Imperial Iranian Armed Forces (Shah Era)

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[GHOST RIDER]

The Imperial Iranian Ground Force

During the late 1970s the Imperial Iranian Ground Forces, was undergoing a rapid increase in strength. In 1979 it was a largely mechanized and armored force of about 285,000 troops, organized in 3 corps, with headquarters in Tehran area, in Shiraz in the south, and in Kermanshah near the Iraq border. There was even Plans for a fourth corps, to be established at the new Chah Bahar complex at the eastern end of the Persian Gulf. Major ground formations included 3 armored divisions (One more in organization in Sistan) each with six tank battalions and five mechanized infantry battalions, 3 infantry divisions, 2 Imperial Guard Divisions and 4 independent brigades (1 armored, 1 infantry, 1 airborne and 1 Special Forces) and the Army Aviation Command. These combat units, backed up by the usual complement of support units, were said to be 85 percent operational. During the mid-1970s fully 80 percent of Irans ground forces were deployed along the Iraqi border, though official sources maintained that a large portion of these could be sent anywhere in the country within twenty-four hours by means of air force transports. Troop deployment was expected to shift south during the late 1970s with the opening of the Chah Bahar facility.

Total (in 1979): 285,000

Reserves: 300,000


Main Unites:

16th Armored Division - Ghazvin
81th Armored Division - Kermanshah
92th Armored Division - Khuzestan
88th Armored Division - Sistan
1th Infantry Imperial Guard Division (After the revolution changed to 21th Infantry Div.)
2th Imperial Guard Division (After the revolution changed to 21th Infantry Div.)
28th Infantry Division - Kurdistan
64th Infantry Division - Rezaieh
77th Infantry Division - Khorasan
84th Infantry Brigade - Khoramabad (Division during the war with Iraq)
55th Airborne Brigade - Shiraz (Division during the war with Iraq)
23th Special forces Brigade - Nohed -Tehran (Division during the war with Iraq)
37th Armored Brigade - Shiraz
11th Artillery Unit
22th Artillery Unit
23th Artillery Unit
44th Artillery Unit
55th Artillery Unit
Hawk missiles Battalions (4 units)

 

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Armour


Imperial Iranian Armored units were supplied with medium and light tanks of American and British origin, and about 1200 Brithish-maded Chieftain tanks were being delivered to augment the 780 in the inventory. Armored personnel carriers were from the United States and the Soviet Union and antitank missiles from the United States and France.

In 1971, Iran placed an order with Royal Ordnance (RO) of the UK for 707 modified Chieftain Mk 3 and Mk 5 MBTs, plus a quantity of armoured recovery vehicles (ARVs) and armoured vehicle-launched bridges (AVLBs) based on the Chieftain MBT chassis, all of which were delivered by early 1978. Most of these were built by RO Leeds, subsequently taken over by Vickers Defence Systems, which built all the ARVs. Iran also took delivery of 187 improved Chieftains called the FV4030/1 (a development of the Chieftain Mk 5 used by the British Army) for it's operational needs. In all, 187 of the FV4030/1, were supplied.
In 1974, Iran ordered 125 Shir Iran 1 (FV4030/2s) and 1,225 Shir Iran 2 (FV4030/3s) MBTs for delivery from 1980 - but the order was cancelled in 1979 after the fall of the Shah and before deliveries could begin from Royal Ordnance Leeds.
If the Shir 2 MBTs had been delivered, the Iranian Army would have had the best-protected MBT in the region because the hull and turret incorporated the advanced Chobham armour system for a high level of battlefield protection over the frontal arc. In 1979, Jordan bought 274 Shir 1 MBTs, designated the Khalid. After the Iranian Revolution the "Shir Iran 2" project was taken over by the British Army and the end result was Challenger later redesignated as Challenger 1 in service with the British Army since 1983.


Scorpion LT =500
M-24 LT =100
M-47, M-47M MBT =960
M-48, M-48A5 MBT =240
M-60A1 MBT =2300

 

[harpoon]

How the mighty have fallen...

 

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[GHOST RIDER]

 

[blackops]

how time changes !!!!

 

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IIS Kousseh(never delivered)

 

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The commander of The Imperial Iranian Armed Forces

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Army Aviation

 

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Father of The IIAF

 

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The KIDD class are the most powerful multi-purpose destroyers in the fleet. The four ships of this class, originally designed for sale to the then-friendly Imperial Iranian Navy.[Currently in Taiwanese Service]

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IIS Korosh

 

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You can also see a C-130 with a Pakistani Flag painted in the back ground

 

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