Damit...
Geschrieben von Mischel am 11. Februar 2002 11:11:06:
Als Antwort auf: Womit denn? geschrieben von King Henry am 11. Februar 2002 04:42:17:
RFE/RL Iran Report Vol. 4, No. 11, 19 March 2001
TEHRAN REVIEWS ITS NAVAL DOCTRINE. Iranian naval forces
have held several exercises in recent months to improve
their capabilities and also have had exchange visits with
Pakistan and India. As a result, defense officials have
called for the consolidation of Iran's commercial and
military fleets to increase their strengths, overcome any
weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities, and address
future threats.
Iranian naval forces held the three-day Fath-9
exercises in the northern end of the Persian Gulf in
Mahshahr during the first week of March. According to
Commander of the Imam Hussein Headquarters Brigadier
General Jaber Mahdyar, the exercises were intended to
demonstrate Iran's ability to defend its territory and the
adjoining waters of the Persian Gulf. These exercises
involved 6,000 people from the regular navy and air force,
the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps navy and aircorps, the
Basij Resistance Forces, and the Law Enforcement Forces.
The first phase of the exercises involved the testing of
telecom equipment and the staging of operational units. In
the second stage, ships, speedboats, gunboats, and aircraft
from the IRGC and regular air force practiced invading a
hypothetical enemy. And in the final phase, attacking enemy
positions and defending the coastline occurred.
Iran also is continuing its interaction with other
navies in the region. It keeps other countries informed
about its maneuvers and has invited foreign observers to
them. Two Iranian warships arrived in Karachi on 28
February, and Iran's Alvand frigate participated in joint
maneuvers in the Indian Ocean near Bombay with navies from
19 countries. Also, Pakistani naval commander Admiral Abul
Aziz Mirza visited the Iranian navy's scientific,
technological, and training centers to explore possible
areas of cooperation, "Saff" reported in its November-
December issue. After a meeting with Iran's Vice Admiral
Abbas Mohtaj, Mirza said that "I hope cooperation between
the Iranian and Pakistani navies will expand in the future.
I suggest that as well as cooperation in science and
technology, especially in the field of naval and air
operations, we could also embark on holding joint
maneuvers."
The Pakistani visitor's statements were quite
optimistic, in light of a recent report in "Jane's
Intelligence Review" about Iran's naval capabilities.
Jane's stated that the regular Iranian navy currently is in
a state of "overall obsolescence," and it noted as well
that both navies are "in poor shape" because they have not
been equipped with modern ships and weapons. Iran's three
destroyers are over 50 years old and are not operational.
The readiness of the three 25-year-old frigates is "almost
non-existent," "Jane's" said And the two 30-year-old
corvettes do not have sophisticated weapons. Ten of 20
missile-equipped fast attack craft have "limited
operational readiness," and four of them are not seaworthy.
Only 10 Chinese-made Thodor-class craft are operationally
reliable. The four 30-year-old minesweepers are obsolete,
lack seaworthiness, and do not have a mine-sweeping
capability. Iran has many amphibious and auxiliary ships,
but these are "superfluous to requirements" and are used
purely for training personnel. Iran's ten hovercraft are
"old and used sparingly."
Nor does Iran have the airlift capability required for
offensive operations across the Persian Gulf. Also, its F-4
and Sukhoi SU-24MK Fencer aircraft are rendered less
effective due to weaknesses in maritime reconnaissance
capabilities. The Iranian navies do not have fixed-wing
combat aircraft, and the P-3 and C-130 reconnaissance
aircraft were purchased 25 years ago. All the naval air
assets suffer from parts shortages, worn avionics, and
ineffective maintenance.
There also are personnel problems. Iran's navy has
20,000 men, but according to "Jane's," they are young and
inexperienced, and most of them are riflemen and marines
based on Persian Gulf islands. And at higher levels, there
is fierce rivalry between the IRGC and regular navies for
scarce resources.
Due to these shortcomings, Iran's three Kilo-class
submarines would be vulnerable, according to "Jane's," and
they are limited to laying mines in undefended waters.
Mines, however, are one area in which Iran has made
advances. It can produce non-magnetic, free-floating, and
remote-controlled mines. It may have taken delivery of
pressure, acoustic, and magnetic mines from Russia. Also,
Iran is negotiating with China for rocket-propelled rising
mines.
Iran may try to upgrade its naval equipment with
Russian assistance. Geoffrey Kemp of the Nixon Center for
Peace in Washington told RFE/RL that this worries the U.S.
because Tehran could then project its military power. Kemp
said, "What would be of most concern to Americans would be
any upgrading of the Iranian missile force, its maritime
interdiction capabilities, submarines. These are much more
troubling to the United States than tanks, artillery and
the more normal equipment you associate with land warfare."
Another way in which Iran may hope to improve its
naval capabilities is by consolidating its military and
civilian fleets, the Research and Studies Center of the
Navy recommended in the November-December "Saff." Iran has
all the necessary resources - naval fleet, commercial
fleet, fishing fleet, and onshore facilities - to build a
strong naval capability, but it lacks cohesion and
coordination. Currently, nine different ministries deal
with elements of sea power. Management and operations
should be coordinated on a national basis.
Unified management would permit protecting the sea
lines of communications and defending Iranian territory,
protecting trade routes, and in time of war, help in
transporting ground forces and in the conduct of amphibious
operations. During peacetime, according to "Saff," Iran can
peacefully spread its culture throughout the region,
increase trade and the country's political stature, and
serve as a deterrent.
Writing in "Saff" in February 2000, Rear Admiral
Ashkbus Daneh-Kar said that in any future conflict, Iran
could face both conventional and unconventional (nuclear,
biological, and chemical) weapons. To address these threats
efficiently, naval strategy must be coordinated with air
and ground warfare strategies. Just as importantly, naval
officials must be able to provide political and civilian
officials with sound arguments for procurement needs.
There are two problems in this area, according to
Daneh-Kar. Either the civilians do not understand the
requirements at all, or they may think in terms of past
requirements, rather than future needs. Therefore, the
military specialists and civilian decision-makers get
caught in protracted and ultimately unresolved arguments.
The other problem occurs when there are scarce resources.
At such a time, inter-service rivalries will emerge and the
concept of unified strategies will be forgotten. (Bill
Samii)Copyright (c) 2001. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
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