War Talk: Could U.S. Forces Execute an Amphibious Assault against Iran?

[B.K.N]

so than what making Iran so confident, that they can take on USA?

Because they know US is not going to attack them

US not think about such a conflict

They don't want another Afghanistan Syria Libya that's why they are not attacking Iran
Here is a statement of Trump from 2015
https://www.cnn.com/2015/10/25/politics/donald-trump-moammar-gadhafi-saddam-hussein/index.html

 

[The SC]

So you are nothing more than an unintelligent troll.

What does your comment have to do with the topic at hand.

Israeli air raids are targeting weapon transfers to Hezbollah and have nothing to do with the overall war that is now pretty much over with Assad holding most of Syria. You are claiming Russians in air planes were the result of this? You are uninformed and didn’t track major battles. Air power will never replace ground power. Though it certainly did assist in wiping out some cannon fodder the terrorists had.

Russians are afraid of touching the ground because Islamic Chechens in Syrian will wipe the floor with your average Russian soldier. Average Russian conscript would get demolished in asymmetric warfare, after all look at Syrian Arab army they were employing Soviet Union/Russian military tactics in early stages of war. Hence why Iran had to rewrite their strategy.

Also how exactly are IRGC advisors and some militia supposed to stop air raids on shipments? Iran doesn’t have air defense systems in Syria nor does it operate Syrian air defenses. Lastly Syrian air defenses are mostly trash due to the war and their only new system is the Pantsir which is not equipped for saturation attacks. Since Israel releases their payloads in the Mediterranean or at best over Lebanon, the chance of intercepting the plane is very low (ex russian recon plane mishap)

Lastly those air raids are not doing jack ****! Mostly propaganda. I don’t doubt that they destroy SOMETHING every once in a while. But Iran is transferring old stock from its inventory to HZ and for every airstrike on a shipment, 10 make it through. This is the same county that is smuggling BMs to Houthis when they are under a US led Navy embargo, you really think Israeli airstrikes once a month are doing anything?

But let’s say for the sake of argument you are right that the Israeli air strikes are destroying every piece of hardware Iran tries to transfer to HZ, in the end Iran still won. Prior to 2011, Iran’s influence Syria was very minimal. They were allies, but Syria kept Iran at arms length. Today Iran literally owns parts of Syria because Syria is too poor to pay Iran back for the material support during war time (several billions in credit lines extended). So now Iran is entrenching in syria and even when the advisors leave, there will a large Syrian Force ready to answer to Iran.

So for all Iran cares Israel can keep bombing shipments, it already gained more influence in Syria then it had prior to 2011 war. So anything on top of that is gravy.

Iran plays the long game, Israel has been playing the short game since 2003 when it idoitically support toppling of Saddam and gave Iran free roam from Tehran to Baghdad to Damascus to Beirut.

But believe what you want to believe. It’s a free world after all.

OK stupid "immortal"..enough of your BS..

 

[Sina-1]

OK stupid "immortal"..enough of your BS..

“Depleted” unintelligent troll! Saudis need to up their game when hiring internet trolls. Sad!

 

[azbaroj]

LeGenD is an out-and-out American fanboy complete with FIERCE jingoistic fetishization of the American military that creates one of, if not the strongest American bias I've come across on this site bar none. There is no counter-argument one can make for him to see or think otherwise.

to LeGenD, America will win any fight with anyone, anytime, anywhere, anyplace under any conditions cause, 'Murica...

Every time they refer to Iraq US fight.but why they don't refer Hezbollah Israel fight ? How a tiny group armed men faced the most advanced equiped Israeli invadors .
Iraqi army was moralityless and America was able to unite whole world against them . In case of Iran only UK and Israel will go with them and may be Saudi and UAE . If Iran don't give them a chance , NATO will not involve .
So this will not be a Iraq like war of 91 or 2003 .

I think some in this thread are missing an important point. A nation does not need to be able completely defeat another nation on paper to obtain deterrence. Let's use Iran's air defences as an example. Iran integrated air defence (IAD) does not need to be able to destroy the whole USAF, it needs to be enough to potentially cause enough casualty to make the US not think about such a conflict. Iran's IAD is capable today to cause such damage to USAF and it is growing at an impressive rate. Keep in mind, In above scenario I only focused on air defence, obviously there will be many other factors to consider in an actual conflict, such as Iran's vast missile forces.



First of all, you do realise Iran has dozens and dozens of vast underground missile bases that are 100's of meters below ground and in some causes mountains? US has no hope in hell to destroy these. This is not Hollywood. Furthermore, another chunk of Iran's missile are highly mobile and are always on the move (to avoid satellite intelligence).

Furthermore, Iran is keeping an eye on everything in this region. If US coughs, Iran will know it. US has no chance of a surprise attack on Iran. Not in a conventional military sense anyway.

And also IRGC commander told that , now a days it is a chance to get a carrier so close to sink it . It increased American's hear beat . They have to think many times before go to war with Iran .

 

[Hack-Hook]

How has the Iranian military qualified itself as competent? The last time I checked the Iraqis held up against Iran (10 years plus) and they folded hard against coalition forces.

You checked wrong last time iran checked Iraqi military backed by PGCC financial might and USA intelligence and financial might and Europe and USSR military might for 8 years not the other way around and at least everyone agreed to what iran wanted most.

 

[Blue In Green]

Vintage AD equipment?

500 radar systems in total (dispersed across 100+ locations), providing necessary cues to various types of SAM systems* and thousands of different types of AA guns.

"The Iraqi IADS was a composite system which integrated European and Soviet search and acquisition radars, and a range of Soviet and European SAM and AAA systems, all tied together with a French built Kari C3 (Command/Control/Communications) network. While smaller than the now defunct Soviet system in central Europe (Western TVD), the system had a respectable capability and comparable if not higher density of SAM and AAA systems, with considerable redundancy in communications links and hardened C3 facilities." - Carlo Kopp

*Following options:

Roland-2 (mobile)
SA-13 Gopher (mobile)
SA-9 Gaskin (mobile)
SA-8 Gecko (mobile)
SA-6 Gainful (mobile)
SA-3 Goa
SA-2 Guideline

- dispersed across 130+ locations (air defense spots) and 4 air-defense sectors in total. Some of the above are EO/IR based, and could operate independently of radar guidance.

Man portable options: HN-5A; SA-7 Grail; SA-14 Gremlin; SA-16 Gimlet; and SA-18 Grouse

---

Iraq had established a proper IADS by 1990, and it was far more extensive and capable than that of Vietnam. US-led forces had no prior operational exposure to air defense arrangements of matching complexity, mind you.

If you think that Iraq had vintage AD equipment in 1991, then take a look at Soviet and Chinese AD equipment and arrangements in the same year.

- Linked to Soviet C^3 (command/control/communications) network encompassing hundreds of radar systems and thousands of different types of AA guns.

China was below USSR and Iraq in these matters in 1991.

---

US-led forces did not simply pound their way to glory in the Persian Gulf War (1991).

There was substantial (behind-the-scenes) homework prior to pressing the trigger, and engagement tactics were devised accordingly (credit to Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. and his colleagues). There was a massive military build-up prior to pressing the trigger as well because Saddam Hussein had committed a million troops to the defense of Kuwait and Iraq on the whole. First step was to destroy Iraqi early warning radar systems with carefully executed surgical strikes involving special forces, to open a gaping hole in the Iraqi IADS coverage through which hundreds of potent fighter aircraft and electronic warfare platforms could be slipped through. Next step was to strike at and disrupt KARI C^3 (command/control/communications) network on the whole = hundreds of air strikes were directed towards this end alone; power stations and military bases were also struck in the process. Precision munitions and cruise missiles were utilized for the first time in large numbers, to devastating effect. This war turned out much different from the Vietnam War because US was a DIFFERENT BEAST in terms of warfare in 1991. Advanced spy satellite networks and powerful AWACS platforms made it possible for US-led forces to map Iraqi IADS prior to the war. Even then every aircraft lost during the course of military operations in this war, was attributed to Iraqi IADS - it had lot of teeth.

Vietnam War was a fantastic teacher to the US in the art of warfare, and subsequent military-related reforms completely redefined American war-machine and conventional fighting methods - this is the topic worth exploring - a topic which people commonly overlook in relation to Persian Gulf War (1991). Instead of declaring Iraq being ill-equipped to fight a war in 1991, concentrate on actual facts and ignore silly narratives/perceptions. I shall remind you that US is only getting better in this game but few are paying attention as usual.

(Another useless half-page rebuttal)

I'm fairly certain Iranian war planers are not oblivious to the actions U.S. undertook in order to degrade Iraqi IADS capabilities overtime. Iran has also observed and changed their ways of operating accordingly to the threat U.S. poses to their AD network. If you wholeheartedly think it will go the same way it did in Iraq then you really are an American stooge through-and-through (please get rid of those Pakistani flags under your username, you do them a disservice).

The issue I have with you, specifically YOU is that you present all your arguments and assertions by making direct connections with Iran and Iraq whilst citing a litany of sources that go over Iraqi equipment and why the U.S. was able to take it out. What I'm arguing (and many others) is that Iran is not Iraq; they've put in the time, money, training and diversification of both tactics and operational regimes utilizing Irans vast geography (which itself is intrinsically diverse) culminating into a DIFFERENT BEAST , one that shouldn't be made comparable to Iraq in the degree you always compare it at. Like I said before and will so fervently say again, Iran and Iraq are not the same thing not matter how many copy-pasted pictures and sources you liter your posts with in a vain attempt to create a (false) equivalence.

Many of Iran's newer systems are now DOMESTIC LeGenD, the internals of which are not fully known to the U.S.: does this not mean any thing to you? Does the reality that U.S. literally chickened out of a war not impact your assessment or will you so woefully believe that when a shooting-war starts, Iran will just up and fold like a paper airplane?

Please though, please give me another half-page response fully of nothings in support of your already questionable arguments.

 

[azbaroj]

Hi all , I put some water in your valuable debate . How a Syrian war looks like backed by Russia without Iran . Please watch this video . Iran take a very intelligent move by not provoking Turkey .

 

[Mithridates]

US has 500+ stealth fighters and 20 stealth bombers, no air defense network can stop the power of USAF + USN

the recent RQ-4 downing showed heart warming results, US officials said they didn't know that there was an ADS near the place drone downed. in a conflict with US, our long range OTH radars gonna detect stealth targets and give the location to mobile 3rd khordad systems, while this systems normally can't detect such planes but if they come closer enough to the ADS, they can detect stealth planes and hit them. that's why commander of IRGCASF compared 3rd khordad with s-300.

Understand now.
But can America lock on to Iranian missile sites and take out before actual attack? How Iran will know, if USA plan this.

dude our OTH radars have range up to Mediterranean sea, also we are not terrorist groups we have other radars and communication network.

 

[Hassan Al-Somal]

Ignorant comment

Hezbollah convincingly won the battle of Yaburd which marked the turning point and was the beginning of the Iranian push on terrorist forces in the Damascus area.

By the time Russia intervened, Assad was secure and so was Alawite enclave. Russia came in to assist to secure everything else (Daara/Aleppo/Israeli border/Dier Ez zor).

Russian forces intervened after Jaish Al-Fateh (alliance of Jabhat Al-Nusra, Ahrar Al-Shaaam, and June Al-Aqsa) routed the government forces and captured Idlib province. So while Hezbollah and IRGC-led forces assisted the government and contributed very heavily, it was the entry of Russia into the conflict that turned the tide into the SAA's favor.

Btw, the Syrian government forces led by General Suheil Al-Hassan scored many battle-field victories; so the charge that they were not competent doesn't alway hold water. The odds were just too overwhelming.

Yes it is but the U S airforce will defeat the Iranian airforce. Iran needs to stop think that shooting down drones is the same as stopping waves of bombs. Iran might shoot down 20-30 aircraft but won't stop the other 170.

Iran has capable Air Force, huge quantities of ballistic missiles, asymmetric naval assets, and alliance with many groups in the region that they'll wreck havoc in the Middle East and oil shipping lanes on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. An attack on Iran will also virtually destroy world economies.

 

[Crystal-Clear]

iran should rain the missiles on israel .

 

[Keysersoze]

Iran has capable Air Force, huge quantities of ballistic missiles, asymmetric naval assets, and alliance with many groups in the region that they'll wreck havoc in the Middle East and oil shipping lanes on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. An attack on Iran will also virtually destroy world economies.

Capable airforce----no you don't. You have the bare remnants of a superb airforce (The best assets are still the F4's and the f14's)built by the Shah. All the other assets are poor by comparison. You have no AEW capacity no elint aircraft. You could barely engage the Poor by comparison Iraqi airforce. If they show up they will get picked off easily. The reason why Iran has all those bunkers is because they know they will have difficulty defending their airspace and why they were desperately trying to obtain s300's for so long.

Huge quantities of ballistic missiles? What is the CEP of those missiles? Also have you heard about the Aegis system or the patriot systems used by nearly all the neighbours of Iran?

Asymmetric assets? you mean speedboats ? I do not believe any of the nonsense about some of the developments of these "Asymmetric" assets.

\you can bottle neck the straits of Hormuz for while. But that will fall first and your disruption will last at best for a few weeks. Hurt some economies for a bit maybe...Destroy economies...No chance. In fact the attackers might drop carbon filaments on Iranian powerplants like they did in Iraq...

This is not some "tough guy" boasting. This is what is going to happen and you need to think with your brains and not your balls.

 

[The SC]

In Iran .... last time US was miserably failed in the very beginning phase of an operation to free the hostages from US Embassy; seems very difficult if not impossible.

There was a desert tempest when they tried to land..

 

[Keysersoze]

(Another useless half-page rebuttal)

I'm fairly certain Iranian war planers are not oblivious to the actions U.S. undertook in order to degrade Iraqi IADS capabilities overtime. Iran has also observed and changed their ways of operating accordingly to the threat U.S. poses to their AD network. If you wholeheartedly think it will go the same way it did in Iraq then you really are an American stooge through-and-through (please get rid of those Pakistani flags under your username, you do them a disservice).

The issue I have with you, specifically YOU is that you present all your arguments and assertions by making direct connections with Iran and Iraq whilst citing a litany of sources that go over Iraqi equipment and why the U.S. was able to take it out. What I'm arguing (and many others) is that Iran is not Iraq; they've put in the time, money, training and diversification of both tactics and operational regimes utilizing Irans vast geography (which itself is intrinsically diverse) culminating into a DIFFERENT BEAST , one that shouldn't be made comparable to Iraq in the degree you always compare it at. Like I said before and will so fervently say again, Iran and Iraq are not the same thing not matter how many copy-pasted pictures and sources you liter your posts with in a vain attempt to create a false equivalence.

Many of Iran's newer system are now DOMESTIC LeGenD, the internals of which are not fully known to the U.S.: does this not mean any thing to you? Does the reality that U.S. literally chickened out of a war not impact your assessment or will you so woefully believe that when a shooting-war starts, Iran will just up and fold like a paper airplane?

Please though, please give me another half-page response fully of nothings in support of your already questionable arguments.

Not going to give you a half page because you have obviously drunk the coolaid. That you think that your enemy will use the same tactics shows your lack of foresight. That you think f5 clones are new technology and shooting down drones means something shows your lack of foresight. If your homemade missiles were so great then why the purchase of S300's and why all those deep deep bunkers to hide everything?

Spare us your jingoistic nonsense. Iran won't fold but a lot of people will die and a lot of damage to Iran will be done.

 

[925boy]

US has 500+ stealth fighters and 20 stealth bombers, no air defense network can stop the power of USAF + USN

You dont "stop" USAF + USN, you survive them. If you survive long enough, you can be allowed to declare a victory.

Strategy of causing large number of casualties and economic harm is not a deterrence?

So far, Iran has used this for effective deterrence.

 

[WinterNights]

They don't want another Afghanistan Syria Libya that's why they are not attacking Iran
Here is a statement of Trump from 2015
https://www.cnn.com/2015/10/25/politics/donald-trump-moammar-gadhafi-saddam-hussein/index.html

Nonsense. if they could, they would love nothing more than to turn Iran into another Libya. They simply can't.

If your homemade missiles were so great then why the purchase of S300's

Are you braindead? You don't understand chronology? Iran started the development of these systems after the Russians refused to deliver the s-300.

and why all those deep deep bunkers to hide everything?

Are you seriously this thick that you ask such a question?