Iran tests Kowsar land-to-sea cruise missile (with pictures)

Iran test fires another missile, this time a Land-to-Sea Cruise missile. The new short-to-medium range land-to-sea cruise missile, is said to be capable of resisting electronic jamming systems and is equipped with remote-control and searching systems. Iran also claims that she can mass-produce the new missiles.

Iran has built a mobile launcher for Kowsar cruise missiles, which make it harder to detect and destroy.

Overall, a very effective weapon.

Iran tests Kowsar land-to-sea missile: report

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran on Tuesday successfully tested its Kowsar short- to medium-range land-to-sea missile, state radio reported.

The radio said the Kowsar could evade radar and that its guidance system could not be scrambled. It was designed for sinking shipping in the Gulf.

www.washingtonpost.com...

KEEP IT REAL

[edit on 4-4-2006 by proprog]

More closeup pix, I picked these ones from another site.

nice pics
iran seems to be flexing its muscle alot these days

Originally posted by bodrul
nice pics

iran seems to be flexing its muscle alot these days

Thank you...we have gone so far in missile technology that i think its pretty incredible for a country for such a situation its in do this good. We have everything but all im waiting to see is the public test of Shahab-4.

Interesting developments indeed.

What I find wierd is there is no actual data and verification of Iranian claims. They could say a lot but such data would have to be verified independently.

The Cruise missile looks a bit small to me, I would think below 500kms in range. Also they dont mention what they mean exactly by it cant be detected by radar. Does it use LO technology or does it simply fly under the conventional radar base ?

Originally posted by IAF101
Interesting developments indeed.

What I find wierd is there is no actual data and verification of Iranian claims. They could say a lot but such data would have to be verified independently.

The Cruise missile looks a bit small to me, I would think below 500kms in range. Also they dont mention what they mean exactly by it cant be detected by radar. Does it use LO technology or does it simply fly under the conventional radar base ?

Seen this missile before in one of those iran military forums so I started looking for it again.

It seems to be the same one and apperantly it has a range of 15km..
It looks like it's based on the Chinese C-701 anti-ship missile and also has the same range.

Personally, I am more impressed by the launcher. 4 man crew, and looks easy to reload missiles. I think it is very practical. Consider it can probably stop, secure, fire both missiles, and be moved out in less than 5 minutes I call that pretty impressive.

Considering the equipment we are seeing here, it is a good bet the missiles are self homing, making this is a very effective coastal weapon platform.


[edit on 4-4-2006 by darksided]

Originally posted by shire19

It seems to be the same one and apperantly it has a range of 15km..
It looks like it's based on the Chinese C-701 anti-ship missile and also has the same range.

Nice catch shire19. That pic reminded me of an article about the China World Air Show 2004, where it was discussed in more detail.

www.worldmissiles.com...

The C-701R replaces the older C-701 electro-optical guidence with an advanced radar guided unit and solid fins instead of the pop-outs. That appears to be what your picture shows, solid fins as opposed to the pop-outs of the older C-701s used on the China Fast Cat FACs that Iran has in service.

Land to sea missile. What a bunch of crap. there's absolutely no proof of any of Iran's claims. Unless you've revolutionized rocket propulsion decades ahead of its time (which is highly improbable), that missile is WAY to small to have any significant range. If it had an efficient wing design even. It does not. It's a short range missile, with traditional coatings, detectable by anything looking for it, and no spectacular technology, which even that, was bought from the chinese. This, and all the other Iranian boasts lately, are simply an effort to scare the world into raising prices of oil to get it out of the gulf from fear. Just about every one of Iran's rediculous claims can be easily debunked. It reminds me of the Iraqi information minister in 2003, but on a larger scale, and with a bit more effort. (at least Irans BS had a little bit of thought and planning go into it... but it's still BS)

Originally posted by Mehran

Originally posted by bodrul
nice pics

iran seems to be flexing its muscle alot these days

Thank you

...we have gone so far in missile technology that i think its pretty incredible for a country for such a situation its in do this good. We have everything but all im waiting to see is the public test of Shahab-4

.

I have to agree with you on this one. Also the diameter of the missle is way to small to be carrying any substantial warhead. Compared to the size that the US, these are tiny. Besides Phalanx would tear that thing to pieces.

Originally posted by Mehran
Thank you

...we have gone so far in missile technology that i think its pretty incredible for a country for such a situation its in do this good.

The “Kowsar” curiously appears to be a non-improved (minus initial solid phased booster) version of the Chinese Y-J8 (C-80X) anti-ship missile. If this is in fact the case the effective range of the “Kowsar” would be [url=http://www.sinodefence.com/missile/antiship/yj8.asp]

those are some really nice pics proprog

That equipment is so clean looking it almost looks like a model...man, the hardware has changed since my time...

Proprog,

Oh please. _C802_ is itself a clone of the Exocet and and though the latest MM.40's blk.3's can do something on the order of 100nm using lofts, the basic functional drawbacks (limited vari-gate on entry, limited seeker:lane and rollback coordination) of a rocket powered weapon remain as true as ever.

Nor, it must be said is the concept all that hard to implement. In 1982, the HMS Glamorgan I believe it was, was doing night NGFS of West Falklands and pulled out too late, leaving herself vulnerable to two MM.38's which had been pulled off an Argentine landing ship and 'field modified' to sit atop a garbage truck of all things.

Having next to no EW or CIWS, there was little that could be done because the vessel was operating inshore, both the targeting and reaction window problems were self-solving for the neanderthal threat.

And this is a threat to be sure. One which will make operations in the Gulf 'littorals all round' environment that much more difficult for small ships. Even as it poses a terrible risk to civillian vehicle traffic along the coast which may be preemptively engaged on an 'anything that moves' basis.

Should it come to that.

But in the end, it's the same ol', same ol' as we saw with the Russians in that a massive Iranian inferiority complex tries to make itself look big so it doesn't have to feel isolated by a world that rightly questions it's motives for owning nuclear power after a 30 year history of backing every Terror Group in the ME.

And chooses to extend it's sword arm rather than an olive branch.

Indeed, since Iran is my /second favorite/ hiding spot for UBL after Russia, this comes off less as a firepower demo or test exercise than a rattledstick as you desperately try to come up with the Real Thing.

Something which is itself destabilizing as there is no doubt that our military was aware of the capability before it was whored across the front page. And your doing so anyway portends a panic-race before the window closes on destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities.

Capabilities which you clearly think you CAN lose. Or you wouldn't be showing all of one TEL when you could be doing a Red Square May Day like parade of dozens.

As an alternative to simply minding your business and showing _true confidence_ rather than adolescent angst.

KPl.


LINKS-
What It Is
www.fas.org...
www.fas.org...

Whoopity Do Dah Day
www.britains-smallwars.com...
www.airwar.ru...

What It Ain't
www.mipagina.cantv.net...

What It Never Will Be
www.strategic-air-command.com...
www.designation-systems.net...
www.strategic-air-command.com...


You just keep pokin' that sleepin' dawg with your unit brother and YOU could end up making this a real freakin' mess.

whaaa ????????????

thats an anti ship missile ????? whats it supposed to engage - canoes @ 500 m ???

i dont mean to sound sarcastic - but a rack of the eye SWAG of the dimensions put it at < 2.5m long and < 30cm diameter

i have seen bigger aanti tank missiles than that

are you sure its not an SAM and the captions have become confused ???

Iran already produces copies of chinese c-802 anti-ship missile known as NOOR, and clone of c-701 under the name RAAD ( I think), both tested in the previous war games.

According to Iranian naval commander, speaking on the capabilities of this missile, range of Kowsar cruise missile exceeds 200 km. Iran could hit any warships anywhere in the gulf from her shores, if the range is indeed over 200 km.

I am more interested in the new mobile launcher.

KEEP IT REAL

That's not a cruise missile. Cruise missiles generally have a turbojet engine with little wings, and are capable of travelling hundreds, or thousands of miles. This has NONE of the characteristics of a cruise missile. This is a short ranged, small, antiship missile.

did anyone else notice the only proof given was on STATE radio. As per normal the iranien government gives out blatantly obvious propoganda and as per normal the iraniens swallow it hook line and sinker.

Justin