JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Iran’s first direct attack on Israel on April 13 has put renewed emphasis on its air defense capabilities as Israeli leaders decide how best to respond.
Below is an overview of the two countries’ air forces and air defense systems:
IRAN
Iran’s air force numbers 37,000, but decades of international sanctions have largely deprived the country of the latest high-tech military equipment, according to London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The air force has only a few dozen working attack planes, including Russian planes and aging American models acquired before the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Tehran has a squadron of nine F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, a squadron of Russian-made Sukhoi-24 jets and a few MiG-29s, F7s and F14s, the IISS said.
The Iranians also have unmanned aircraft designed to hit targets and explode. Analysts estimate that this arsenal of drones numbers in the thousands. In addition, they say, Iran has more than 3,500 surface-to-surface missiles, some of which carry half-ton nuclear warheads. The number of people able to reach Israel, however, may be lower.
Iranian Air Force Commander Amir Vahedi said Wednesday that the Sukhoi-24s were in their “best state of readiness” to counter any potential Israeli attack.
But Iran’s reliance on Sukhoi-24 aircraft, first developed in the 1960s, shows the relative weakness of its air force.
For its defense, Iran relies on a mix of Russian and domestic surface-to-air missile and air defense systems.
Tehran received deliveries of Russia’s S-300 anti-aircraft system in 2016, which are long-range surface-to-air missile systems capable of engaging multiple targets simultaneously, including aircraft and ballistic missiles.
Iran also has the domestically produced Bavar-373 surface-to-air missile platform, as well as the Sayyad and Raad defense systems.
Fabian Hinz, a researcher at the IISS, said: “If there was a major conflict between the two countries, Iran would likely focus on occasional successes. They do not have the comprehensive air defense that Israel has. “
ISRAEL
Israel has an advanced air force, provided by the United States, with hundreds of F-15, F-16 and F-35 multi-role jet fighters. These played a role in the shooting down of Iranian drones this weekend.
The Air Force lacks long-range bombers, although a smaller fleet of converted Boeing 707s serve as tankers that could allow its fighters to reach Iran for precise sorties.
A pioneer in drone technology, Israel has Heron unmanned aircraft capable of flying for more than 30 hours, enough for remote operations. Its Delilah loitering munitions have an estimated range of 250 km (155 miles), a long way from the Gulf, although the Air Force could fill the gap by delivering one of its munitions closer to the border Iranian.
It is widely believed that Israel has developed long-range surface-to-surface missiles, but this neither confirms nor denies it. In 2018, then-Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that the Israeli army would acquire a new “missile force.” The military did not specify the status of those plans.
A multi-layered air defense system developed with U.S. assistance after the 1991 Gulf War gives Israel several additional options for shooting down long-range Iranian drones and missiles.
The highest altitude system is Arrow-3, which intercepts ballistic missiles in space. An earlier model, Arrow-2, operates at lower altitudes. The mid-range David’s Sling counters ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, while the short-range Iron Dome takes on the type of rockets and mortars used by Iran-backed militias in Gaza and Lebanon – but can also, in theory, be fired at other missiles. powerful missiles missed by Arrow or David’s Sling.
Israeli systems are designed to integrate with counterpart U.S. interceptors in the region for coalition force defenses.
“Israel’s air defense performed well during the (April 13) attack,” said Sidharth Kausha, a researcher at the Royal United Strategic Institute in London.
He noted that some of the incoming targets, particularly drones, were shot down by allied aircraft before they reached Israel, “which limited its degree of exposure to certain types of threats, and it appears that ‘there were sufficient early warnings to enable the preparation of a coalition.’ response, meaning the system was better prepared than it might have been if it had been exposed to a similar attack with less early warning. »
(Written by Andrew MacAskill and Dan Williams)
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