Night transfer of PKM type general purpose machine between NEZAJA 35th Commando Brigade members
Strongpoint manned by members of NEZAJA 35th Commando Brigade equipped with AKM type assault rifles
Unpaved road towards high ground prepared position. Note barren topography.
Rudimentary accommodations for this forward high ground position
NEZAJA first and second sergeants attending posed lieutenant at infantry mortar position
Posed demonstration of SPG-9 Kopye (“Spear”) tripod-mounted man-portable, 73 mm recoilless gun
DShKM type heavy machine gun position. Note high power binoculars of observer in background.
PKM type machine gunner of NEZAJA 35th Commando Brigade
Improvised brick and mortar constructed pillbox
Steps improvised from set cinder blocks
Exterior view of lodging for the platoon captain, cut from the mountain side
Interior detail of private lodging for the platoon captain. Sidings appear to be rendered in stucco.
Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency
Nearly a hundred years ago my grandfather was governor of Kermanshah Province. It was his first major posting in government.
ReplyDeleteNo Kevlar or modern helmets for the soldiers, that is very primitive.
ReplyDeleteReally? Then what is that vest they are wearing?
DeleteI am very happy that you brought this up as I have been thinking about it for quite a while. Kevlar helmets and vests are sent to Hezbollah in Lebanon. I feel very sorry for these brave soldier serving with minimum facilities and equipment at 45+ degree heat. Based on my previous observations they do not have any cooling or shower facilities in their base neither. Artesh personnel doesn't receive a fraction of the equipment and funds received by IRGC. I saw a video on the internet showing a US soldier got hit with a bullet on his helmet in Afghanistan. Then he backed off behind a wall and removed his helmet, dust it off and showed it to his comrades. This is the difference between life and death. Unfortunately the life of the people does not have any value for the regime as they believe in meat wall strategy. This is just a little demonstration of the system governing the whole country and the mentality of the mollas running it. You cant expect better from a system run by mollas in any aspect. Our top commanders should learn from their Syrian counterparts, at least their soldiers use a sort of Kevlar helmets. Isn't a reliable helmet the first thing that should be supplied to a soldier all over the world? I hope general Salehi and Pourdastan see this comment. It was general Pourdastan himself who introduced armored jell in one of the exhibitions and said 'this jell is a revolution in armor technology". My question from general Pourdastan is "what use of this revolutionary jell have you made to protect life of your soldiers after this period?
DeleteThat's what I noticed.I guess Hezbollah in south Lebanon is much more of a important priority than mere Iranian border guards.
DeleteAmerican soldier saved by his helmet from a sniper shot. Here is the link of the video:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbCK2Tb_i30
Thanks guys for sharing your thoughts and good observations on the lack of Kevlar and modern helmets in the Artesh and Sepah, the Kraut type helmets that cover the ears and neck as well and even the US military copied the excellent German pillbox helmet design after the poor performance tin pot Vietnam steel ones in which the AK round would go through. The new Kevlar helmets are light and very sturdy and can take a 7.62 (G-3) or 5.56 mm AK round even at close quarters. The whole Artesh is about 500,000 men and the Sepah another 175,000 so equipping them with modern body armor will cost less than one SU-30.
Delete@ August 31, 2015 at 10:17 AM What they are wearing are light cotton spandex ammo pouches for AK magazines that have no bullet or fragment stopping capacity. It is also interesting to note that there is a mix of G-3 and AK-47 in the unit and that is not good for ammo and training standardization and also as some of the more astute comments picked that the uniform camouflage pattern is all confused and not suited to western Iranian topography. A desert digital pattern is more suited. But then again the recent crop of senior officers has very little education or experience with foreign militaries, training exchanges or joint exercises. Iran needs to address these shortcomings as the soldiers will suffer unnecessary life threatening injuries and death. Even the most poor nations now equip their soldiers with body armor and modern helmets, just look at Pakistan and India. Russian body armor is the best as shown in Crimea and Ukraine and Iran should be ordering a million sets from Russia as part of the bigger arms deal.
To my friend : Anonymous August 31, 2015 at 10:17 AM
DeleteWhat you see some of the soldiers wearing is not a bullet proof vests. They are magazine holders.
Anon 1:36. Yes but there are protective vests underneath those magazine holders.
DeleteAnonymousSeptember 1, 2015 at 1:36 AM
DeleteThe front mounted ammo holders/pouches are separate from the vest underneath you can clearly see this in the ninth picture with the man in the middle wearing a vest,it looks like "soft" body armor without the additional ballistic plate,in addition the vehicle mounted machine gunner is clearly wearing body armor,also lets not forget that both the us and uk militaries didnt have enough body armor for all their troops during the invasion/occupation of iraq and indeed this was true of pretty much all of the western militaries,the russians during the georgia campaign were using a lot of afghanistan war era body armor,it also shouldnt come as a shock that border guards who are basically engaged in overwatch or police type operations would have a much lower equipment priority than say hezbollah who are actively fighting in syria or the shia militias in iraq,hence their equipment or rather lack of it as the case maybe
Agreed. Good sensible comment. However, Iran does have the capacity to make good quality body armor and other modern equipment for each soldier, policemen and border guards. Russia did indeed go into rapid personal kit modernization after the successful Georgia campaign and today has the most modern and well equipped soldiers as noticed by military observers and detailed in NY Times after the lightening Crimea campaign:
DeleteThe upgrade was visible down to the smallest unit levels in Crimea. Here at Perevalnoye, many soldiers on guard duty wore new push-to-talk encrypted radios —
The radios were one part of a broad element of Mr. Putin’s military overhaul: the replacement of equipment carried by individual soldiers. Known as the Ratnik program — from the Russian word for warrior — the upgrade includes new helmets, flak jackets with bulletproof plates, ballistic goggles, kneepads, uniforms, and communications and navigation equipment, as well as thermal and night-vision sights for firearms.
Apparently modeled after the equipment upgrades visible on Western soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq for more than a decade, the Ratnik kit has not yet been fully fielded. But many of its signature components were evident in Crimea, including the uniforms, helmets, goggles, flak jackets and kneepads.
Out on the roads, Russian forces could also be seen deploying electronic-warfare platforms, including the new Tigr-M and the R-330Zh jamming station, which can block GPS and satellite telephone signals.
Like many of the Russian military vehicles visible in the crisis, these vehicles contrasted with those seen in Georgia or the North Caucasus in that they had fresh paint jobs and new tires, and seemed to be in an excellent state of repair.
To all friends, I think you are all agree with me on the followings:
Delete- Regardless of having ballistic vest or not,our border guards are under equipped. An updated kevlar helmet for a soldier is a life saver and is a must. Supplying elementary essentials must not be an issue for an army and there is no excuse for it UK forces being under equipped in one occasion does not justify us to do and continue doing the same mistake.
- Iranian soldiers must have priority over proxy fighters in getting their essentials. They are too risking their lives in fighting with terrorist groups on the West and South East borders. One of them was killed in kermanshah province just today.
- They may be disciplined, however lack of logistics, deficiencies and lack of uniformity is evident on the pictures. To have better idea of what I mean just compare them with Turkish border guards.
When we say border control and surveillance equipment we mean what is shown in the following link which is used by Turkish army:
Deletehttp://www.aselsan.com.tr/tr-tr/basin-odasi/haberler/Sayfalar/Turk-ve-Kazak-Muhendisler-Birlikte-Calisti.aspx
Now what has been given to these soldiers instead? Well 2 binoculars and a Toyota pick up truck with a Dushka at the back just like ISIS terrorists. Lets not fool ourselves, this is not the way of doing the job in 21 century, and yet we want to confront with the super power of the world. We cant handle basic logistics for a small group of a border guards. Why these people insist on doing the things on their own wrong way? Things that is being done based on proven right procedures for years by the others. What is that they want to prove for past 37 years?
It is embarrassing for a soldier to see his counterparts at the other side of the border wearing better apparel, having better protection and using better equipment and in general better taking care of. It has a direct negative effect on their moral.
DeleteI am sure many of you guys had a land travel passing Bazargan border crossing and seen flag masts at the both side. Our flag is always smaller and faded by the sun light while Turks is much bigger and bright all the time. Difference in the management of the countries is evident right from the beginning.
To the attention of our high rank commanders and their bosses. This the way it should be. Watch and learn.
DeleteHere is another link showing Turkish armored vehicles equipped with thermal imaging and night vision and other surveillance facilities in considerable numbers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EGOHDup9Os
I like to view this matter from a historical perspective. Persia never had heavily armored foot soldiers, going as far back as the days of the Akaemenid empire.The emphasis was on light foot soldiers and a lot of cavalry vis a vis its main enemy at the time (the Greeks). Now the cavalry was replaced with mechanized units, though the tradition of light infantry remained. Why is that? It's because they always kept their focus on fielding as many men as possible, and the more levies you are able to raise the more expensive it will be to equip them all with the best equipment there is.
DeleteFurthermore Iran's warfare doctrine has not changed since the war with Iraq, because the same ideology of self-sacrifice and martyrdom of those days are still at work today. If, god forbid, war broke out tomorrow, Iran would fight like it did in 1982 - human wave assaults. Also, since the real resource that the Iranian military draws upon are the Basijees, which are levied in huge numbers from towns and cities across the land, there is much less time to train these (anywhere from 2-3 Days to 1 week) popular mobilization forces which would number in their hundreds of thousands, hence they cannot become professional soldiers either. And since they are not given adequate time to develop professional fighting skills, the decision makers find it unnecessary to spend money on buying them full combat gear.
For these issues to be resolved, drastic changes would have to occur, you would have to totally remodel the whole system. Namely the religion must be removed, and kept separated, from the military - an impossibility.
Dear General Basrawi, with regard to your comments please note the followings:
Delete- Each era has its own fighting method. If Achaemenids at 2570 years ago used to have emphasis on light infantry or cavalry in Ashkani era the emphasis was on heavy cavalry and horse archers. Tactics are adopted based on numerous conditions and change accordingly. Therefore if in the past our fathers adopted a method we should not bond ourselves to follow the same.
- During 8 years war they followed meat wall strategy because country did not have sufficient resources and they were desperate. But conditions has changed now, therefore there is no need for scarifying lives.
- Basijies are human beings and should not be consider as disposable commodity, therefore they must receive adequate training during peace time and must be well equipped upon combats. Just like reserves in other armies. If the 8 year war mentality still exists among commanders, they should change it.
- You are right. If we want to be successful we have revise our mentality and change the whole system. The system which gives its border guards a Toyota pick up instead of an armored vehicle is not an efficient one. Achieving acceptable results is impossible without good training, suitable equipment, a calculated plan/procedures and a good commandership. Unfortunately the existing system lacks all these.
Brg.Gen.Basrawi (Iqaf.ret)September 2, 2015 at 3:47 PM
DeleteIf thats the case that iran would still use human wave attacks then why did we not see the iranian trained and equipped hezballah doing this in 2006 or the iraqi shia militia or the syrian ndf at the present doing this?,frankly its more than silly to think that irans military today in the 2010s is the same ragtag collection of virtually untrained basij and the remnant of pahlavis us trained regular army that had survived the revolution and yet despite all that were still able to stop saddams forces during the iran iraq war.In the event of any war it would be the irgc and the regular army who would be doing the bulk of the fighting and judging by how well those they`ve trained have fought I would think that the regular forces would be very formidable not to mention pretty well equipped,in addition I would imagine that todays basij would have a level of training that their virtually untrained 1980s counterpart could only dream of.
We can use untrained militias in tens of thousands in a classic war against better armed enemy and afford loosing 2/3 of them with the hope that they would eventually break through enemy line, however when we have less than 10 thousand man we cannot use the same method and we have to adopt a guerrilla warfare to inflict maximum damage to much better equipped enemy and stop him achieving his goals which was the case for 2006 Lebanon war.
DeleteIn general I do not have any objection against what you have mentioned. My argument was and is about inadequate supply of material and equipment for our soldiers to fulfill their duties efficiently and in comparison I brought our neighboring country Turkey as an example. I consider the system governing the whole country including our army as a part from the whole responsible for such shortcomings and inefficiencies. Sometimes it is better to observe and copy what a successful system does rather than practicing your own way and committing try & error spending multiple time and money. Iran has the technology of manufacturing thermal imaging and night vision equipment as well as making armored vehicles then why we don't put all these capabilities together making an appropriate vehicle similar to those Turks has for our border guards. Making such an equipment is one thing and mass producing it is another thing. Based on my understanding from our sick system even if we produce such a vehicles we cannot produce it in a quantities that Turks does. Turks are taking orders for these vehicles from all over the world that's why their non-oil export is three time of our oil based export. We should quit saying empty rhetoric of "we can, we can" and observe what others do and try doing the same thing. I know it is much more difficult saying than doing because we are under sanctions and others are not, but isn't it because of the foreign policy depicted by the same system we have isolated ourselves from the rest of the world? Turkey, Brazil, India if not more independent than Iran are not less independent, then how come restrictions applied to Iran by the world has not applied to them. This system has been continuously shooting himself on the leg for past 37 years.
Now moderates have decided fixing it to the cost of depriving the country from nuclear technology. Unnecessary cost that we should not have paid is the regime has adopted wise policy for all these years.
I am sorry for jumping from one topic to another but they are all related to one another.
Hizbullah are a bunch of useless part timers who like to eat our food and play with our guns but can not defeat a bunch of dirty untrained alnusra and ISIL fighters let alone Israel I pray that ISIL cut their throats so we will be rid of them they are the embodiment of the word mozdoor
ReplyDeleteI doubt that ISIL or Al Nusra are untrained
DeleteIt is not easy to defeat Al Kaida.
Those people foughr the US Armee in Iraq, The American suffered high casualties.
Because the War in Syria ist street war, it es much more difficult.
It needs time for Hisbullah to eliminate every Sniper in Syrian Town.
however if You call Hisbullah Mozdor, than how can youz be ISIL Menber form Tunis, chechens, Saudi Arabia,... can be called ?
They are all dirty mozdoors. Look at Hamas they took the best missiles from Iran but did not even manage to get a single hit after that they betrayed Assad and now openly support alnusra, Saudi and negotiate with Israel. hisbullah was defeated by alnusra and ISIL because they do not have any intention to win. As soon as the war in Syria finishes they loose their purpose. To hell with all of them future middle east needs more peace and no mozdoors.
DeleteThat is nonsense and not a very realistic comment. Stay with the topic and not hate peddling.
DeleteHamas must hold diffcult Balance between Saudi and iran.
DeleteHamas needs both countries
Hamas and hisbullah are not mozdorm they are freedomfighters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CwxS0qhwR8 --- The greatest speaker of Iran.
DeleteAnon 3:15 AM
DeleteYes they fight for our free money equals mozdoor.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteNonsense, hamas has no manpower or logistics to fight in Yemen. They can't even cross into Rafah let alone "fight" in Yemen or anywhere. Where do you come up with such silly hyperbole? The only foreign force in Yemen is the civilian bombing Saudis and Emiratis, who are losing men and equipment rapidly to the Ansarollah.
DeleteAnon 6:34 AM, your comment was removed. We do not allow personal attacks on other commentators here. Please resubmit your comments without any personal attacks and name calling. Thanks.
DeleteIt's a discrace that they allow an Iranian soldier to live in a unprotected mud hut and wear a tin helmet without body armour.While Hezbollah lives in underground and air conditioned bunkers with fridge freezers and wearing full body armour. They clearly got their priorities wrong.
ReplyDeleteCorrection for 7:07 AM: typing error by me,"disgrace".
DeleteAnonymous September 2, 2015 at 7:07 AM
DeleteWho faces the more credible threat hezbollah who faces the might of the idf and have also been on the offensive in syria,or the border guards who face the odd drug smuggler or the occasional separatist terrorists?,now it would be nice if both groups could be well equipped but unfortunately real life often forces people and nations to prioritise and in this case hezbollah who are not just sitting around in "air conditioned bunkers with fridge freezers and wearing full body armour" but are actively fighting terror groups like isis and their western supplied fsa cousins who are intent on destroying syria,so I ask you again who has the most need?
Anon 7:06 AM
DeleteI don't care about Hezbollah facing Israel because it is irralevant as far as the Iranian people are concerned. How would you like your father,brother,son or yourself being equipped and protected by this sub standard material? The system in Iran is paying to protect a foreign soldier while neglecting the Iranian soldier to unnecessary dangers protecting the homeland.So my conclusion is an Iranian soldier must always have the utmost priority in training and equipment.