Military Capabilities, Defence Expenditure and Defense Industry of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

One of the most militarized regions in the world, one of the great powers of the security sub-complex of the Persian Gulf, the Islamic Republic of Iran has a considerable land, air, air defense separated from the air force in 2009 and naval force. Although its armed force can be considered large by regional standards, it has increasingly obsolete military equipment, especially in the air force. On the grounds of the Western sanctions, it is constantly striving to establish a domestic defense industry which is capable of satisfying all needs, during which it has achieved significant developments in certain military equipment, but at the same time it has not yet succeeded in completely breaking down the limits of dependence on external suppliers. The analysis focuses on the Persian state’s military capabilities and defense industry, particularly its ballistic missile program.