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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Report: Iran produces 'Quick Reaction' tanks

2008-07-01

(Xinhua) -- Iran has launched a production line for superior 'Quick Reaction' tanks as part of the country's campaign for self-sufficiency in defense, Iran's English-language Press TV said on Monday.

Iran has successfully started the production of a 'Quick Reaction' tank named 'Tosan', Head of the self-sufficiency unit of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) ground forces, Colonel Nasser Arab-Beigi was quoted as saying. 'Military equipment needs to be upgraded in accordance with the latest developments in global technology,' said Arab-Beigi, adding that the current situation calls for a significant enhancement of the country's defense capacity.

The self-sufficiency unit is also working on projects to enhance passive defense systems and secure the country's military sites, he said.

He also warned that every enemy move in the Gulf and on Iranian borderlines is under the full surveillance of the IRGC forces.

Posted by:Fred

#31 When the pipelines are finished to ports in Turkey, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt, and the US w/draws naval protection from the "Persian" gulf, will the Straits of Hormuz matter? Will Iran matter?

Doesn't Iran need the war against it to start sooner rather than later?

How long can Syria remain surrounded and unconquered - if not militarily then diplomatically?

Posted by: Cleaque Sproing2285 2008-07-01 22:30

#30 They need radars to guide the C301's (their primary threat).

Radars light up, HARM goes down, missles become unguided.

Same thing goes for comm nets.

Gotta remember a weapons system is a system, not just the weapon itself.

Posted by: OldSpook 2008-07-01 22:08

#29 The above comment I made being said, besides special ops troops hitting nuclear facilities and C&C sites, that is the only area of Iran where boots on the ground are absolutely needed, IMHO. Capturing the launching sites is critical and all the sites can't be taken out by air alone.
Any other military Ranters feel free to speculate on strategy. It is all the Rantburg vet's hobby, besides politics I think. ;)

Posted by: DarthVader 2008-07-01 20:45

#28 The only weapon systems that the Iranians have which is a worry is the hundreds of surface-to-surface missiles they can use to interdict the Straits of Hormuz. They can effectively cripple the oil shipping by sinking a dozen tankers. The rest of the tankers will sit in the gulf, where 95% of the ports and pipelines are and cause a major oil panic.

Posted by: DarthVader 2008-07-01 20:42

#27 Actually all that's needed is air superiority and SEAD to keep the zoos and dishka's heads down.

Then let Mr WartHawg, the A-10, 'splain things to them about thin armor and air support.

Posted by: OldSpook 2008-07-01 20:28

#26 Lucky for the Iranians the Americans have so few .50s.

Indeed.

Posted by: lotp 2008-07-01 18:41

#25 This is Iran's assuming that there will be a full-scale, conventional assault upon it. Heh.

Then again, mhw pretty much has it nailed. More likely these will end up in the hands of the Baseej to be used against civil unrest in urban areas.

Posted by: Pappy 2008-07-01 17:59

#24 A muslim monkey manufacture of the Scorpion light tanks? The same ones .50 cal has no problem penetrating? Lucky for the Iranians the Americans have so few .50s.

I'd worry more about artillery and artillery rockets emplaced in populated areas. Let's hope the US gov and public will be a lot less squeamish about dead Persians than dead Arabs.

Posted by: ed 2008-07-01 17:54

#23 we will not be engaging Iranian tanks with anything other than artillery and aircraft. We don't want to occupy Iran unless necessary. I don't think it will be necessary. Coastal installations to ensure shipping, yes, but inland?...why???

Posted by: Frank G 2008-07-01 17:52

#22 But hoping for a cooperative enemy hasn't been a surefire strategy.

Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-07-01 17:50

#21 As long as we can get them to attack the bradleys and act like the strykers aren't there, and make sure every stryker has a bradley attached, or is in range of artillery with SADARM's handy... things ought to be ok.

Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-07-01 17:49

#20 Listen to the 5089 guy, hapless yes, but with a certain wisdom

Posted by: .5MT 2008-07-01 17:45

#19 Plus the Bradleys can kill them at over a mile with their TOWs, and cut them in half with the Bradley's chain gun {which took out T-72s when firing DU rounds}. Also, would love to see them run those up against an A-10 : target-rich environment.

Posted by: Shieldwolf 2008-07-01 16:30

#18 "they build thousands of light tanks and present more targets than we have ammo."

Not gonna help em.

Howitzers with M898 SADARM will make the world's largest scrapyard outta those thin armored things pretty damned fast.

Or similar submunitions from CBUs can do the same for aircraft delivered.

They were designed to stop Soviet T72 en masse. These will be pop cans by comparison.

Posted by: OldSpook 2008-07-01 15:38

#17 AS : fun part is, that knock-off probably is actually superior to the Stryker, in terms of mobility, footprint and obviously, firepower, while costing only a fraction of it. It's probably wiser not to deride the iranians (plus, that decoys thing may be true as well, worked reasonably well for the serbians, an another reason not to get cocky, something I'm sure the US planners are not doing).

Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-07-01 15:05

#16 Open sources state that it's a knockoff of the Bristish Scorpion tank, with a 90mm gun.

So in short, what we should have made instead of the Stryker MGS.

Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-07-01 14:07

#15 Hot air inflatables I suspect.

Posted by: Besoeker 2008-07-01 13:29

#14 priceless linky mrp!

:)

Posted by: RD 2008-07-01 13:22

#13 high-magnesium armor with inshallan sand bag racks optional.

Sparklers... Just in time for 4th of July! ~:)

Posted by: RD 2008-07-01 13:18

#12 Open sources state that it's a knockoff of the Bristish Scorpion tank, with a 90mm gun.

Posted by: Pappy 2008-07-01 12:38

#11 From the linked video, the "Tosan" is based on foreign-sourced and proven technology.

LINK

Posted by: mrp 2008-07-01 12:24

#10 Although these homemade products wouldn't stand up in a conflict with a capable enemy (US, Israel), they will undoubtedly be useful in intimidating civilians who are able to overpower the local police.

Posted by: mhw 2008-07-01 11:47

#9 Doesn't Tosan mean Zippo in Farsi?

Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-07-01 09:53

#8 Like France's tank force.

If they can find those jumper cables....

Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-07-01 09:51

#7 They should be a good match for the EU's Quick Reaction Force.

Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-07-01 09:49

#6 Nothing an AT-4 wouldn't fix.

Posted by: DarthVader 2008-07-01 09:29

#5 They're only targets if they're a danger.

Posted by: Fred 2008-07-01 09:22

#4 Autoblinda with the high-magnesium armor with inshallan sand bag racks optional.

Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-07-01 09:00

#3 They're probably decoy "tanks" like the Serbs used.

Posted by: crosspatch 2008-07-01 01:33

#2 So...they hired the A-team to make tanks out of corrugated tin and chicken wire?

Posted by: Silentbrick 2008-07-01 01:19

#1 Yay! Iran has yet another project on which to waste more of their money. Their Quick Reaction tanks will most likely be Quickly Burning tanks in case of any confrontation. Maybe they have the right idea, though. Rather than build hundreds of heavy MBTs, they build thousands of light tanks and present more targets than we have ammo.

They better try harder to outlaw anti-armor cluster weapons because those can pretty much freeze light armor it its tracks. And what do they run on? If they get into a fight with us they won't have any oil refineries or POL storage after the first day of fighting.

Posted by: crosspatch 2008-07-01 00:31

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