Ground Forces Doctrine
The Iranian Ground Forces operate in accordance with the following doctrine:
The Iranian have a Russian based military force. The primary elements for conducting major military operations are Regiments. Supporting the maneouver regiments are various other units such as artillery battalion, Rocket artillery battalion, Recon company, Logistical Battalions In addition the Regiments will normally be attached an Air Defence Battalion to protect against air threats See: Air Defence Doctrine
Regiment
The Iranians have 3 standard maneuverregiments:
- Armored Regiment: Main Battle Tanks (MBT’s) as the primary weapon.
- Mechanized Infantry Regiment: Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV’s) as the primary weapon.
- Motorized Infantry Regiment: Armored Personell Carriers (APC’s) as the primary weapon.
The Armoured Regiments are considered the primary fighting force for offensive operations, and will normally be conserved as much as possible for counterattacks or offensive operations.
All three types of regiments can conduct both offensive and defensive operations, however, the Motorized Infantry Regiments are not well suited for offensive operations and is normally only used for defensive operations, or supporting the other regiments.
Each Regiment consist of 2 maneuver Battalions (with MBT, IFV or APC), the Regiment will also have a artillery battery attached in direct support, the Regiment is led by a Regimental HQ platoon.
Reconnaissance Company
Recon Companys have specially trained personell to call in airstrikes, artillery or collect intelligence. Recon units work in smaller units, and relies on not getting detected while doing their missions. The Recon units are normally supporting other units, either in direct support (attached to a specific unit) or in general support (providing ad-hoc support).
A Recon Company is broken down into 3 platoons.
Each platoon have 3 teams. Of the 3 teams, 2x teams are equipped with Land Rovers, while the last team is recon team of soldiers without a vehicles.
The last team normally inserts via helicopter, walking, or other non-traditional insertion methods.
Artillery Battalion
A artillery battalion consists of 3 artillery batteries and a HQ element to coordinate the fires from supporting units.
The artillery batteru are equipped with 3x SPH 2S19 Msta launchers and 2x supply trucks.
The HQ consist of 1x CP SKP-11 ATC Mobile Command Post, 2x CP Ural-375 PBU, 3x Ural-4320T
Rocket Artillery Battalion
A Rocket artillery battalion consist of 3 Rocket artillery batteries and a HQ element to coordinate the fires from supporting units.
The rocket artillery battery are equipped with 3 BM-21 GRAD launchers and 2 supply trucks.
The HQ consist of 3x CP Ural-375 PBU, 3x KAMAZ-43101 and 2x UAZ-469
Logistical Battalion
A logistical Battalion is broken down into 3 different Companies:
- Company 1: 2 x platoons with ATMZ-5 Fuel trucks (3 per platoon) delivering fuel
- Company 2: 2 x platoons with Ural 375 truckes (3 per platoon) delivering ammunition
- Company 3: 2 x platoons with KAMAZ 43101 trucks (3 per platoon) delivering ammunition or food
Tactics
The manuever regiments are the frontline forces and conduct the heavy fighting.
For offensive operations the artillery battalion or rocket artillery battalions will be supporting the maneuver regiment by conducting SHAPING fires prior to the attack, and by providing fires during the offensive.
Prior to offensive operations the manuever regiment will be supplied from logistical battalions.
For defensive operations, the artillery battery attached to the regiments will support with necessary fires.
For defensive operations the support platoons organic to the maneuver battalions will support with necessary logistics.
Indicators
The following indicators can help identify if forces are going on the offensive or on the defensive. These indicators can aid pilots for filling out the After Action Reports with necessary intelligence that can be valuable for next operations.
- Assembly of Artillery units bigger than artillery battery (3 artillery tubes)
- Assembly of Rocket artillery
- Large formations of utility veichles ( fueltrucks, ammunition trucks, trucks) close to maneuver battalions.
- RW activity in front of enemy frontline formations (insertion of Recon units)
- Armored units (MBT’s) forming up in more than company size
- Identification of BM-21 GRAD launchers (indicating Rocket artillery battery or battalion)
- Identification of SPH 2S19 Msta artillery launchers (indicating presence of artillery battalion)
- Identification of HQ of either Rocket artillery BN or Artillery BN, as these are different from maneuver regiments and identification of a HQ gives the likely area for the battalion.
List of standard units
Armored Regiment (Main Battle Tank Regiment)
| Unit | Size |
|---|---|
| Regiment HQ | Platoon |
| Artillery Battery | Battery |
| MBT BN 1 | Battalion |
| MBT BN 2 | Battalion |
Regimental Headquarter
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
| Regiment HQ | Platoon | Headquarter | 1x Mobile Command Post, 2x UAZ 469, 2x KAMAZ 43101, 1x ZIL 131 KUNG |
Artillery Battery
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
| Arty Battery 1 | Battery 1 | Artillery | 3x Artillery tubes, 2x Utility vehicles |
Main Battle Tank Battalion
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBT Company 1 | Company 1 | Line company | |
| Platoon 11 | Line platoon | 3 x MBT’s | |
| Platoon 12 | Line platoon | 3 x MBT’s | |
| MBT Company 2 | Company 2 | Line company | |
| Platoon 21 | Line platoon | 3 x MBT’s | |
| Platoon 22 | Line platoon | 3 x MBT’s | |
| MBT Company 3 | Company 3 | Support Company | |
| Platoon 31 | Support platoon | 3 x Utility vehicles | |
| Platoon 32 | Support platoon | 3 x Utility vehicles |
Mechanized Infantry Regiment
| Unit | Size |
|---|---|
| Regiment HQ | Platoon |
| Artillery Battery | Battery |
| Mechanized Infantry BN 1 | Battalion |
| Mechanized Infantry BN 2 | Battalion |
Regimental Headquarter
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
| Regiment HQ | Platoon | Headquarter | 1x Mobile Command Post, 2x UAZ 469, 2x KAMAZ 43101, 1x ZIL 131 KUNG |
Artillery Battery
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
| Arty Battery 1 | Battery 1 | Artillery | 3x Artillery tubes, 2x Utility vehicles |
Mechanized Infantry Battalion
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanized Infantry Company 1 | Company 1 | Line company | |
| Platoon 11 | Line platoon | 3 x IFV | |
| Platoon 12 | Line platoon | 3 x IFV | |
| Mechanized Infantry Company 2 | Company 2 | Line company | |
| Platoon 21 | Line platoon | 3 x IFV | |
| Platoon 22 | Line platoon | 3 x IFV | |
| Mechanized Infantry Company 3 | Company 3 | Support Company | |
| Platoon 31 | Support platoon | 3 x Utility vehicles | |
| Platoon 32 | Support platoon | 3 x Utility vehicles |
Motorized Infantry Regiment
| Unit | Size |
|---|---|
| Regiment HQ | Platoon |
| Artillery Battery | Battery |
| Motorized Infantry BN 1 | Battalion |
| Motorized Infantry BN 2 | Battalion |
Regimental Headquarter
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
| Regiment HQ | Platoon | Headquarter | 1x Mobile Command Post, 2x UAZ 469, 2x KAMAZ 43101, 1x ZIL 131 KUNG |
Artillery Battery
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
| Arty Battery 1 | Battery 1 | Artillery | 3x Artillery tubes, 2x Utility vehicles |
Motorized Infantry Battalion
| Unit | Size | Type | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorized Infantry Company 1 | Company 1 | Line company | |
| Platoon 11 | Line platoon | 3 x APC | |
| Platoon 12 | Line platoon | 3 x APC | |
| Motorized Infantry Company 2 | Company 2 | Line company | |
| Platoon 21 | Line platoon | 3 x APC | |
| Platoon 22 | Line platoon | 3 x APC | |
| Motorized Infantry Company 3 | Company 3 | Support Company | |
| Platoon 31 | Support platoon | 3 x Utility vehicles | |
| Platoon 32 | Support platoon | 3 x Utility vehicles |