decade, its forces were gradually evolving into professional, westernstyle militaries. A486952 irans military forces and warfighting capabilities the threat in the northern gulf anthony h. Project koussar, also known as project kowsar, is an alleged intermediate range or intercontinental ballistic missile program of the islamic republic of iran overview. It could seek to use that capability to challenge the armed forces of regional states such as saudi arabia, the. Cordesman martin kleiber irans military forces and warfighting capabilities. Table of contents for irans military forces and warfighting. The program is allegedly an irbm with a range of 4,000 to 5,000 km.