New Flying-Boats Join the Iranian Navy

[Awesome]

Pretty much useless tech, the speed and altitude these thing fly at makes them perfect target practice for any modern navy. Other than keeping civilian boats in check and maybe putting up a fancy dress competition, these boats/planes have no real role.

Mount a cruise missile onto them, and their low flying ability will give them a fair chance of sneaking up on a big boat, close enough to fire a missile and then run away. Perhaps at night time.

Lo-tech is not necessarily inferior to Hi-tech. Also I imagine the Iranians might opt for a few kamikaze missions. Its so ridiculous, that it might just work.

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

My first thoughts were: they've succeeded in building an Ekranoplan, but thing is flying too high to be one and is a normal seaplane. The first case would've meant later versions could grow much bigger and give Iran the capability of rapid troop transport over the gulf to US bases.

@Asim A. the craft is too small to carry current ASh CMs. A C-701 maybe.

@Pasban, the name is باور isn't it, meaning ایمان or یقین? ...as we'd spell it, baawar.

 

[silent hill]

yes they cant have a big range, looks rather good as a decoration piece for iranian coast line

 

[Awesome]

My first thoughts were: they've succeeded in building an Ekranoplan, but thing is flying too high to be one and is a normal seaplane. The first case would've meant later versions could grow much bigger and give Iran the capability of rapid troop transport over the gulf to US bases.

@Asim A. the craft is too small to carry current ASh CMs. A C-701 maybe.

@Pasban, the name is باور isn't it, meaning ایمان or یقین? ...as we'd spell it, baawar.

We don't know much about it, but I'd agree with you since it doesn't look like it can be used for those two roles from the posted pictures.

Even for kamikaze missions, it would require range and speed. Perhaps they'd figure out that its better to just build a CM than to increase its range and speed.

 

[Comet]

I think these are for kamikaze missions. I think these can fly low enough to avoid radar, right?

 

[Pasban]

These boats are meant for patrol and reconnaissance duties and not for active combat engagement. Any armament placed upon them would logically be a basic defensive measure than an outright offensive one. Moreover, they are limited to relatively calm waters to conduct their operations efficiently.

I'll briefly explain the mentioned 'suicide mission' scenario. The 'kamikazi' idea is not only absurd (to Iranian years at least) but such attacks negate Iranian planning and most importantly stand in stark contrast concerning the founding ideological pinnings (basically religion) -- Iranians are urged to see death in the midst of battle as a heroic and honorable endeavor (i.e to struggle and perish in a battle for righteousness and truth, is an honour most exalted and seen as being in the footsteps of Imam-e Husayn alaysalam and the Holy Companions; the virtue of 'Shahadat'-- martyrdom), whereas suicide is seen as an outright negation of religion (Islam) beyond anything else. Furthermore, a Shaheed (martyr) is ideologically held as being the most esteemed while a suicide victim is not seen firstly as a martyr but as a defeatist or one who is beguiled and secondly very low in general. As such, the Iran-Iraq war was termed Defa-e Moghaddas (Sacred Defense) and the soldiers would commonly wear a white Kaffen (cloth put around the deceased before an Islamic burial) beneath their uniforms in case they 'reach' martyrdom. This also has bearings with pre-Islamic times given the Zoroastrian ethical emphasis that man's every endeavor is a life-long battle between good (light, enlightenment) and evil (darkness, despair). In blunt words, a suicidal mission may win approval, but one asking for suicide would result in discord alone.

@Pasban, the name is باور isn't it, meaning ایمان or یقین? ...as we'd spell it, baawar.

Yes. It means 'belief' or 'credence.' It sounds rather odd when translated into English considering it is a given name for a craft, however, it has to be understood that the Persian language works differently and this is true in the relationship between verbs.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Just , UAV it fill it with missiles and guide it to a ship carrier send in 100 of these
yep a great addition but not a problem vs fighter planes but against unexpecting ships devestating , CWIS would take out alot of these if the ship spots them early on

 

[wangrong]

it is Wing-in-surface effect crafts

 

[wangrong]

China / India Border

 

[wangrong]

 

[TechLahore]

^^ This one seems like an Ekranoplan WIG effect style craft.

 

[bigbrother]

speed seems very less.

 

[A1Kaid]

Iran's new flying boats are combat ready - RIA Novosti 100930 - YouTube

 

[Bossman]

They have little, if any, military value. No radar, no real armament, no range. With an open cockpit, reminds me of WWI plane. Remember WWI planes were stealth as they were mostly wood and fabric. Iranian domestic military industry is mostly to impress the mullahs rather than create anything of real military value.

 

[ejaz007]

Experts Unimpressed With Iran's New 'Flying Boats'

(Sept. 29) -- Video of Iran's latest domestically developed military technology isn't exactly striking fear into the hearts of foreign adversaries. Rather, outside analysts and experts are mocking Iran's new "flying boats," an aircraft that travels just above the water.

Called the Bavar 2, the flying boat is often described as a ground-effect vehicle, meaning it rides a cushion of air over the surface of the water. The boats, which will be used by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, will reportedly be equipped with machine guns and surveillance equipment.

Video of the flying boats buzzing around in formation has drawn more ridicule than condemnation. "These flimsy things make the Soviet ekranoplan designs look stable," writes Stephen Trimble, an aerospace reporter writing for Flight International's DEW Line blog, referring to Soviet-era ground-effect aircraft that were tested during the Cold War.

Matt Gurney, writing at Canada's National Post, calls the new vehicles the "love child of a Jetski and a bumper car," and believes the boats are seemingly so useless that the only explanation is that Iran is planning to use them in suicide attacks on U.S. ships.

"Iran has announced its intention to mass produce vessels that serve virtually no conventional military purpose, that are too small and too lightly armed to be significant in a conventional battle and that will be controlled not by Iran's Navy, but by a naval contingent of its fanatical Revolutionary Guards," Gurney argues.

The newly released video is the latest in Iran's efforts to boast of its home-made military technology, an attempt to demonstrate that international military sanctions against the Islamic republic have not thwarted its military power. Recent unveilings include an unmanned aircraft described as a stealth drone and a domestically produced submarine.

Three squadrons of the seaplanes will go to the Revolutionary Guard, according to reports.

Iran's New 'Flying Boats' Don't Impress the Experts