Periscope Depth 06/08/2023

Iran Touts New Hypersonic Missile
Julian Lark

The Iranian government has announced that it has completed development of its first hypersonic ballistic missile, which it has named Fattah (Victory).

On June 6, Tehran claimed that the missile has a top speed of Mach 13 to Mach 15, has a range of about 870 miles (1,400 km) and can breach all missile defense systems. Analysts noted that Mach 13-15 would be much faster than current hypersonic missiles, which fly at speeds of Mach 5-8, raising questions about the Iranian figures.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace program chief Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh acknowledged that the Fattah had not been test-fired but said it had been ground tested. Such trials involve putting a rocket engine on blocks and firing it and does not fully account for many launch conditions.

The type of hypersonic weapon the Fattah represents was not clear. Current designs are typically hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) or hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs). The former is carried into the atmosphere by a ballistic missile and released to glide to its target at hypersonic speeds. HCMs use onboard propulsion systems to propel it at hypersonic speeds, a challenging engineering problem...

Italian Army Eyes New Heavy Vehicle Capabilities By 2035
Aja Melville

The Italian army has announced new modernization efforts, including plans to update its heavy brigades and artillery corps.

During the DefenceIQ Future Artillery Conference in Munich in early June, Italy unveiled plans to strengthen its heavy brigades and artillery corps, reported Jane’s. These included the addition of two new regiments to its current nine tube and two deep-fire artillery regiments. The project includes upgrades to Italian PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and the procurement of High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), Spike Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) guided weapons and wheeled howitzers.

In September 2022, the European Defence Review revealed that Italy had made progress in its effort to modernize its heavy brigades. The two-phase program initially focused on enhancing existing vehicles, including the Ariete main battle tank, Dardo infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), and various specialized versions of the M113 armored personnel carrier.

The Ariete midlife update (MLU) is the most advanced program, with prototype testing already underway. Upgrades include a new powerpack, advanced sighting systems, an all-electric turret, new command system and improved mine protection. It would be equipped with a variety of armor packages based on the mission. Three prototypes were scheduled for delivery in early January to begin qualification trials...

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