15 February 2024

Iran Has Shipping Container Based Ballistic Missiles

Image from Iranian State Media via The Warzone

Iran's military capabilities, developed by a homegrown defense industry that arose due to international sanctions, can now launch ballistic missiles from ordinary looking shipping containers. Iran also recently proved its long range missile capacity by firing three ballistic missiles in different direction from its homeland on the same day at ranges of 1000 km or more. 

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has fired two ballistic missiles from launchers disguised as standard shipping containers that were hosted aboard one of its sea base-like vessels. This particular combination, which has not been seen to date, greatly expands the reach with which those weapons could be used to strike potential targets by surprise, especially given that shipping containers can be embarked on any vessel that has the space to accommodate them.

The country's IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency reports that two "Fateh class" ballistic missiles were recently launched from Shahid Mahdavi, which the Iranian Navy took delivery of in March 2023 after it was converted from a state-owned and operated container ship known as the Sarvin. The outlet also notes that the launch was a collaboration between the IRGC's naval and aerospace forces. At least one of the missiles went on to successfully hit their target in the central desert of Iran, it has been reported.

From The Warzone

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