Israel Says Iran Choppers Launched in Navy Drill Better than US Cobra

[Lankan Ranger]

Israel Says Iran Choppers Launched in Navy Drill Better than US Cobra

Israeli military sources have said that the Iranian Toufan (storm) chopper launched during the Iranian 8-days navy drill was heavily upgraded and much better than the US Cobra.

Iranian made Cobra choppers took off and landed on Iran’s army naval force battleships during this phase of the war game in the Straight of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, successfully carrying out tactical operations. They attacked and shot down surface and sub-surface mock enemy targets during the second day of naval drill dubbed (Velayat-89) on Thursday.

Iran’s helicopter gunships were also dispatched to the area to act as covers for Cobra choppers during the tactical operation in Iranian territorial waters.

Debkafile’s website quoted Israeli military sources as saying that if Iran has indeed designed a weapon of this type and quality (Toufan), it has come up with a powerful answer to US and Israeli cruise missiles, which pose the “biggest threat” to Iran’s nuclear facilities in a military strike.

The Iranian Air force have received 10 new “Toufan” attack helicopters based on the Bell AH-1K Sea Cobra design. After studying photographs, Western military sources reported the Iranian version has been heavily upgraded compared with the original.

Debkafile’s intelligence sources also note that the Iranian Air Force’s Badr Base for light aircraft and helicopters in Esfahan, central Iran, accommodates 1,000 aerial military vehicles of different types, and is the biggest air base of its kind in the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

Iran has also successfully conducted interception operations by drones on Thursday. Flying surveillance drones could gather information about hypothetical enemy forces.

Iran’s defense minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi had also announced on Wednesday the development of the “Mesbah 1″ (Lantern), the new air defense system for countering aircraft, cruise missiles, choppers and other low-altitude threats. He said the new system, which is capable of firing “four thousand rounds per minute,” has unique features that differentiate it from other similar air defense systems.

The new system is equipped with a three-dimensional interception radar and an optical guidance system, he added.

In the meantime and according to Fars news agency, Iranian Navy destroyers accompanied by frigates and submarines carried out reconnaissance missions during Thursday’s maneuvers.

Admiral Qassem Rostam Abadi, the maneuvers’ spokesperson, said the reconnaissance missions were aimed at securing Iran’s shipping routes in the Sea of Oman. The Iranian army is scheduled to carry out electronic and anti-electronic warfare and gather radar information in the region, the military official added.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Kiumars Ahadi — another commander with Iran’s Military — said troops and military hardware will be dispatched to the area during the drill through special operations.

Iranian Navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said earlier that by holding the maneuver, Tehran sought to send out a message of “peace and friendship” to regional states.

Late last month, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) staged four days of maneuvers in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, testing missiles and a new speedboat capable of destroying enemy ships.

Israel Says Iran Choppers Launched in Navy Drill Better than US Cobra

 

[Jigs]

I would think so. Seeing as they are made off the Cobras they would have advantages.

 

[S-A-B-E-R->]

hey we shuld look into it it seems to be cheap and upgraded we can benifit frm that ...also it llg ive us some level of idea of iranian tech standerd

 

[pak-yes]

hmmm it means that Iranians have made something solid after all.So how about Pakistan buying these for WOT instead of those ages old American Heli's.

Although i still don't understand how Iranians were able to make engines.

 

[Nima]

some of the upgrades

a comment by an anonymous user on the uskowioniran.blogspot.com weblog about Tufan :



"I just noticed a few good innovations on the Tufan. Firstly, the airframe is narrower, armor plated, a targeting camera in the rotor assembly and bullet proof glass with narrower HESA patent canopy, similar to the IRGC black birds. Crew protection against ground fire has been enhanced. There are four ATGM (Toophan TOW) launch racks and twin 50mm rocket pods and a 20mm vulcan rotary cannon in nose with auto targeting. Big improvement over the old Cobra.
All the Avionics and Sensors are new and Iranian made.
The Tufan really shines when compared to its predecessor the HESA P4 Cobra 2091. Both cockpits were completely redone into a glass cockpit. The gunners panel has been replaced with a full-sized LCD MFD with soft-touch buttons as well as with several older style gauges to the right. The IRGC HESA Cobra demonstrated earlier only displayed navigational information as well as basic engine readouts such as temperature and torque. Also, due to the absence of the traditional TOW (Toophan ATGN) targeting system it can be safely assumed that this is integrated into the MFD. The pilot's cockpit and WO (weapons officer)station, has been revamped with the same style MFD. Internal avionics have been revamped including the addition of a GPS and receiver in the nose. A rear warning radar has also been attached with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage. These integrated electronics systems, according to a newspaper report about the overhaul program, "allows target locking with remarkable precision and duration for helicopters that are constantly under vibration and experience sudden movements." Another recent addition that we can most likely assume to be included is the Hasib radar, inducted in 2005. In addition to the basic navigational radar of the Hasib, it is almost certain that a basic tracking radar has been equipped as the addition of the FATTAR (AIM 9X) AIM launch ramp as air to air defence requirements necessitate. Iran engineers have put to good use the experiences learnt during real combat during the long 8 year Jange Tahmili. The composite rotors will be ideal for the hot sandy desert operations that wear down the blades and clog the intakes.
Most people don't realize that Iran has the world's 4th largest rotary wing fleet with the Badr Base in Esfahan with HESA and Iranian Aviation industries is the largest heilcopter and light aircraft manufacturing facility in the Middle-East and South West Asia. Iran's rotary fleet exceed sover 1000 machines with 150 plus HESA upgraded 2091 Super Sea Corbras (AH-1J) upgraded to AH-1Z standard, 100 MI-17/8sh, over 300 Bell/HESA 212/214/UH-1, 89 CH-47C Chinooks, Panha, Shahed 285, Bell 206 Kiowa armed scouts etc.

IRIAA (Havanirooz) has had an exceptionally outstanding experience with the Cobra and they proved to be a nighmare for the Iraqis in the Jange Tahmili. The IRIAA developed its own tank hunting techniques with steep angle attacks or ambushes from behind hills or sand dunes, mostly operating in pairs and supporting ground troops who were extremely happy to see the ubiquitous Cobras that lended a big morale boost to the Artesh, Sepah and young Basijis taking of the brunt of Saddam's armor with mostly RPG's and some AT-4 Saggers. The sight of Cobra's skimming the ground at merely 30 feet and blasting Iraqi armor was electrifying. I am sure the new generation of tandem warhead TOOPHAN (improved TOW) on these new helicopters will even prove more lethal for Iran's enemies."

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Beautiful babies we need some of these

I mean if we have TOT on these and upgrade them with our image sensors and our own HUD like interfaces who needs apache ...

500 of these would look awesome in our fleet

 

[indiarocks]

hey we shuld look into it it seems to be cheap and upgraded we can benifit frm that ...also it llg ive us some level of idea of iranian tech standerd

sir,
it is heard that south africa and north korea helped iran....some sources name russia and ukraine also.........