Anti-Armor Missiles Are Pouring Out Of Iran

Each year new anti-tank missiles appear in Iran but rather than a sign of extraordinary diversification these are variants spun off from previous models. Since last year an intriguing non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missile has entered service with the ground forces in small quantities. Its origins are traceable to April 2023 when a video clip published by local media showed a missile being tested against a tank. This was the Sadid-365 and what distinguished it is being tailored for the Soviet vintage BMP-2’s sole missile launcher.

Iran’s regular army and the mechanized units of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) operate the BMP-1 and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles that were both acquired in the 1990s. The small number of BMP-2’s have received minor upgrades over the years. The Sadid-365 is an NLOS missile whose control surfaces include a quartet of fixed wing stubs around its airframe and another set of folding fins behind it. When launched from the BMP-2’s turret using the pedestal or rail mount designed for the Fagot or Konkurs ATGM the Sadid-365 assumes a lofted trajectory and homes in on its target.

Contrary to Iran’s other anti-tank missiles that are manually and optically guided the Sadid-365 is an evolution of a small diameter bomb with an optoelectronic seeker. It appears the same airframe is repurposed for a surface-to-surface role and the result is either launched as a fire-and-forget munition or is guided during flight. In 2023 photos emerged from an exhibition at Isfahan displaying three different NLOS missiles–an air-launched “Sadid-3” and two other variants–that suggested a “family” of munitions. Months later, in April, a video clip of a live fire test for a Sadid-365 missile launched from a BMP-2 against a static target was shared by Iranian media.

After its publicized test in April 2023 the Sadid-365 was next seen during the Sacred Defense Week in September when a military parade was held at the circuit outside the mausoleum for the late Ayatollah Khomeini. A curious feature of the Sadid-365 that appeared on a BMP-2 is it lacked a box launcher. This inspires speculation how the missiles are stored within the vehicle. For the BMP-2 a small magazine holding extra missiles is found behind the commander’s seat below the turret. When reloading, the empty launcher is tilted upward and the commander slides and connects a fresh missile. This is an outdated process by today’s standards when ATGMs on combat vehicles are loaded in external box launchers that are either appendaged to turrets or concealed inside them and pop up for launch.

Iran’s defense ministry offers the original Sadid air-launched munitions for export under specific brand names and these appeared at Iranian pavilions in at least two countries so far: Russia and Qatar. As for the Sadid-365 its integration with the BMP-2 is a selling point for Iranian allies. At least four countries influenced by Tehran have ground forces that operate the BMP-2: Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Tajikistan. The emergence of Russia and North Korea as clients of Iranian arms exports mean the Sadid-365 may reach farther than anticipated. Iran’s own ground forces, whether it’s the regular army or the IRGC’s mechanized units, are stocked with diverse guided and unguided anti-armor weapons. The Sadid-365 may become a niche weapon in limited use although it’s possible a distinct vehicle with a multiple launcher for Sadids is revealed soon.

Iranian NLOS missiles are a growing category of weapons and include the heavier variants of the Almas and the Qaem or Shafaq, which resemble the US-made Hellfire. Just two short years after its first public appearance the Almas encompasses at least three missiles adapted for different launchers. Even the Dehlavieh, the Iranian copy of the Russian-made Kornet, follows the same path as the Almas and is a selection of missiles with enhanced range and diverse launching systems. Since 2023 there’s a lightweight anti-tank missile launcher called the Badr carrying a small top attack munition with a glass optoelectronic lens housing a seeker and chances are it too shall be adapted for roles beyond a portable infantry weapon.