How fast is Iran catching up to U.S. in terms of military?

To "get back ON topic", I don't think that Iran is "catching" up to the US military. Oh certainly, Iran has a developing military but it is not on par -- or even close -- to the US. To demonstrate this, I would only point to the Iran/Iraq war. That conflagration see-sawed back and forth for a number of years with losses and gains on both sides (yes, the US supplied Iraq but obviously without clear results). But, only a few years later, in the first US/Iraq war, the US decimated Saddam's forces in a matter of days -- something that Iran could not do.

Certainly, Iran's' military has built up tremendously since then but they have not been "tested". And, being the most powerful military regime in the area is not saying much. The one clear advantage that Iran's military would have over the US is that the tactics that Iran could use against the US or any local country would go uncriticized. That is, for example, if the US used white phosphorus against Iranians, there would be an outcry whereas if Iran used the same weapons, their "media" would probably hail it as a great military advance.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
To "get back ON topic", I don't think that Iran is "catching" up to the US military. Oh certainly, Iran has a developing military but it is not on par -- or even close -- to the US. To demonstrate this, I would only point to the Iran/Iraq war. That conflagration see-sawed back and forth for a number of years with losses and gains on both sides (yes, the US supplied Iraq but obviously without clear results). But, only a few years later, in the first US/Iraq war, the US decimated Saddam's forces in a matter of days -- something that Iran could not do.

I think Tyrant just ended the topic right there. Or atleast that should end it.

In terms of the highest tech-Iran is 30 or so years behind. Copying a jet design and producing your own design from scratch are two very different things.

Purchasing a cruse missile and backward engineering it is same thing-basically copying-not developing from scratch.

The more important question u ask, is how fast-if at all, is the tech gap closing.
In lower tech it is closing at a reasonable rate-no real advances in standard jet design 4 awhile-better, but not radical changes.
In highest tech-computer chips and antigravity and such-I see no real progress in these areas.

This is not to deny Iran is advancing it's tech-especially militarily.
They now have 1-3 long range missiles and maybe a dozen cruse missiles-don't know actual production speed.
I also can't deny Iran has other missiles-but shorter ranged, that are getting better and better-as well as radar.

NR-don’t flame this response-you asked 4 our honest opinion on this topic and I gave it-as I see it.

I would be interested in advances that I may not be aware of buy Iran-especially non military.

Originally posted by NR
...going very well with our missile technology
...Our navy seems to be ok...and is only getting bigger.
Our tank production line seems to be great ...
We need more more migs or sukhois fighter will be rolling into IRIAF, kind of like our stealth strike fighter/bomber Shafaq.

What do you guys think?
[edit on 18-11-2005 by NR]

You mention that you don't want flaming in this thread but you are clearly posturing about what your country is capable of. We are all aware of what weapon systems are coming online in Iran and why you want them...

Status. Pure and simple.

When you get this status, just be wary that then everyone will be upset at everything YOU do. YOU will be the ones that everyone says should mind their own business.

Be carefull what you ask for, you just might get it.

I would worry more about what your education budget is. That is something the US has forgotten about and will eventually come back to bite us in the tail. There is a reason why during any revolution, the intellectuals are the first to go... Knowledge is POWER!

Firstly Israel doesn't threaten Iran in any way.
Secondly Iran cannot get "rid" off Israel w/o ending its own existence.
Thirdly (is there a word like that??! ), Iran Def Budget CANNOT be 76 bil USD.
China's def bud has wildly varying values and the 76 bil USD is one of the very extreme estimates. The consensus is at around 30 bill USD.

Iran's def bud cannot be 76 bill USD..Impossible

Originally posted by Daedalus3
Firstly Israel doesn't threaten Iran in any way.
Secondly Iran cannot get "rid" off Israel w/o ending its own existence.
Thirdly (is there a word like that??!

), Iran Def Budget CANNOT be 76 bil USD.
China's def bud has wildly varying values and the 76 bil USD is one of the very extreme estimates. The consensus is at around 30 bill USD.

Iran's def bud cannot be 76 bill USD..Impossible

Bro were talking about how Iran is advancing not about wiping Israel off the map. What do you think about Iran in terms of military? i forget to add the dott in the middle my bad. 7.6 bill is correct answer... We always keep our defence budget lower than our neighbouring states because we make our own military equipment with good quality but its very cheap to buy, over 80 countrys have been buying our defence products.

[edit on 20-11-2005 by NR]

Originally posted by NR
What do you think about Iran in terms of military? [edit on 20-11-2005 by NR]

I don’t.

It would seem by reading most of the other responses here that most others don’t, either. You try and remind everybody to stay on topic, but really the topic does not exist. The US military is on a worldwide scale, meaning we can do more or less what we want in the world (sorry if that offends any non US citizens, just the way it is.) Iran however is not even the dominant power in the region, at least not with 100,000+ US troops near its borders. I would wager that the equipment we have on the ground in Iraq alone is worth what Iran has spent on its military over the last 100 years and that our yearly Iraq bill is more than Iran will spend on defense in the next two decades.

Comparison? There is no comparison.


BTW, NR, I am not trying to be mean here or insult your nation, just being realistic. If you were looking for someone to make you feel better about your nation’s defensive capabilities, you probably not do it on an international board; most of our militaries can beat up your military. Just how it is, friend.

Peace be with you (for both of our sakes.)

I don't think the US will attack Iran, the US government wants to, but it would be political suicide.
I think it's more likely that Iran and many of the arab nations in the mid-east will attack Israel, but not America, it's simply too far away. I think all of you heard what the Iranian president said a while ago, "Israel should be wiped off the face of the earth."

I don't know of the level of training of the Iranian military, but seeing the amount of hardware you guys have, all you need is LOTS of battle wits at strategist level and V HIGH troop morale.
If you have ample amounts of these it will not be easy for the US to do much more than the usual high altitude/stealth/cruise bombardment it starts off with.
In terms of power projection, well that I think is quite clear; besides the missiles you have and maybe if you have air-refueling, power projection is rather non-existent. But my point is that in defensive terms(and thats all Iran needs to concentrate on now) shrewd commanders and High troop morale go a long way..
A question: Is the Iranian military conscript or purely voluntary? A very important question that may hold the answer to true troop morale.

Note: IMO Iran has the highest def budget as compared to most of its neighbours(with perhaps the exception of Saudi Arabia and/or Israel)

Really, How can you compare the US military with the Iranian military??

Catching up how? in what way? - second hand materiel from China, USSR??

Spacemunkey

I think that the Moment that Iran starts to launch PetroEuros and starts to sell Oil in Euros - the US Intelligence agencies will find several Nuclear Weapons and other WMD's in Iran.

Sometimes in Spring 2006.

depends on what kind of warfare. if we (the USA) told Iran to meet us in a designated battelfield at a certain time.....we would cream them, NR. add to that anykind of warfare and we'd cream you. But an insurgency might cause trouble. thats our weak point. but we'd still win. and there would be a heavy loss of life for both sides.

NR,

what does NR mean??

I don't think Iran is catching up the US military in anyway, shape or form. The best pieces of Iranian military hardware are either direct purchases from countries like Russia and China (or even North Korea), or are reverse-engineered and tinkered with versions of Russian, Chinese and NK hardware. How can a country like Iran catch up with the US when their best equipment basically comes from countries who themselves aren't caught up with the US?

Granted, Iran's military is improving but it will never be at or near the level of the US. They just don't have the economy and the free marketplace to develope and produce the kinds of things that the US can and has. The fact of the matter is that America can have planes in Iran's skies and submarines in Iran's waters without them ever even knowing about it. Meanwhile, Iran is barely capable of exerting power beyond the Persian Gulf. They have no long-range bombers and likely never will. Their Russian and French jets are inferior to the US both in terms of capability and the fac that the USAF greatly outnumbers them in the amount of planes, as well as well-trained pilots.

Iran's submarines are diesel-powered, used Russian subs as far as I know. They'd be torpedoed and at the bottom of the sea in the first minutes of any military engagement with the US or other major superpower.

That all being said, I do not underestimate Iran's military might. They have an excellent missile program for a country of their size and economy. Their Revolutionary Guard soldiers appear to be very well-trained and extremely motivated. They have scores and scores of soldiers willing to die for their country. Any war with Iran, especially urban or guerilla warfare, would be extremely dangerous. The fact that US does so much to prevent civilian casualties and plays by different rules than Iran would (no offense) would also play in Iran's favor, and they know this.

The important thing here is that Iran recognizes where its military shortcomings are. By pursuing nuclear weapons they are taking the biggest step towards becoming a major power in the region, and anywhere their missiles can reach for that matter. It could also be that Iran truly doesn't want nuclear weapons, but are using the threat of pursuing them to score some concessions and security guarantees fromt he west, ala North Korea.

Originally posted by Souljah
I think that the Moment that Iran starts to launch PetroEuros and starts to sell Oil in Euros - the US Intelligence agencies will find several Nuclear Weapons and other WMD's in Iran.

Sometimes in Spring 2006.

You must be another Scott 'the prophet' Ritter wannabe?
Scott Ritter Says Iran Attack in June, Iraq Elections "Cooked"

Scott Ritter: US to Attack Iran's Reactors in June

Amazing how many members here within those two topics believed fully what Scott 'the prophet' Ritter predicted as fact.:shk:

And yet, the bold prophetic predictions still roll out...




seekerof

[edit on 24-11-2005 by Seekerof]

Originally posted by Seekerof
You must be another Scott 'the prophet' Ritter wannabe?
Scott Ritter Says Iran Attack in June, Iraq Elections "Cooked"

Scott Ritter: US to Attack Iran's Reactors in June

Amazing how many members here within those two topics believed fully what Scott 'the prophet' Ritter predicted as fact.:shk:

And yet, the bold prophetic predictions still roll out...

I ain't no Prophet - I am just a Man with Common Sense.

Saddam wanted to sell oil in PetroEuros - he got Slammed.

Iran WANTS to sell oil in PetroEuroes in 2006, March to be exact - lets see what happens, shall we?

Here is some Night Reading for you as well:

Enjoy!

The Real Reasons Why Iran is the Next Target: The Emerging Euro-denominated International Oil Marker
The Anglo-American Military Axis
Petrodollar Theories of the War
The Invasion of Iraq: Dollar vs Euro

Originally posted by Souljah
the US Intelligence agencies will find several Nuclear Weapons and other WMD's in Iran.

You're probably right!

how fast is the iran catching up to the us in terms of military. who cares nr, u still treat your women like crap . worry about stuff that truly matters.

According to the CIA world fact book, Iran spends $4.3 billion or 3.3% of its GDP in the military.

Again people come up with omg look the budget gap is soooo huge Iran/russia/whatever cant compete. Theres more than sheer money alone. There is the location of the troops, the ammount of wars that are fought, number of soldiers and the cost of maintainment. The US does allot more with theire budget than Iran does with all theire spec ops around the world, troops stationed around the world and ofcourse iraq. Weapons made in iraq are cheaper because of lower costs of the personel and the production itself.

Iran ofcourse can not compete with the US directly but they still can give a hard fight which might turn out in a defeat of the US.(they cant suddenly pull out of all theire spec ops and troops around the world)

Iran ofcourse can not compete with the US directly but they still can give a hard fight which might turn out in a defeat of the US.(they cant suddenly pull out of all theire spec ops and troops around the world)

The US does not need huge numbers to win wars, even the current total of troops that we have in Iraq would be enough to defeat the Iranian military, technology is a great force multiplier. Not to mention the fact that you cant win a war without air superiority.