Iran may have got it's indigenous defense industry but it hasn't been able to churn out a credible machine across modern trends for a long time. This opportunity will help Iran consolidate it's defense and boost it's R&D. I know for a fact that this military equipment will hardly see any action but at least it creates deterrence, which in today world is a necessity. A simple search also reveals that Iran has no AWACS, Anti-Submarine warfare, sanction prone air fleet or at least a modern one, high altitude sams, submarines, gunships, tanks, artillery.....................and the list goes on. Long story short, Iranian military needs to undergo major modernization and that shouldn't come at Russians cooperation only.
You are wrong my friend... It is not an easy and quick task to start an ingenious military program and expect it to get fruits soon. Specially in case of Iran that literally have no access to foreign help of any kinds...
Now after decades of hard work, Iranian weaponry industries are at the verge of introducing highly modern weaponry. With budget size of Iran it takes half a century to be able to build modern warfare like those of Submarines, Fighter jets, MBTs, Satellites, Ballistic and cruise missiles, EWs, long range radars, ects...
But to many's surprise, Iran only after 2 and and little decades today is capable to build not only modern warfare but also in some fields it produces "The best" or "One of the best"s.
Yes, at the same time Iran still lacks an operational form of some essential military hardware and this is why Iran is after signing contracts with Russians to import or assemble some of their mature products...
If you ask me I would say:
Ground Forces:
- MBTs: Iran does not need to import any foreign tanks... Just importing few subsystems would do the job. As Iran has both the infra and know-how to build a modern MBT and its latest will be operational soon. 2 decades of work on Zolfaghar Tank in different generations + local T-72 production lines will guarantee a good final product.
- Rifles, machine Guns, artillery, etc: Iran can export these stuff and does not need to import any.
- Radars: Iran is among the top radar producers in world. It has tens of different models, most of them highly advanced, from ranges of a few Kms to 3000 kms.
- Ballistic/Cruise Missiles: Iran has all it needs in this category. Has the power to export.
- Iran has very good EW products and more powerful ones are underway.
- Air force:
1- Multi-role heavy fighter jets: Iran is after Sukhui-30s for such role + Iran is already upgrading its own F-14s.
2- Close ground support jets: Iran is after building its own CGS fighters but needs to import new CGSs asap.
3- Training jets: Iran is building its own training jets and does not need to import any.
4- AWACS planes: Iran has plans to build a local AWACS but Russia could be a good source of new ones of available.
5- UAVs and UCAVs: Iran is in the position to export these and has mass-production lines for these. New highly advanced heavy UCAVs are underway.
- Navy:
- Underwater: Iran has invested heavily in building indigenous submarines (Ghadir-Class Midget Submarines, Nahang-class, Fateh-Class semi-heavy Submarines and finally Besat-class heavy submarines and more budget will solve Iran's need for more submarines.
- Surface: Iran is building its own frigates, missile boats, fast boats, and recently heavy multi-role warships.
- Missile forces: Iran is quite mature in this field but new super or hyper sonic Russian missiles will be much better.
In nut shell, what Iran needs today with its current budget and set of threats existing around her, is a heavily upgraded Airforce. This is the only thing that Iran should focus on... Iran is producing effective hardware in all other fields of weaponry.
