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New Weapons = New Tactics

The "Year of the Missile" Continues. This graphic from Globalsecurity.org shows the nature of the weapons being used.

(Click to enlarge)

The Israelis have cleared the "Katushyas range", and are now faced with Fajr-5 missiles. These are large weapons, launched from big "semi" sized trucks. These weapons are also not "Free Fire" weapons like the Katushyas; they are aimed. This is not an inprecise terror weapon like the Katushya.

Here's what a Fajr Missile Launch Vehicle looks like( From Globalsecurity.org)

Note To Reuters: This is NOT a school bus, milk truck, red cross relief vehicle, a tour bus filled with refugees, or a roving gypsy pipe organ.

Expected change in tactics: I expect to see Israel step up air attacks on roads and any sort of wheeled vehicles that are moving in the area south of Sidon. The Fajr Missiles are not limited to the Litani like the Katushya have been. Israeli Apache and Drone activity is probably going to increase today in response to these attacks.

Question of the day: Unlike Katushyas that are only airborne for a very short time, Fajr-5 Missiles have to be airborne long enough to be intercepted by Arrow and Patriot Anti-Missile Defense systems.

So - Where are they?

Also - is there any word of any of our Burke Class Destroyers moving into the Eastern Mediteranean?

UPDATE:I think we all know that Iran is supplying these new weapons, but how many of us knew that the weapons probably originated - not in China - but from North Korea!

Globalsecurity.org is making the case that the "Iranian" Fajr-3 and Farj-5 missiles are actually from a system created in North Korea.

Gee, weren't the Iranians recently in North Korea witnessing a missile launch?


UPDATE: A response from John Pike of Globalsecurity.org in the Boston Globe on "where are the Patriot Missile Systems":

snip.

"The Patriot, which can cost around $1 million apiece, is hardly a cost-effective way to knock down the $500 to $2,000 Katyusha rockets that Iran has been supplying to Hezbollah, said John E. Pike , director of GlobalSecurity.org, a defense research group in Alexandria, Va. ``They're not going to waste a Patriot on them," Pike said. ``That's a losing proposition."..."

end snip.

Israeli Public sentiment may eventually override this decision. What's the sense in having a missile defense system if you cant afford to use it. In reposonse to Katushyas he may be right, but Farj and Zelzal long range weapons, it may be a different story.

Posted @ August 06, 2006 10:56 AM | Current Affairs