Iran’s ballistic missiles are anticipated to meet Russia’s requirements for battle, as well as being less expensive than Russian missiles. These missiles are also widely stocked by Iran.
Since the start of the military action in Ukraine more than seven months ago, Russia has encountered significant challenges due to a technical scarcity brought on by Western sanctions. Russian military are reportedly running low on missiles and ammo, so they are forced to rely on their stockpile of weapons from the Soviet era.
According to analysts, Russia may turn to some allies or partners to replenish the country’s missile stockpile after a massive missile raid on numerous Ukrainian cities on October 10. Iran is thought to be one of the country’s top suppliers.
According to reports, Iran is believed to have sent Russia hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the Shahed-136 suicide drones and unmanned aerial vehicles, since the military intervention in Ukraine began on February 24. (UAVs). Despite restrictions from the US and the West, greater size like Mohajer-6. Analysts predict that Moscow will have to use illicit means to quickly acquire the weapons it needs for military operations in Ukraine.
After the UAV, Iranian media over the weekend said that Iran would send ballistic missiles to Russia. Russia’s criterion would undoubtedly apply to ballistic missiles, and Iran also has a sizable missile arsenal.
Iran’s efforts to create more advanced and long-range ballistic missiles are becoming a significant influence in Middle Eastern geopolitical challenges. Iran’s ballistic missiles are meant to intimidate its enemies, along with cruise missiles and UAVs. The Iranian armed forces and many militia organisations with support from Tehran have both deployed them.
Iran has produced ballistic missiles that have excelled in combat. They are quite accurate and have a lot of devastating force. The prevalence and variety of Iranian ballistic missiles is one of its traits. Iran reportedly has at least 20 different ballistic missile designs, many of which are updated. Due to Iran’s substantial stockpile, Russia will have access to a wide variety of missiles, and deliveries will be prompt.
Iranian ballistic missiles are well suited for deployment by Russian forces in the struggle for Ukraine because they are normally intended for regional conflicts. The Qiam-1 SRBM missile, for instance, has a range of more than 800 kilometres, enabling Russia to strike targets all over Ukraine. The strike would be simpler if Belarus had this missile in place. Iran is constantly prepared to provide Qiam-1 missiles to international clients. The missile’s massive movable gyroscopic warhead (MaRV), which is featured on upgraded variants, boosts accuracy when striking valuable targets and hinders interception.
Other Iranian missiles, such the Ghadr from the Shahab-3 MRBM, will have a longer range, up to over 2,000 kilometres, according to reports. Russia will benefit more from this and may even undertake attacks outside of Ukrainian territory. For Ukraine, which has a very small arsenal, shooting down Iranian ballistic missiles will be exceedingly challenging due to their high mobility and complicated flight paths.
The Qiam-1 and Ghadr are two Iranian long-range missiles that suffer from the drawback of still using liquid fuel engines. Because of this, they require a lot of time to use and are tough to operate. If Russia needs quick-reaction weaponry, it can choose to purchase short-range rockets propelled by solid fuel.
For instance, the solid-fueled Fateh series of short-range ballistic missiles can be quickly manoeuvred. Some missiles in this family feature sophisticated guidance systems that enable them to launch assaults on targets with greater precision. The Fateh-110 has a length of over 9 metres, weighs 3,450 kg, and runs on solid fuel. It is reported to be capable of transporting a 500kg warhead and has a range of around 210km. The missile has been shown to be efficient and is being produced on a massive scale, making it a potential choice for Russia. Additionally, the 1,400km-range Qassem ballistic missile is a potential contender.
Iran is able to give Russia with additional backup weapons in addition to ballistic missiles. Iran is in possession of a wide spectrum of cruise missiles, some of which are almost directly descended from Soviet technology. The Quds-1 cruise missile is one of them. Prior to this attack, the Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia’s massive petrochemical refineries in September 2019 using Quds-1 missiles and several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which had negative effects on this nation.
The TEL mobile launchers that are frequently used by Iran’s surface-to-surface missiles are mounted on commercial truck chassis and are simple to maintain and control, making them suited for employment by Russian forces in combat.
Analysts believe that once Iran provides these weapons to Russia, they will damage Ukraine’s air defences, whether they be short-range or long-range ballistic missiles.
Having a significant customer like Russia will aid Iran’s economy, which has been severely impacted by Western sanctions. Along with the problem of revenue, Iran will be able to use its developing missile technology for military purposes by selling missiles to Russia. It won’t be difficult to get weapons to Russia because Iran is perfectly capable of doing it via ship through the Caspian Sea. Additionally, the two parties can work together to construct missile or UAV factories in Russia, with Iran sending the necessary parts for assembly and maintenance there.
It is yet unknown if Iran will give Russian forces access to its ballistic or cruise missiles at this time. However, if accomplished, the supply of missiles will be advantageous to Russia in many ways when its access to armaments is severely constrained.
