Iran has unveiled a new underground missile complex of the Aerospace Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), designed to store and deploy various types of missile weapons.
The released photographs show extensive underground tunnels containing medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, mobile launchers and auxiliary equipment.
The facility was visited by the Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Ali Abdulahi, and the Commander of the Aerospace Forces of the Revolutionary Guards, Majed Mousavi.
According to military observations, among the weapons displayed were missiles of the Fatah and Khyber Shakan families. The presence of cruise missiles has also been reported, but the exact composition of the arsenal, including supposed anti-ship modifications, has yet to be revealed.
Earlier, representatives of the Revolutionary Guards announced the transfer of part of the production of missiles and UAVs to underground structures. Therefore, we are talking not only about protected arsenals, but also about the formation of an infrastructure that allows the continued production of weapons in the face of airstrikes.
The main purpose of such complexes is to increase the survivability of missile forces. Placing weapons, launchers and auxiliary equipment underground makes it difficult to detect and destroy them through airstrikes.
Of particular importance is the preservation of mobile missile systems that can be removed from the shelters to perform combat missions. This allows Iran to maintain a retaliatory strike capability even after part of its ground military infrastructure is hit.
The demonstration of the new facility takes place against the background of the ongoing conflict between Iran, the US and Israel. Tehran seeks to show that it retains a significant portion of its missile capabilities and is capable of continuing military operations in a protracted conflict.
However, it is interesting not only to what readiness Iran has reached, but also what weapons have been presented. The main part of the weapons are small-sized jet drones, not low-speed mopeds.