Iran_SLCM_video_analysis

Revised

Iran's Jask-2 submarine launched missile
On the third day of Iran’s Velayat 97 (“Guardianship 97”) exercises, the Iranian media published reports that a Jask 2 ( جاسک 2) cruise missile had been demonstrated aboard an IS-120 Ghadir Class midget submarine. As is often the case with these releases, the video ‘evidence’ was a mismash of fresh and file footage. Although at first glance much of the imagery does not show a cruise missile launch, it does in fact show two genuine Iranian submarine launched cruise missile launches of an unusual new weapon.

The Jask-2 is a small Nasr anti-ship missile encased in a torpedo, complete with propulsive motor. This appears to be intended to allow it to swim out of a submarine’s torpedo tube in a way that conventional unpowered submarine launched missiles cannot. This is possible because the missile is so much smaller than weapons like Exocet and Harpoon. The light weight, and by implication less negative buoyancy, may also help small midget submarines carry the system.

Ir_Velayat97_video4.jpg

Video walk-through
1. The first scene appears to show the readying of the torpedo tube. The red button likely shoots the Port (left) torpedo tube, and the Green Starboard (right). This scene is confirmed to be aboard a Ghadir Class midget submarine by cross-referencing with previously published footage taken aboard the class.

After briefly showing the video periscope display pointing at the sky, the footage switches to show a Ghadir midget submarine running awash (2) with only parts of its deck and sail above water. The class of submarine is clearly identifiable as a Ghadir

A warning flare is released and the submarine the initiates a launch process (3). Footage shows an object exiting the port torpedo tube of a Ghadir Class midget submarine running awash (not submerged). The object apears to be a torpedo but is in fact the Jask-2 capsule. The weapon takes 7 seconds to exit the submarine which is travelling forward at less than 10 knots, suggesting a very weak impulsor.

1. 2. 3.
video at https://twitter.com/FarsNews_Agency/status/1099616496349839361


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The video then shows a missile breaking the surface (4). Critically, what appears to be a submarine sail is shown in the extreme left of the shot. The sail is painted dark green, consistent with Iranian Ghadir Class boats. It is much lower in the water than the Ghadir featured in the torpedo launch sequence and also has its masts down, including its radar mast which would generally be used to acquire the target before launch.

This image does appear to show a cruise missile (e.g. anti-ship missile) being launched from an Iranian submarine.
Ir_Velayat97_video4.jpg
Ir_Velayat97_video4.jpg
The missile is thought to be a variant of the relatively small Nasr-1 weapon, itself a locally produced Chinese C-704 anti-ship cruise missile. The ground-launched Nasr-1 has a range of just 3.28m long and has a range of 19 nautical miles.
Ir_Velayat97_video4.jpg

The new missile system is described as the Jask 2 ( جاسک 2) which was actually displayed in model format at an exhibition of the students at Imam Khomeini University of Marine Sciences in September 2012. (ref. https://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/273254/)


More footage of a launch shows (5) a different occasion, strongly suggesting at least two test launches at different times. In both the Ghadir is not fully submerged however.

The footage then shows an unarmed missile impact on a surface target, taken from a helicopter (6).


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After brief celebrations aboard, the helicopter is shown overflying a surfaced Ghadir Class midget submarine with an officer in dress white uniform standing atop the sail (7).

5. 6. 7.
*video at https://twitter.com/FarsNews_Agency/status/1099616496349839361*


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