Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

ADAS 2024
  • News
  • Event News
    • CNE 2024
    • Sea Air Space 2024
    • DIMDEX 2024
    • WDS 2024
    • SNA 2024
    • Indo Pacific 2023
    • DSEI 2023
    • MADEX 2023
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • CavasShips
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»What’s Wrong With Iran’s Fake Aircraft Carrier
Patria SONAC

What’s Wrong With Iran’s Fake Aircraft Carrier

Iran built a large-scale dummy US Navy aircraft carrier in 2013-14. And then dramatically destroyed it in war games in February 2015. Recently it has been repaired and may be destined for another explosive demonstration soon. H I Sutton looks in details at Iran's fake aircraft carrier and explains why it makes no realistic sense.

H I Sutton 31 May 2020

Iran built a large-scale dummy US Navy aircraft carrier in 2013-14. And then dramatically destroyed it in war games in February 2015. It was hit by missiles, rockets and even an explosive boat similar to those now used in Yemen. Images of its demise was the propaganda highlight of the ‘Great Prophet IX’ exercises. But it wasn’t truly destroyed, and has been outside the major naval base at Bandar Abbas since then. Recently it has been repaired and may be destined for another explosive demonstration soon. But it’s resemblance to a US Navy aircraft carrier is only fleeting:

Bandar Abbas, #Iran, Imagery from Google Earth shows restoration is complete to their training Aircraft Carrier, now home to model fighter jets for additional training capabilties. pic.twitter.com/JdPZWl6wat

— Aurora Intel – #StayHome (@AuroraIntel) May 22, 2020

You could be forgiven for thinking that Iran has built a copy of an aircraft carrier. Indeed at first glance the flat-topped barge has a superficial likeness of a US Navy super-carrier. It is instantly recognizable in terms of silhouette and proportion. But the similarities end there. It is nowhere near as close a copy as you would expect from a film company’s props department. There are no lifts, masts or weapons stations for example. More amateur dramatics than Hollywood.

The biggest difference is its size. It’s large, and its deck is stocked with fighter jets. But it is less than two thirds the length of the real thing and about half the width. And the aircraft are also scale models. In fact, half of the models are not of carrier-borne aircraft. The F-5E Tiger-II is familiar to Iranians because it is still in front-line service with the Iranian Air Force (IRIAF). But it is only used as an Aggressor aircraft in the US Navy and has never served aboard carriers. As an aside, it was originally conceived for use aboard small escort carriers, but that is unlikely to have been on the Iranian modeler’s mind.

The carrier is currently outside the main harbor at Bandar Abbas

After it was wrecked during the Great Prophet IX exercises it was towed back to Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main naval base. It was soon discarded, anchored outside the breakwater. Then in early August 2019 it was brought inside the protection of the outer wall. Repairs were carried out, the deck painted and fake aircraft put back on deck. As of May 28 it was still there. This is just yards away from where the the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp’s Navy (IRGC-N) recently revealed their extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV).

Interestingly a bulls-eye target has been painted onto the center of the flight deck. One possibility is that it is an aiming point for the Fateh-110 guided ballistic missile. These missiles are believed to have been used in the attack on US forces at Ain-al-Asad airbase and Erbil in Iraq in January this year. It is believed to have an anti-ship capability and was reportedly used in the 2015 exercise.

The fake carrier being hit during the Great Prophet IX exercises in 2015. It has recently been repaired. Photo: Iranian state media

When the carrier is next ceremoniously scarified, the slow death may include a demonstration of new weapons. These could include the indigenous Jask-2 submarine launched anti-ship missile. More interestingly from an intelligence standpoint, we may see remote-controlled explosive boats similar to those employed by Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.

The carrier may be wrong in terms of realism. And it is not a convincing surrogate for a real carrier in terms of damage assessment. But it makes dramatic propaganda which after all, may be the real purpose.

Aircraft Carrier Iran 2020-05-31
Tags Aircraft Carrier Iran
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More
Patria SONAC

Authors

Posted by : H I Sutton
H I Sutton writes about the secretive and under-reported submarines, seeking out unusual and interesting vessels and technologies involved in fighting beneath the waves. Submarines, capabilities, naval special forces underwater vehicles and the changing world of underwater warfare and seabed warfare. To do this he combines the latest Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) with the traditional art and science of defense analysis. He occasionally writes non-fiction books on these topics and draws analysis-based illustrations to bring the subject to life. In addition, H I Sutton is a naval history buff and data geek. His personal website about these topics is Covert Shores (www.hisutton.com)

Related Articles

Iranian Warship Sahand Capsizes And Sinks

Iranian Warship Sahand Capsizes And Sinks

H I Sutton 07 Jul 2024
An Iranian Navy frigate, IRIS Sahand (74) has capsized and sunk in its home port ...
Aircraft Carriers underpin Royal Navy plans to use UAS to help build maritime mass

Aircraft Carriers underpin Royal Navy plans to use UAS to help build maritime mass

Dr Lee Willett 14 May 2024
The Royal Navy is accelerating plans to build increased mass at sea by developing drones for operation from its two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers...
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian Prepares For First Sea Trial (Updated)

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian Prepares For First Sea Trial (Updated)

Alex Luck 29 Apr 2024
Update 01/05: Fujian has started sea trials on May 1st And another nice image of ...

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 Naval News
All Rights Reserved