Iranian Ground Forces | News and Equipment

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

There was speculation Iran worked on depleted uranium shells and armour several years ago. Nothing came of it.

Both are highly toxic to environment. Might have been shut down by higher ups.

Still a conventional tank shell is well with Iran’s capabilities. If you can build ATGMs you can build tank shells.

The issue is getting it to work with 125mm cannon and if one day you switch to another cannon is it compatible? Other than that, it’s well within Iranian capabilities

They tested out a 152 mm main gun on an old platform years ago. I guess the issue is added weight but a 65-70 tonne tank is not bad. They should produce a limited number of DU shell and keep a production line open to keep it running.

Frankly, they should reverse engineer the Abrams engine and transmission and add a bustle autoloader above all else first, in addition to a hard-kill APS. Regardless of shell rating, the absence of those three will hamper an MBT or kill it altogether on the modern battlefield.

 

[TheImmortal]

They tested out a 152 mm main gun on an old platform years ago. I guess the issue is added weight but a 65-70 tonne tank is not bad. They should produce a limited number of DU shell and keep a production line open to keep it running.

Frankly, they should reverse engineer the Abrams engine and transmission and add a bustle autoloader above all else first, in addition to a hard-kill APS. Regardless of shell rating, the absence of those three will hamper an MBT or kill it altogether on the modern battlefield.

Issues plaguing an Iranian tank design

1) powerful efficient tank engine

2) APS system + counter radar automatic cannon fire + datalink/UAV capability

3) Modern tank shell/cannon upgrade


Without these 3, like you said you are basically at a T-72S++ which right now you see how well they do in Ukraine.

Against Lepoard, Merkava, and Abrams they don’t hold up. And Abrams is nothing new it’s old, US military is already at next gen tank contract bidding.

Iran has time, no rush. Even if a land war begins with Azerbaijan, T-72 is sufficient.

 

[Stryker1982]

Iran has time, no rush. Even if a land war begins with Azerbaijan, T-72 is sufficient.

Just add a little APS to a new platform and u can do the job with 400 tanks.

 

[aryobarzan]

Issues plaguing an Iranian tank design

1) powerful efficient tank engine

2) APS system + counter radar automatic cannon fire + datalink/UAV capability

3) Modern tank shell/cannon upgrade


Without these 3, like you said you are basically at a T-72S++ which right now you see how well they do in Ukraine.

Against Lepoard, Merkava, and Abrams they don’t hold up. And Abrams is nothing new it’s old, US military is already at next gen tank contract bidding.

Iran has time, no rush. Even if a land war begins with Azerbaijan, T-72 is sufficient.

This 1300 hp diesel engine that Iran makes can be modified to fit into a modern tank....if not already

Tehran (IP) – On June 19, 2018, Iran unveiled a 1,300-horsepower diesel engine in two types of diesel and dual-fuel on the sidelines of a railway transport exhibition.​

Iran Press/ Iran News: The Iranian diesel engine has a wide range of applications in rail, road, naval, oil, power and military applications. The Defense Ministry, as one of the major operators of this type of engine in the military field, pays particular attention to its use, especially in the Navy and Ground forces.
The 1,300-horsepower diesel engine is totally home-made.
Iran's army uses this engine in tanks and heavily armored vehicles, and the navy uses it in large patrol boats, fast vessels and frigates.
Related News:

 

[Hack-Hook]

This 1300 hp diesel engine that Iran makes can be modified to fit into a modern tank....if not already

Tehran (IP) – On June 19, 2018, Iran unveiled a 1,300-horsepower diesel engine in two types of diesel and dual-fuel on the sidelines of a railway transport exhibition.​

View attachment 872734
Iran Press/ Iran News: The Iranian diesel engine has a wide range of applications in rail, road, naval, oil, power and military applications. The Defense Ministry, as one of the major operators of this type of engine in the military field, pays particular attention to its use, especially in the Navy and Ground forces.
The 1,300-horsepower diesel engine is totally home-made.
Iran's army uses this engine in tanks and heavily armored vehicles, and the navy uses it in large patrol boats, fast vessels and frigates.
Related News:

can be done , but the tank had to be big and by the way a big question , how much is fuel consumption of that engine

 

[sha ah]

Tank on tank battles are mostly a thing of the past just like dog fights are for fighter jets. In any case I don't think Abrams or Leopards would have done any better in a similar scenario in Ukraine against Javelins or NLAWS. Remember how Turkish Leopard 2's performed in Syria and Saudi Abrams performed in Yemen.

Issues plaguing an Iranian tank design

1) powerful efficient tank engine

2) APS system + counter radar automatic cannon fire + datalink/UAV capability

3) Modern tank shell/cannon upgrade


Without these 3, like you said you are basically at a T-72S++ which right now you see how well they do in Ukraine.

Against Lepoard, Merkava, and Abrams they don’t hold up. And Abrams is nothing new it’s old, US military is already at next gen tank contract bidding.

Iran has time, no rush. Even if a land war begins with Azerbaijan, T-72 is sufficient.

 

[sha ah]

If a land war were to begin with Azerbaijan it would likely be a coordinated attack between Iran and Russia. Iran could take Nakhchivan and maybe some of southern Azerbaijan proper. Russia could take the bulk including Baku. In such a scenario I'm guessing that Russia would want to retake Georgia as well. Armenia would assist them since they're already a defacto protectorate.

For Iran Nakhchivan is easy, even if Turkey wanted to intervene. Iran's northern border stretches all along the Nakhchivan enclave. Turkey meanwhile only has access through a narrow mountain pass. Iran's first priority would be to completely annihilate the mountain pass. Turkey's only other way to access the enclave would then be to go through Iran's western provinces to reach it.

After that Iran could use missiles, drones to saturate the airspace, perhaps dig some tunnels and encircle any resisting forces. On the other hand Azerbaijan doesn't even have any direct access to Nakhchivan and by that point they would be far too busy defending to do anything. Considering the level of corruption that I've read about Aliyev in the Pandora papers, he has tens of millions stashed away in London. He would likely flee if anything. In any case it wouldn't make any difference.

Just add a little APS to a new platform and u can do the job with 400 tanks.

 

[sha ah]

Iran has already dabbled with such concepts years ago. These can roll under tanks and detonate or shoot rifles or I'm guessing with some modification launch ATGMs

oh yeah then there's this I almost forgot about. Keep in mind this was years ago

Yes but I have a few problems that needs resolving:

- The back fired gas of the missile will hit the ground since the robot is very short and small.
Did you see that?
It will crash on the first shot unless fired from top of a hill !!

- Battery needs significant longevity and will cost big time. This does not run on gas or solid fuel. This will not work a few hours.

- Likely very sensitive to jamming and EM guns.

 

[WudangMaster]

 

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

Provide summary, please.

 

[sanel1412]

 

[jauk]

1980’s tech

Irrelevant and unconstructive as usual, Suzie.

 

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

If a land war were to begin with Azerbaijan it would likely be a coordinated attack between Iran and Russia. Iran could take Nakhchivan and maybe some of southern Azerbaijan proper. Russia could take the bulk including Baku. In such a scenario I'm guessing that Russia would want to retake Georgia as well. Armenia would assist them since they're already a defacto protectorate.

For Iran Nakhchivan is easy, even if Turkey wanted to intervene. Iran's northern border stretches all along the Nakhchivan enclave. Turkey meanwhile only has access through a narrow mountain pass. Iran's first priority would be to completely annihilate the mountain pass. Turkey's only other way to access the enclave would then be to go through Iran's western provinces to reach it.

After that Iran could use missiles, drones to saturate the airspace, perhaps dig some tunnels and encircle any resisting forces. On the other hand Azerbaijan doesn't even have any direct access to Nakhchivan and by that point they would be far too busy defending to do anything. Considering the level of corruption that I've read about Aliyev in the Pandora papers, he has tens of millions stashed away in London. He would likely flee if anything. In any case it wouldn't make any difference.

View attachment 872789

Georgia's military has undergone a sea change since the debacles of 1993 and 2008. They are getting nato-grade military training, undergoing significant rearmament and establishing close military ties with a lot of western nations.

Plus the country's mountainous geography would make any military operation across it a nightmare for the russians, worse than Ukraine in many ways.

So no, after Ukraine, russia will take a long pause from conflict for a much needed recalibration but the west will only throw more money and investment into building up nations on it's borders that have an axe to grind with moscow.

 

[GrandBotBoi]

Questions about the Karrar tank: Does it recycle the chassis from existing T-72S platforms or is that too brand-new like the turrets? What exactly differentiates it from the T-72S the Iranian Armed Forces operate. Does it possess a stabilization system allowing it to fire it's main gun on the move? What sort of APFSDS and ATGWs does it fire? Also, can someone go in-depth about the ERA and thermal sights it uses? Any word on the active protection system being designed for installment?
View attachment 872081

I can answer what I can:
• Yes it uses T-72S chassis, which is made in Iran

• Its different in basically every way compared to T-72S. Protection, sights, mobility, firepower to some extent, crew safety, etc


• Yes the gun is stabilized, it is in T-72S as well

• Currently we know Iran operates 3BM42 as it's main APFSDS (produced in Iran) which can penetrate M1A2 everywhere but frontal turre, with 3BM22 used as well. For HEAT they use 3BK18M, for HE they use good ol 3VFO22. ATGM on Karrar is Tondar based on Russian Refleks/Svir, fired out of 2A46M/HM50 125mm smoothbore

• ERA on most of tank looks based on Relikt, which is really good. ERA on UFP and turret sides looks able to stop tandem rounds

• Thermals are either second gen or 3rd gen, both commander and gunner has them, which is good. Also driver has NV or some thermal as well

• No info on hard kill APS, but soft kill APS has jammers and LWRs

 

[GrandBotBoi]

Yes.

Compare the capabilities of a modern foreign battle tank vs Iranian crew has to get closer to secure a penatration. So your enemy engages you from farther while you have to get closer. A recipe for disaster.

Now realistically only land war will be against US (however unlikely), then your going up against the Abrams and their next gen tank concept which both have uranium armour. So good luck with that mango securing penetration from a decent distance.

Again not a high priority item, but how hard is it for an Iranian engineering team to replace a 40 year old tank shell design?

M1A2 at its highest point of protection (that's not inert), offers around 600mm KE protection against APFSDS (per Swedish M1A2 trials). So it can likely only stop 3BM42 on frontal turret. Although carousel autoloader limits APFSDS length, it wouldn't be to hard to make a round with 650-700mm KE penetration at 2-3km

They tested out a 152 mm main gun on an old platform years ago. I guess the issue is added weight but a 65-70 tonne tank is not bad. They should produce a limited number of DU shell and keep a production line open to keep it running.

Frankly, they should reverse engineer the Abrams engine and transmission and add a bustle autoloader above all else first, in addition to a hard-kill APS. Regardless of shell rating, the absence of those three will hamper an MBT or kill it altogether on the modern battlefield.

Hell no. Last thing Iran needs is Abrams engine with it's insane fuel consumption. Karrar has bustle + blowout panels for extra ammo, only reason I could for bustle autoloader is if there's ever a Karrar II or Zulfiqar IV. Most tanks today don't have hard kill APS, and if they Iran does get one it needs to offer APFSDS degradation and top attack protection unlike Trophy

Georgia's military has undergone a sea change since the debacles of 1993 and 2008. They are getting nato-grade military training, undergoing significant rearmament and establishing close military ties with a lot of western nations.

Plus the country's mountainous geography would make any military operation across it a nightmare for the russians, worse than Ukraine in many ways.

So no, after Ukraine, russia will take a long pause from conflict for a much needed recalibration but the west will only throw more money and investment into building up nations on it's borders that have an axe to grind with moscow.

Georgia still has an awfully weak, poorly trained, poorly maintained air force. Hell they can't even keep some Hinds in the air for more than a few weeks lol