The Diego Garcia Air Base Strike: The Means and the Consequences
Diego Garcia Island. The airfield and naval base are visible on the left.
Since February 28, Iran has been regularly inflicting missile Strikes against targets of their adversaries and their allies in the Middle East. Furthermore, attempts are being made to expand the geography of such attacks. For example, several days ago, Iran attempted to attack the American military base in Diego Garcia, located on the Chagos Archipelago. This facility was previously believed to be outside the area of responsibility of Iranian missile forces.
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The first reports of an Iranian attack on the Diego Garcia air base appeared on the morning of March 21 local time. news Foreign media outlets published similar reports, and then an official comment came from the US Central Command (US CENTCOM), which is responsible for Operation Epic Fury.
Iran reportedly launched two medium-range ballistic missiles of an unknown model, targeting a US military base in the Chagos Archipelago. Both missiles were reportedly detected by US missile defense systems during their flight.
A US Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, equipped with anti-missile systems, was in the missile flight area. It launched an SM-3 interceptor missile at one of the Iranian IRBMs. The results of this launch were not disclosed, but it is known that the ballistic missile failed to reach its target. The second missile experienced a malfunction in flight and crashed into the ocean.
Khorramshahr is one of Iran's modern IRBMs.
All the details of this "missile battle" remain unknown. The US and Iran, as well as anonymous media sources, are not sharing any intriguing details. Perhaps the situation will soon change, and new data will emerge, clarifying the picture and allowing for further conclusions.
The Iranian attempt to strike a foreign base has attracted increased attention. The minimum distance from Iran's southern coast to the Diego Garcia base exceeds 3800 km. This means that the Iranian armed forces now possess missile systems capable of attacking targets at similar distances.
Priority target
Since the beginning of the current conflict, Iranian forces have been attacking various US and Israeli military installations, including those located in third-party Middle Eastern countries. Moreover, the range of targets for such strikes has steadily expanded, including those of particular interest.
The latest target for Iranian missiles was an American base on a remote archipelago. It could have been attacked for several different reasons, with potential consequences, both military and otherwise.
It's worth remembering that the military base on Diego Garcia Island in the Chagos Archipelago was established in the mid-1960s. The island was then under British control, but was leased to the United States. Various naval and air force facilities were built there.
The Sejil complex is in position
The naval base on the island can accommodate US Navy warships of all classes, including aircraft carriers. Maintenance, cargo transfer, and other services are also possible. The base has a favorable geographic location and allows the Navy to operate freely across a significant portion of the Indian Ocean.
An airfield with a 3-kilometer runway was built. It can accommodate strategic bombers and military transport aircraft of all types. It expands the area of responsibility for long-range airspace. aviation, and the ability to transport troops and cargo is also improved.
Several Space Force facilities operate on Diego Garcia. They provide surveillance of near-Earth space and track various objects. A communications center, various command posts, and other facilities are also known to be present.
Essentially, the Diego Garcia base is a key US military facility in the Indian Ocean region. By attacking this facility, a potential adversary could inflict significant damage on US forces and significantly reduce their operational capabilities.
Moreover, a hypothetical successful strike on such a base would have political significance. It would demonstrate that the attacking country has the necessary weapons for such an operation and is capable of using them. Furthermore, the penetration of even a single missile could damage the US's reputation as a significant power in the region.
Khyber missile launch
Long range
Iran has developed and fielded a large number of ground-based ballistic missile systems of various classes, including both tactical and medium-range missiles. All modern examples of such weapons have been and are being used in Operation True Promise, including the current one.
It's worth recalling that Iran previously committed to not developing, producing, or fielding missile systems with a range of 2 kilometers or more. At the time, it was believed that such a voluntary restriction would positively impact the situation in the region and prevent potential escalation.
As events in recent years have shown, such measures have not been justified. At the same time, Iran has gained the moral right to lift its missile range restrictions and begin developing a new one. weapons or modernization of existing models. The results of this work were first shown on the night of March 21.
The exact missile system that attacked the American base remains unknown. Various theories have been put forward, including the use of modified missiles from existing types or the first combat use of entirely new systems. Which of these assumptions is true remains unclear.
The simplest theory, however, involves a specially designed missile from one of the existing types. Thus, an IRBM with a rated range of no more than 2 km could be equipped with a non-standard, lighter warhead. The reduced weight would improve the missile's power-to-weight ratio and thereby increase its range.
This scenario doesn't contradict physics, but it does raise some questions. For example, it's unclear how much the payload had to be reduced to double the range. The most advanced Iranian missiles, such as the Khorramshahr series IRBM, have a throw-weight of 1500-1800 kg. A hypothetical extended-range modification would then be able to carry only hundreds of kilograms.
At the same time, the possibility of developing an entirely new, longer-range missile system cannot be ruled out. In particular, this new design could explain the malfunctions on one of the launched missiles. However, no information on this matter is currently available. Furthermore, it is unclear why Iran did not take advantage of the opportunity to showcase its new IRBM with improved characteristics and capabilities.
First try
Iran is once again demonstrating its advanced long-range weaponry. Using its ballistic missiles and UAVs, it is striking distant enemy targets, both in neighboring countries and in Israel. Furthermore, an attempt was made to attack the Diego Garcia air base, some 4 km away.
It's safe to assume that the Iranian armed forces won't limit themselves to two IRBMs and will attempt another attack on the American base in the near future. Whether they will succeed in hitting important targets and disabling them remains to be seen. However, Iran now has the necessary tools, capabilities, and, importantly, the will to do so.
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