What in god's name did he want all that for? Was he just really concerned about the Soviets? Or was it all just ego?
I suspect the answer is "Yes."
What in god's name did he want all that for? Was he just really concerned about the Soviets? Or was it all just ego?
The Imperial Iranian Army would have 2000 Challenger 1 main battle tanks, supported by hundreds of older M60 Patton and Chieftain tanks, as well as hundreds of M551 Sheridan, FV101 Scorpion, and BMP-1 light tanks. Thousands of M113 and BTR-40, BTR-50, and BTR-60 vehicles would be in service as APCs and IFVs.Faramarz).
I can't answer the question about the ships, but I can answer the question about the tanks. For a start it's not 2,000 Challeger 1 MBTs, it's 1,350 MBTs comprising 125 Shir 1 and 1,225 Shir 2, which reduces the amount of capacity that has to be found.Where do the 2000 Challenger 1 tanks get built?
They didn't enter service until 1983 and only 420 had been built by 1990:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenger_1
So where does this extra capacity come from to build all these extra ships and tanks by 1985?
He also wrote that the Khalid is essentially the FV4030/2 with minor modifications to suit Jordanian requirements and is based on a late production Chieftain with major changes in the fire-control system and powerpack. And that the Challenger (not Challenger 1 in 1986 because there was as yet no Challenger 2) was essentially the FV4020/3 (Shir 2) modified to suit the requirements of the British Army.In December 1974 Iran ordered 125 Shir 1 (FV4030/2) or FV4033 and 1,225 Shir 2 (FV4030/3) or FV4033 MBTs, but that the order was cancelled by the new Iranian Government in February 1979. The first three FV4030/2 prototypes were completed in January 1977. By this time production of the FV4030/2 was well under way at the Royal Ordnance Leeds with the first production tanks scheduled for delivery in 1980.
In November 1978 Jordan placed an order with the United Kingdom for 278 Khalid MBTs worth £275 million for delivery from 1981.
Further development of the Shir 2 (FV4030/3 resulted in the Challenger MBT, which entered service with the British Army in 1983.
Are you sure that there were 4 Kidds and 6 Spruances? I think that you have counted them twice.4 Kidd class-destroyers (Kouroush,Daryush,Nader and Anoshirvan).
6 Spruance class-destroyers.
Seems you might be right, it should be for the Spruance-class destroyer according to its Wiki article: Four additional ships were built originally for the Iranian Navy with the Mark 26/Standard AAW missile system who became the Kidd in US Navy service.Are you sure that there were 4 Kidds and 6 Spruances? I think that you have counted them twice.
Iran ordered six Spruance class armed with the Standard ER SAM instead of Sea Sparrow with the US Navy in 1974. They were to be named after the emperors Kouroush, Daryush, Ardeshir, Nader, Shapur and Anoshirvan. The Iranian Navy planned to classify them as cruisers.
However, two (Ardeshir and Shapur) were cancelled in June 1976 before the order from Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp for the remaining four was issued on 23rd April 1978. The four remaining ships were cancelled in February and March 1979, but they were officially acquired by the USN on 25th July 1979 and became the Kidd class.
My source is Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947-95.
A lot of that looks wrong to me.Imperial Iranian Navy
The Imperial Iranian Navy would also be very well equipped:
light aircraft carriers
3 Invincible-class aircraft carriers.Cruisers
2 Ticonderoga class-cruisersDestroyers
9 Belknap class-cruisers
4 Kidd class-destroyers (Kouroush,Daryush,Nader and Anoshirvan).Frigates
6 Spruance class-destroyers
6 Type 42 class-destroyers
2 Allen M. Sumner class-destroyers (Babr and Palang).
1 Battle class-destroyers (Artemiz).
8 Kortenaer class-frigatesCorvettes
10 Knox class-frigates
4 Alvand class-frigates (Saam,Zaal,Rostam and Faramarz).
8 Bayandor class-corvettes (Bayandor, Naghdi, Milanian and Kahnamoie).Submarines
6 Grisha class-corvettes
6 Type 209 class-submarinesAmphibious assault ships
6 Type 206 class-submarines
3 Tang class-submarines
2 Tarawa class-amphibious assault shipsFast attack craft
2 Iwo Jima class-amphibious assault ships
12 La Combattante IIa class-fast attack craft
16 Osa class-fast attack craft.
What could have realistically done to make himself more popular or at least less unpopular in the years leading up to the revolution? NB he can't abdicate.obviously huge differences. No hostage crisis, no Iran/Iraq war (followed by Gulf War I and II), no US troops in SA, no 9/11. But I have to wonder just how long the Shah (and presumably his son/successor) can keep the lid on things... he was enormously unpopular...
Soviets had no designs on Iran by 1970s but if they see a huge superpower taking shape next to their soft underbelly , they would be understandably concernedWhat in god's name did he want all that for? Was he just really concerned about the Soviets? Or was it all just ego?
Saudi Arabia will not like that.The Shah's regime was pursuing atomic weapons. Perhaps Iran becomes a nuclear state in this timeline?
Saudi Arabia will not like that.
Buy from Pakistan. I mean Pakistan will say no, but yeah only way.The Shah's regime was pursuing atomic weapons. Perhaps Iran becomes a nuclear state in this timeline?
The Imperial State was pursuing its own development program. It won't even offer yo buy from Pakistan.Buy from Pakistan. I mean Pakistan will say no, but yeah only way.
Didn't Pakistan and iran talked about nuke cooperation and mirage aircraft production under shah and ayub ?Buy from Pakistan. I mean Pakistan will say no, but yeah only way.
They OTL did offer support. From mid 1970's onwards. Got little traction.The Imperial State was pursuing its own development program. It won't even offer yo buy from Pakistan.
Yes they did. Some indication that the Shah wanted a Project Flower like arrangement with Pakistan as well.Didn't Pakistan and iran talked about nuke cooperation and mirage aircraft production under shah and ayub ?
Interesting.They OTL did offer support. From mid 1970's onwards. Got little traction.
Yes they did. Some indication that the Shah wanted a Project Flower like arrangement with Pakistan as well.
Such a large military and its attendant cost would have started a revolution on its own.
Especially after the oil price collapse of the 1980’s.
For missile boats, the Shah could have gone Israeli as well. Israel demonstrated its domestic missiles and boats quite convincingly in '73, and the Shah had good relations with them. Israel is happy to sell military hardware for cash.Fast attack craft
I know about the 12 La Combattante IIa class-fast attack craft, that were built in the 1970s, but don't know about plans to buy 16 Osa class-fast attack craft. It would have been more logical to buy more FACs from France or West Germany.