33rd Artillery Group

The Army's 33rd Artillery Group is based south-west of Tehran in a range of hills that host a number of other military units, including the Army's 23rd Commando Division to the south/south-east, and a sprawling industrial complex to the north-east associated with the Sepah Aerospace Force's missile development program. The artillery group itself shares its garrison with the NEZAJA's 99th Air Defense Group. The garrison is divided roughly in half by a large parade ground, with the 99th Group occupying the western portion, and the 33rd the eastern portion.

Thanks to it proximity to the capital, Google Earth offers a range of imagery from 10/2003, 05/2010, 07/2010, 05/2011, 06/2011, 09/2011, 06/2012, 10/2012, 05/2013, much of high quality. Furthermore, Wikimapia includes a host of user annotations, detailing the identity of certain buildings. Although it is risky to trust entirely in the credibility of these annotations, they are invaluable in many cases.

Secondary features noted on Wikimapia include: a fire-station (1), a bakery and adjacent tailor/barber (2), a dining-area/movie-theater (3), two clinics (4), communications building (5), intelligence department (6), general-staff offices (7), political-ideology department (8), guest-residences (9), water treatment plant (10), and offices for military police (11).

These annotations also provide clues as to the group's force structure. It confirms that the multi-stored T-shaped buildings are unit-barracks, including the 388th [Artillery] Battalion (12), 325th Air Defense Battalion (13), a command and headquarters battery (14). Another three barracks (15) aren't labeled, likely corresponding to an additional two artillery battalions, and – possibly – a training battalion. Note the distinct construction style employed in these barracks; multi-story (4-5 stories) battalion housing rather than shorter (1-2 stories) company housing employed elsewhere.

This nominal organization is supported by the NEZAJA's ever-so thoughtful decision to park their equipment in uncovered, well-organized motor-pools. In fact, this group provides an excellent case study in small-unit organization. Three battalions of guns are visible. Two of these (16) are equipped with the 130mm M-46 / Type-59 towed-gun, organized into three batteries around six guns each, though sometimes this number varies up or down. The third battalion (17) is equipped with the 155 mm GHN-45 gun, which can be identified by its characteristic appearance when locked in travel configuration; like the D-30, the GHN-45's barrel is reversed and locked backwards over its trails when it is towed, making it appear square on overhead imagery. Although this battalion also has three batteries, the average strength of each battery is four-five, rather than six, guns.

From time to time, guns are removed from their respective batteries are can be found in the large, unpaved parade yard bisecting the compound, likely for purposes of routine training / weapon-familiarization. The 05/2011 imagery in notable in that it shows a handful of guns obscured by camouflage netting (18)

The image quality is high enough to allow for a high-confidence assessment of each battalion's support equipment as well. Gun tractors are uniformly Kraz-6322 6x6 trucks, while battery support vehicles include the smaller Kraz-5233 4x4. At the battalion level, truck-variety expands and uniform identification is impossible, though they surely include, or are in a comparable series to, the Mercedes Benz L 911/1924 range, which have historically served as the platform for carrying command/communication-shelters, bakeries and workshop containers, or as prime-movers for trailers. A number of these trailers are visible, including POL tanks, and generators and/or field-kitchens. At least some of them are the more modern cab-over-engine variants. These same vehicle-types of vehicles are also found at the group-level.

There is no readily visible equipment that would belong to the air defense battalion, though this isn't surprising considering that they would be restricted to towed or truck-mounted Zu-23-2s, and MANPADs. However, the motor-pool belonging to the command and headquarters battery (19) is marked on Wikimapia, showing a handful (<5) of cab-over-engine and cab-after-engine medium trucks. Also present are a number of smaller in the ¼ - ¾ ton range. At least one bucket loader and one digger are visible over the range of available imagery.

61st 'Muharram' Artillery Group

The Sepah's 61st 'Muharram' Artillery Group is based near the north-eastern city of Torbat Heydariyeh in the Razavi Khorasan province, and is commanded by Sarhang (Colonel) Bani-Hassan. Its garrison can be found just east of the Mashhad-Torbat Heydariyeh expressway, butted up against the southern face of the adjacent mountain range.

Col. Bani-Hassan; note artillery branch service insignia (Taban Torbat)

Google Earth offers imagery of the area from 12/2003, 09/2011, 03/2012, and 11/2012. Bing offers a slightly higher quality of the same 03/2012 imagery.

The internal layout and characteristic features of this base are consistent with the limited number of other Sepah base's detailed thus-far (the 21st and 60th armored brigades). This includes the group headquarters (1), which can be identified by their placement near both the parade yard, and the main-entry / round about. The actual building style is nearly identical to that used by the 21st IAB in Neyshabur.

The battalion clusters are similarly organized. Three clusters are readily apparent (2), each with two barracks of the same type observed in Neyshabur. Although there isn't the same degree of uniformity in secondary buildings, two of the clusters can each be associated with six identical warehouse-type buildings (3). The northern-most cluster saw a seventh warehouse constructed between 09/2011 and 03/2012. These three clusters likely correspond to the group's combat units. One more characteristically barracks-type building (4) can be found near the entrance to the garrison, close to a large warehouse and logistics equipment (tractors and storage containers) (5). This may correspond to the group's combat service support.

The large building south-west of the headquarters, which can be identified by it's intricate/atypical roof structure, likely corresponds to the prayer-building/lecture-hall, which itself is likely associated with the garrison's ideological/political department (6).

Secondary facilities outside of the main garrison include two firing ranges, whose refurbishment/construction started sometime before 09/2011. Next to these two ranges is another open area with a number of unknown white objects (tents perhaps?), whose purpose is equally unknown. Dotting the nearby fields are a number of revetments that are traditionally associated with artillery positions. One main revetment holds the gun, while one or two revetted 'lobes' at the base protect ammunition and/or the gun-crew.

Between 03/2012 and 11/2012, construction on eight buildings (7) of an unknown purpose began to the northwest of the main garrison compound. A road (8) leads north of the garrison into the foothills of the mountains to a security perimeter that encloses the groups modest number of hardened-shelters (six) used for munition storage.

Like other Sepah facilities the author has observed, the 61st Artillery Group continues has continued with that pesky tendency to conceal their combat equipment under cover, making it more difficult to discern their force structure. However, media descriptions of the group's recent October 2013 exercises help shed some light in this regard.

 Specifically, the describe the composition of the 323rd artillery battalion as consisting of thee batteries of guns, and two batteries of rocket artillery. The rocket-battery strength was further specified at four BM-21 variants each. At least two types have been seen, a 40-round launcher mounted on a L-series Mercedez Benz chassis, or a 30-round launcher mounted on an unknown chassis. The strength of the gun batteries is unknown, but they were shown using D-74/Type-60 (122 mm) towed guns. EDIT - The guns pictured are actually the Type 59-1, which mounts the 130 mm barrel from the Type 59 on the Type 60 chassis, which can easily lead to confusion between the two the key recognitions points to the Type 60. To tell the two apart, note the ammunition style.

Tube Artillery on Exercise (IRNA / Taban Torbat)

The choice to organize rocket batteries alongside tube batteries is an interesting operational choice since it indicates that the traditional doctrinal employment of rocket artillery – massed volleys that deliver overwhelming levels of fire in a small time span – has been de-emphasized.

Rocket Artillery on Exercise (IRNA / Taban Torbat)

 While one might expect to find some amount of larger caliber battlefield rockets (ex: Nazeat, Zelzal) in the hands of artillery groups, it's worth remembering that these assets are held by the Sepah's Aeropsace Force rather than Sepah Ground Force's artillery groups.

References

Interview with group-commander Colonel Bani-Hassan

Date: October 3, 2013

http://www.tabantorbat.ir/Fa/%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C/3217-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%86%DA%AF-%D8%A8%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AE%DA%AF%D9%88%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%DA%A9%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%AF%D8%B4%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%85.html

Interview with deputy-group-commander Colonel Torabi

Date: October 8, 2013

http://razavi.basij.ir/?q=node/7627

Description of early-October exercises:

http://www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/161485

http://www3.rkhorasan.irna.ir/fa/News/80849667/%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%DB%8C/%D8%B1%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4_%D8%AA%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%AA%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C_%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87_61_%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87_%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85_%D8%AF%D8%B1_%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87_%D8%B1%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D8%A2%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2_%D8%B4%D8%AF

Photos from early-October exercises
http://mashhad.irna.ir/PhotoDetail.aspx?NID=180849794

http://www.tabantorbat.ir/Fa/component/content/article/11-%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C/3314-%D8%B1%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87-61-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%85-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%AD%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%87.html

60th 'Ammar Yasir' Armored Brigade

Colonel Ali Koohi (Qaboos Nameh)

The Sepah's 60th 'Ammar Yasir' armored brigade is based in the north-eastern city of Gonbad-e Kavus in the Golestan province, and is commanded by Sarhang (Colonel) Ali Koohi. The brigade's garrison is a miniscule 10 hectares, which – for comparison – is similar in size to a garrison one kilometer north, which belongs to a small detatchment from the Army's 30th Infantry Division. Despite this, it is relatively well mechanized for a force its size.


Google Earth offers imagery from August 2010, July 2011 (poor-quality), January 2012, March 2012 and May 2013. Bing Maps supplements this with imagery from July 2011 (high quality).

 
The core of the brigade's fighting strength consists of a battalion of T-54/55 tanks, which includes both the 'clean' Type-69, and upgraded T-72Z/Safir-74 types. Around 40 of these are visible on GE's 08/2010 imagery. (1) In 01/2012, three of them can be clearly seen in the parade yard loaded on to tank-transporters. (2)

T-72Z/Safir-74 (IRNA) and Type-69 (Arteshi Forum)

Supporting these tanks are a handful of other light AFVs. This includes the BMP-1 IFV; no more than six of which are visible on GE at any given time, though the fact that these are seen extending from a garage suggest there may be more under cover. (3)

BMP-1 (Arteshi Forum and IRNA)

 Though the Boragh mortar carrier has been seen on parade, it cannot be confidently identified on the overhead imagery. One candidate are three BMP-sized AFVs adjacent to the garage, which appear to lack the distinctive circular turret of the BMP-1. (4) That being said, these differences are so miniscule that it's impossible to tell for sure; the turret is often the first recognition feature to disappear in overhead imagery. Another candidate are two more BMP-sized AFVs visible in 08/2013 with a unique hull-deck profile. An alternative explanation for these two is that the profile is caused by covered Zu-23-2 guns on a pair of Boragh air-defense vehicles. (5)

(IRNA)

In addition to this, at least three M113 APCs are consistently visible, which are likely used as command vehicles. (6) A fourth AFV, while bearing an uncanny similarity to the M113, appears to be far larger. (7) It may be a turret-less tank hull.

The most interesting AFV used by this brigade is, by far, is the EE-9 Cascavel III. While Iran is reported to have imported 130 from Libya in 1980, the fact that Libya operated the Cascavel II variant*, which can be identified by its lack of commander's cupola, suggests this is one of the many captured from Iraq. At least one can be seen on GE's 03/2012 imagery. 

* - Very little photographic evidence of Libyan EE-9s exist. Thus, it is possible that Libya procured Cascavel IIIs in addition to the Cascavel IIs they are known to have imported.

EE-9 Cascavel III (IRNA) Note:For some reason, Blogger feels compelled to flip this image. My apologies.

Other than this, there is a notable lack of visible artillery (whether towed or self-propelled) in either overhead or parade imagery. There is also a lack of soft-skin vehicles, though these very well may be under cover. Unlike other Sepah Ground Force garrisons, there is little to no dedicated cover for the AFVs, raising the question of where they go when they're not visible. Similarly, there is little on-base infrastructure like that found in Neyshabur – buildings like wharehouses and workshops.

References

http://qaboosnameh.com/1392/06/31/هفته-دفاع-مقدس-یادآور-دلاورمردی-های-شه/

21st 'Imam Reza' Armored Brigade

The Sepah's 21st Armored Brigade – nicknamed the 'Imam Reza Brigade' – is based in the northeastern city of Neyshabur in the Razavi Khorasan province. It is currently commanded by Brig. Gen. 2nd Class Mohsen Qajaryan.

Gen. Qajaryan (

Google Earth offers imagery of the base from February 2004, October 2009, June 2011, February 2013 (partial coverage only), and July 2013. Bing supplements this with October 2010 imagery.

Compared to the relatively cramped army garrisons, the 21st AB garrison is located on approximately 400 hectares next to the city's power-plant. A seperate housing complex along the eastern edge of the city may be affiliated with the brigade, but this possibility is unconfirmed.

The existence of separate housing might help explain the shortage of on-base billeting, which includes facilities for at least two battalions. (1) Each battalion has three barracks (one per company), an office-building/HQ, and another ancillary building clustered together; both clusters face a parade yard, another key recognition feature for troop billeting. Further barracks may be found around a second parade yard to the north. (2) These buildings have the flat-roofs typical of barracks, but lack of distinct cluster pattern necessary for a more confident assessment.

To add to this, one media report listed five of the brigade's battalions. Two of them were helpfully named after their function – the artillery and commando battalions – while the remaining three's names didn't give any clue as to their precise function – the Nazeat, Noor, and Fateh battalions.

Other facilities within the garrison include three administrative office buildings located near the above-mentioned battalion clusters and parade-yard. (3) These can be identified by their proximity to the front of the base, the fact that they present an open face to the road, and that they have adjacent parking areas, and well-manicured grounds. Interestingly, they appear similar in construction to one of the primary office buildings found in the Army's new Zahedan garrison.

To the north-east of this 'block' is a suspected prayer-room/auditoreum, whose manicured garden suggests ceremonial use, though the fact it's next to the obstacle course may suggest it's a gym. (4) Another possible canidate for the garrison's gym also has a manicured garden, but also has some sort of court painted on the ground next to it. (5) Unlike many military garrisons, there is no soccer field present.

In between these two blocks is a fenced-in area with 14 metal/gable-roofed buildings. (6) This style of construction, along with the adjacent shipping containers, road-use patterns, and concrete ramps suggest these are warehouses. Note the secondary perimeter with two more - possibly climate controlled - warehouses.

To the far east is another metal/gable-roofed building. The varying (small) number and type of armored and heavy wheeled vehicles suggest it is the brigade's maintenance workshops. (7)

A key difference between Sepah and Artesh garrisons is the former's consistent use of covered garages for equipment storage, particularly when it comes to armored vehicles. One prominent visual feature of the base are its 18 11-bay garages, which obscure the nature and number of the brigade's armor. (8) Theoretically this offers enough space for up to 198 armored vehicles, though it's doubtful every bay is continually occupied.

Despite these challenges, some of the brigade's force-structure can be pieced together. For instance, media reporting has shows the use of the Boragh APC in the Sepah's traditional two-tone brown-and- sand paint scheme. Parade imagery from September 2013 has also T-72 tanks, which can be confirmed via the 10/2009 and 06/2011 imagery, which show a handful of T-series tanks out from under cover. M113 and Boragh APCs are also occasionally seen, whether peeking out from under a garage, or loitering about in the worshop yard. (9) In the same 2013 parade described above, Iranian media also reported (but did not photograph) on the "Raad" tank" and the "Rakhsh" tank. The former is likely a reference to the Raad-2 self-propelled howitzer, which is know to be operated by Sepah armored units such as the 41st and 31st divisions. The Rakhsh tank, while perhaps a reference to the four-wheeled Rakhsh APC, may also be a reference to the T-72 equipped with slat armor often seen on parade in Tehran, but never observed in an operational capacity (neither of these, it should be noted, are 'tanks')

Boragh performing disaster-relief and T-72 on Parade (INN/Attarnet)

Beyond these 18 garages, much of the brigade's other motor vehicles have disappeared under cover since 2004. Near the front of the garrison is a motor-pool for the heavy-equipment transports, including the flat-bed trailers used for moving armor, which can be identified thanks to the shadows cast by their loading ramps. (10) As per parade photography, these are pulled by the 6x6 Titan tractors favored by Sepah units for operational mobility.

The brigade's lighter wheeled vehicles are most visible in the 02/2004 imagery. (11) This number includes at least 15 Jeeps, which are for carrying support weapons like the 106 mm recoilless rifle, TOW ATGM and 107 mm rockets. Upwards of fourty land-cruiser pickups, or ¾ ton tactical vehicles. These can function as weapon platforms as well, carrying Zu-23-1/2 guns, or small banks of 122 mm rockets. These lightweight, wheeled vehicles also function as general purpose and command vehicles. A smaller number of larger trucks are visible – likely Mercedes Benz 911 or 1924 types – are visible here and in the transport motor pool previously described above.

Another distinct compound that has since been obscured with overhead cover is the combat engineering battalion, which has the usual range of bright-yellow earth moving equipment. This compound also includes the most interesting piece of equipment in the garrison – the Serat AVLB. (12) The Serat is an IRGC project based off the T-72 hull that was first displayed in Neyshabur by the 21st AB in 2009. Unlike the Army's Chieftain AVLB, this design operates by sliding its bridge forward rather than unfolding it like a pair of scissors. The logic behind this mechanism is that it presents a lower profile target to the enemy while it is being deployed. While this may seem like a waste of T-72, it must be remembered that the IRGC-GF doesn't have any armored-bridging capability of their own; it's not like they they can deploy any of the remaining Chieftain AVLBs because a) the administrative/chain-of-command seperation between them and the army, and b) the geographical seperation between them and the Artesh units that do operate the AVLBs in Zanjan, Qazvin, and Hamedan. This is just one of the negative effects of operating a wide variety of vehicle types, and of having a parallel ground-force structure betwen the Sepah and Artesh. Wisdom or lack thereof aside, the Serat first appears on overhead imagery in 10/2009, 10/2010, 06/2011, but is absent by 02/2013.

Serat AVLB (DIO Export Catalogue)

The emergence of this prototype at the garrison sheds light on raison d'etre for the fairly complex automotive testing track adjacent to the garrison. (13) Built sometime around 2004, the track includes a fording pond, inclines, trenches (speaking of bridging!), a figure-8, zig-zags, S-curves, sharp turn(s), a straight-away and a handful of other obstacles.

References:
[title] Khorasan News. 07/06/13. http://www.khorasannews.com/News.aspx?type=2&year=1392&month=4&day=15&id=4958667

The Best of the 21^st Brigade's Sporting Events Identified. Mehr News. 02/15/13. Archived at: http://94.232.172.78/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=1817089

The Serat bridgelayer tank, another achievement of Sepah engineers, was unveiled on the third day of Sacred Defense Week in Neyshabur. Via Military of Iran Blog. 10/04/2009. Note: Repost of now-defunct IRNA article. 
http://militaryofiran.parsiblog.com/Posts/71/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%DA%A9+%D9%BE%D9%84+%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2

Military Forces Parade in Neyshabur. Attar News. 09/22/13. http://www.attarnews.ir/Fa/%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3/2118-%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%B1%DA%98%D9%87-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%AD-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B1

 [Boragh image] http://inn.ir/NSite/FullStory/News/?Serv=0&Id=140011&Rate=0

72nd Independent Mechanized Infantry Brigade

Note: "(_)" corresponds to numbered map inlays, while "[_]" correspond to end-notes.

Another brigade with little written about it, is the 72nd independent mechanized-infantry brigade stationed in Iran's south-western Khuzestan province.

While one July 2011 report from 'Oromiyeh Sport' describes the brigade as being based in the city of Susengard, this is unlikely given that there are no significant garrisons close to the city. [1] On the other hand, a March 2013 report from IRNA indicated that the brigade is based in Andimeshk, north of Dezful. [2] Furthermore, an autobiographical account by Brigadier General 2nd Class Mehboob Qurbani – the former commander of the brigade – places the brigade in the Dokooheh Garrison just north of Andimeshk, which is backed up by user annotations on Wikimapia. [3] [4]

(Arcmap)

During the Iran-Iraq war, this garrison was a major base for IRGC units, including the 27th division, and the 7th, 8th, 14th and 17th brigades. [5] Today, the garrison's functions include use as a war-memorial and is included as a stop-over point for the 'Rahin-e Noor' (path of light) tours, which gives citizens an opportunity to visit battlefields.

Available Google Earth imagery dates from October 2010 (in select portions only) May 2012 (black and white) and April 2013 (color), and available Bing imagery dates from sometime before, but close to, May 2012.

Located along the north-south Road 37, a handful of military compounds are located on either side of the road, which may be administratively part of, or distinct from, the Dokooheh garrison. These include a munitions depot with hardened-shelters and revetted storage facilities. Opposite the garrison, on the eastern side of the highway is a major compound under construction, whose purpose and ownership is unknown.

(GE)

The first of the compounds linked with the brigade, labeled 'northern facility' on the above map - includes barracks for at least eight companies worth of soldiers. Four of these 'T'-shaped buildings, along with smaller ancillary buildings, are clustered around a respective 'H'-shaped headquarters. (1) [6]

Observable assets at this base include nine BTR-60s and 11 tanks (likely T-72s) in proximity to covered vehicle garages, both of which are roughly equal to one companies worth of vehicles (2). There is a moderate-to-high probability that there are several M113/M577 command vehicles. It's noteworthy that the imagery of the BTR-60s are among the clearest on Google Earth, clearly showing their pointed noses, sloped/ squared rear ends, and the shadow from the skewed-forward turret*.

(GE/Bing)

* - Iranian BTR-60PBs have been seen armed with both a turret-mounted 14.5 mm KPV and pintle-mounted 12.7 mm DShK. It's possible the latter is responsible for the distinct shadowing. The following image is from Dezful's Army Day 2013 celebrations, which may show BTR's belonging to the 72nd MIB; note the same light-sand paint scheme. However, since the parade also featured units from the 292nd AB, confirmation is impossible. Note the M577s in the distant background.

(ISNA)

While both Bing and GE show M109 SPGs on the edge of the parade-yard, the Bing imagery shows them at full battalion strength. (3) Unlike other M109 battalions in Iran, each battery has a strength of five, rather than four guns, giving a total strength of 15 guns/Bn.

To the south of the northern facility is a secondary cluster of buildings with a greater number of armored vehicles, including 22 M113 APCs (4) and around 40 mixed AFVs of an indeterminate type (5, 6). Although this case-study will be explored – and hopefully resolved – later in a series on armor identification, the working assumption is that they are assigned to mechanized infantry battalions; the other alternative is that some of them are Boragh AMVs that belong to combat-support units.

(GE/Bing)

One possibility is that the M113s and BTRs comprise a mixed-battalion with two companies of the former, and one company of the latter, with a total strength of around 30 APCs, with the total varying according to unit readiness at any given time.

---

Though not strictly linked with the brigade per se, the presence of Rahin-e Noor facilities in the garrison means more than a handful of private pictures are available on the internet.

GE / Various Private Pictures

Cites and Footnotes
[1] (July 6, 2011) - http://www.urmia-sport.com/254/%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AC-%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%DB%8C
[2] (March 21, 2013) (cached) - http://ahvaz.irna.ir/html/1392/13920129/80619470.htm
[3] (Jan 28, 2013) http://newsemnan.sajed.ir/Menu1/Description.aspx?id=3037
[4] - http://wikimapia.org/23289360/fa/%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%88%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%87%D9%87-%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%BE-72-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%87-%D9%85%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B2%D9%87
[5] - http://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AF%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%AF%D9%88%DA%A9%D9%88%D9%87%D9%87
[6] – Identification of buildings based on Wikimapia user annotions on the new Birjand training garrison, which give clues to basic layout and role of buildings.

The Bani-Hashem Armored Complex

The Bani-Hashem Armored Complex

Following the conclusion of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, the new president of the Islamic Republic– Hashemi Rafsanjani – was tasked with rebuilding a shattered country. Not least of all, this meant rebuilding the Armed Forces's depleted inventories. Reflecting the broader shift towards pragmatism that took place during the Rafsanjani administration, Tehran turned towards the USSR to rebuild it's armored forces, the same state whose deep fear of Khomenei's revolutionary ideology drove it to back Saddam's Iraq to the hilt during the eight-year war.

Following a handful of deals in 1989, and 1990 a major agreement for the production of armored vehicles was signed in 1991. Mikhail Barabanov, in a 2006 issue of 'Moscow Defense Brief', describes the deal:

"The fourth and the largest ($2.2 bln) contract was signed on November 13, 1991 for the licensed production in Iran of 1000 T72S tanks and 1500 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as ammunition and delivery of parts not licensed for production until 2011. Russia built the tank factory, which began production on July 8, 1997 in Dorud (Lurestan province), and the BMP-2 factory, which started work in 1998, in Tehran."

Uralvagonzavod delivered 100 T-72S tanks to Iran in 1994 and another two in 1996 to fulfill an agreement signed in 1993, and from 1996 to 1999 delivered 300 T-72S kits to Dordud. The assembled tanks were first brought into service in July 1998. The Kurgansk machine building plant sent 80 BMP-2 in 1993 and another two in 1996, and then delivered 331 kits for licensed assembly in Tehran. Thus, from 1993-2000, Iran received 422 T-72S tanks and 413 BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles for a total cost of $668 mln."

This post-ideology honeymoon, however, was not to last, Barabanov continues:

"The US objected to these sales from the start and aggressively lobbied ... Russian leadership on this issue from 1992 onwards. The campaign was successful, and in May 1995 Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin agreed on a plan [The Gore-Chernomyrdin Memorandum] whereby Russia would undertake to fulfill agreements already signed with Iran by the end of 1999, at which point it would cease all deliveries and servicing and would sign no further agreements on arms trade. ...

By the time the memorandum was signed, Russia had fulfilled only the first ... contract ... for the delivery of aircraft and AD missile systems. The other three Soviet-Iranian agreements were annulled... by 2000, such that the total sum of deliveries under all four contracts was less than $3 bln. The November 1991 contract for the licensed production of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles of was only 30% fulfilled: arms and equipment not sent included 578 T-72S and 1087 BMP-2 kits, technical documentation relating to the license, equipment, ammunition and services with a total value of over $1.5 bln." (1)

Although Moscow dispensed with Gore-Chernomyrdin by 2000, the resumption of AFV-exports never materialized. Looking outward from Tehran, the siege-mentality honed during the Iran-Iraq war explained Russia's actions all to well; that both Russia and China had used their arms-sales as a bargaining-chip in their maneuvers with the West confirmed to Iran that they existed in a world full of great-powers looking to exploit them and could not be reliably counted upon to ensure Iran's security. In other words, with apologies to de Gaulle, Iran had no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

(GE)

It was in this manner that the trope of self-sufficiency – never seriously in danger anyways – gained further traction, and – somewhere along the line – MODAFL continued with the development of the 'Bani-Hashem Armor Complex' in Dorud to make up for foreign shortfalls.

Compared to nearby industrial complexes, several features identify it as a heavy military-goods production facility. First, user annotations on Wikimapia identify it as the Bani-Hashem facility, though since these can be innacurate, this alone is not definitive. Second, the 'Cement Iran' website lists its address as "Kilometer Four, the Old Doroud-to-Azna Road", which is consistent with imagery from Wikimapia (using the Google's street maps layer). (2) Third, there are distinct perimeter-control walls with regularly spaced watchtowers, which are typically characteristic of military facilities (though not unheard of in Iranian civilian-industry). Fourth, and most importantly, is the attached automotive test track to the south of the facility. One feature lacking, that is typically found in heavy-equipment facilities, such as the NEZAJA's main repair depot in Tehran, is an attached rail facility for importing raw materials, and exporting finished goods (although there is a rail-line in Dorud).

Available Google Earth imagery dates from February 2006, and September 2010, though the latter is only in black and white. Higher quality imagery from Bing Maps is available from November 2011, and May 2012.

Wikimapia/Bing Maps

In addition to the factory, there are three additional compounds including at least two residential housing complexes, complete with power-generation, sports, and school facilities. The third area, along the Old Road, likely contains administrative offices (given the lack of such buildings in the factory-complex itself). To the south of the factory is a basic automotive test track that is comprised of two parts, a 4+ km oval, with another 5+ km of track attached to it.

The main assembly workshop can be found to the west of the complex's main road and is easily identified thanks to it's large size. It is a heavy steel-beam structure with east-west gabled roofs with south-facing windows for illumination. Running the length of these workshops are gantry-cranes needed for moving heavy equipment. Surounding the main workshop are a variety of smaller buildings of indeterminate type. Between 2006 and 2012, no major construction was undertaken, though a handful of minor buildings were razed, several buildings – the largest of them likely being material storage of some kind – were erected.

Original Source(s) Unknown

To the east of the complex's main road is a power generation facility, and additional steel-framed, gable-roofed workshops. It is reasonable to assume that these contain the complex's component-fabrication industries. A March, 2005 IRIB article gives some clue as to what exactly these buildings contain, including a booster-furnance, which is claimed to be the "largest in the Middle East", a pneumatic forging hammer, which is claimed to be able to manufacture parts that weigh "...more than 300 kg", thermopress machines, gas/laser/plasma-cutters, IGM (it is unclear what this is), and a "very heavy" (160-2500 ton) metal press. (3) Other sources add to this, listing facilities for making iron, steel, and aluminum castings. (4)

Following the final assembly of Russian T-72 kits in 2000, the factory has remained in service. By 2005 the factory was claimed to be turning out 1,916 tank, 1,636 APC, and an unspecified number of SPG components. Currently, it appears that the factory is also producing non-armor, and/or non-military automotive and structural products. (5)

While the majority of the cited components are likely to be spare parts needed for basic upkeep – the earliest incarnations of the DIO export catalogue advertised suspension, power-plant/transmission, armament, and cooling/lubrication systems – the question of whether Iran is producing T-72s remains unanswered. The possibility should not be dismissed, especially since the most recent DIO catalogue appears to advertise the entire tank, rather than simply upgrades for them. (6) This possibility, however, appears impossible to prove at this juncture, and although the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence, there is a notable lack of armored vehicles in open-air storage at the Bani Hashem factory. This contrasts with, for example, visible M1s at the Lima tank plant (USA) and visible Leopards at the Krauss-Maffei plant (Germany).

Works Cited
(1) Russia on Iran's Market for Arms. Mikhail Barabanov. Moscow Defense Brief. 2006 Is. #1

(2) http://www.cementiran.com/node/776

(3) Iranian Self-Sufficiency in the Construction of Armored Vehicles. IRIB. March 12, 2005 Via: http://www.topiranian.com/topnews/archives/002165.html

(4), (5) http://www.parstradeshow.com/companydetail.aspx?coid=271213

(6) DIO Products. Section 5, VEIG. http://diomil.ir/products.html

37th Independent Armored Brigade

The 37^th independent armored brigade is one of the Army’s three original independent armored brigades, its 3Xth designation contrasting to those brigades more recently formed under the Samen Alaeme reorganization, which use a 1XX, 2XX, or 3XX based designation scheme (ex: 188^th IAB). Neither the identity of the current commander, nor the garrison's name is known.

Historical reports frequently mention the brigade in descriptions of the Fath al-Mobin Operation (March 1982), which was among the first of the major Iranian counter-offensives in the Khuzestan region. Although the Iraqi Army – particularly its armored forces – suffered heavily, the details of the 37^th IAB’s contribution is unknown beyond the fact that they shared an operating area with the Army’s 1/92nd AB, the 55^th ABB, and a number of Sepah brigades and battalions. [Source]

Today, they are garrisoned 15 km south-west of the city of Shiraz in the Fars province, which would presumably put it under the command of the south-west operational headquarters.

Google Earth imagery is available for October 2003, May 2010, and December 2012, although Bing Maps offers a clearer representation of the same 2010 imagery

                                                                                                                        

Unlike many other garrisons, this base is relatively spread out with buildings haphazardly distributed. This, combined with a lack of paved surfaces for much of the base, visible spoils from ongoing construction, the completion of a number of significant buildings between 2003 and 2012, and the shifting location of motor pools over the same time may suggest that this was not the brigade’s historical location.

Observable assets include a full-strength battalion of M109 SPGs (12x guns), along with at least one battery of non-D-30 towed artillery (6x guns), visible in the 2010 and 2012 imagery. [1]

In the latest imagery, a handful (~6) BTR-60s. [2] Imagery from 2003 potentially shows upwards of 25 BTRs in spread throughout the compound, but the low image quality makes it difficult to be sure. It is logical to assume that these equip the brigade’s mechanized infantry. There is a high likelihood that M577s or even plain-M113s are used as command vehicles.

When differentiating light AFV types from one another – such as the BTR, from the BMP – the most reliable indicator is length/width ratio, as imagery quality can obscure key features, and satellite-obliquity can make measurements using Google Earth’s ruler tool unreliable (a problem previously described in the entry for the 38^th IAB in Torbat Jam). In this case, the tracked BMPs appear wider and shorter than the narrower, wheeled BTRs.

In the same motor pool just north of the bases main entry-control-point are ~20 tanks. [2] At least three can be identified as FV4201 Chieftains thanks to the distinctive shape of their turret when locked backwards over the deck. It is difficult to say whether or not the rest are Chieftains, or if it is a mixed battalion.

While the number of visible AFVs of all sorts – except SPGs – falls well below the allotment for a full-strength brigade, it is possible that more are stored under cover. This is supported by the abundance of tracks leading to and from a set of garages – easily visible in the 2012 imagery – and in the style of concrete pads used in their construction – visible in the 2003 imagery. [3]

Another notable feature, though not visible on the map above because of its scale, is the territory next to the base, which is used for training. This includes firing ranges for small-arms, field-fortifications and trenches for infantry, observation points for supervisors, revetments for artillery, lanes for AFVs to fire and displace from, and even craters from the simulated, gasoline-enhanced explosions often seen in Iranian exercises. 

Further south, there is a hardened-shelter storage facility likely associated with the brigade's munition storage. On an unrelated note, though still potentially of interest, is a UGF to the Northwest with the distinctive two-tunnel entrance that are characteristic of high-value Sepah facilities found near Qom, Khorromabad, and elsewhere.