Cordesman/Wilner, Iran & The Gulf Military Balance Rev 3
AHC 2/29/12
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southern Gulf navies have minesweeping helicopters. The US has also made upgrading its mine warfare capabilities in the Gulf a key part of the new strategy that it announced in January 2012, and the US Navy has extensively planned for both mine warfare in the Gulf under current conditions and upgrading its forces and cooperation with its allies in the future. The US and its Arab Gulf allies do, however, now have limited assets relative to the area that have to be covered to deal with some many possible forms of mine laying over so wide and area, however, and the Sandowns failed to detect an Iraq mine field during the naval campaign in 1991. This helps explain why the US announced in early 2012 that would deploy a “mothership” (converted amphibious assault ship) to the Gulf to support mine warfare vessels and SOF. Maritime Patrol Aircraft107108 Iran’s P-3F maritime patrol aircraft and reconnaissance are aging, and are large, vulnerable slow fliers that are easy to detect. Nevertheless, Iran has some smaller aircraft for these missions and any of these aircraft could still play a significant role in some asymmetric scenarios o
P-3F Orion: Number in service: 2-3 Iran’s Orions are the most capable patrol aircraft of Iran’s navy, and they carry out ASW and maritime patrol operations. According to reports from the Gulf, however, these sensors these aircraft possess have degraded as a result of wear and tear, and a lack of spare/replacement parts.
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Da-20A Falcon: Number in service: 1-3 Iran’s Da-20As have reportedly been fitted for electronic warfare and electronics intelligence missions. Their configuration and mission capability is uncertain.
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C-130H: Number in service: 5 (est.) Iran uses its C-130s for transport as well as aerial reconnaissance. These aircraft could potentially be used as a platform for laying mines as well.
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Fokker F-27 400M and 600M Friendship: Number in service: 4 (2 of each class) These aircraft are used by the IRGCN as logistics and patrol aircraft. Some reporting indicates that they have been adapted for mine-laying operations.
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DO-228: Number in service: 2 (est.) Twin engine maritime patrol aircraft fitted with surface search radar.
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IISS Military Balance 2011
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“Iranian Military Capability 2011.” Open Source Intelligence Project 2011. January 2011.
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