Iranian Qader and Nasr Air-to-Surface Missiles Unveiled

Iran has unveiled the latest air-to-surface variants of its locally produced Qader and Nasr missiles on local television. Previous variants had been of the surface-to-surface variant. The missiles have a range of around 200 and 35 km respectively.

Both the Qader and Nasr missiles are believed to be derivatives of the C-802 and C-704 missiles from China which were acquired starting in the early nineties and which Iran has subsequently modified.

Iran is also known to have supplied locally produced Nasr missiles to Hamas in Lebanon, some of which have been intercepted and confiscated by Israel against whom they were supposed to be used.

Iran has managed to integrate the air launched missiles onto western aircraft such as the American F-4 Phantom which would give Iran the capability to lacunh precison strikes that it did not possess previously.

Surprisingly, Iran has managed to keep operational many of its mostly western aircraft despite sanctions imposed for several decades now that have deprived Iran from acquiring parts and other supplies through normal means.

Most noteworthy is the American F-14 Tomcat which is still believed to be in service in Iran, the only country in the world to which the United States had exported the F-14. The only other user of the F-14 was the United States Navy which retired their F-14 several years ago.