Introduction —

What follows is more than mere boasting. Until quite recently the idea of the U.S. embarking on military action against Iran was a very real possibility. It still is although it doesn’t appear to be looming quite so imminently.

If and when that prospect were ever to materialise however, the initial U.S. air campaign would likely be opened with cruise missiles targeting Iranian command and control centres. However, as is pointed out below, the introduction of new Iranian weapons and tactics has probably caused U.S. commanders to reconsider their plans.

Iran is not Afghanistan or Iraq. Unlike other countries recently targeted by U.S. military air strikes, Iran has developed its air defence technology to the point that it would now pose a serious challenge for U.S. planners.

Apart from now being entirely self-reliant for its air defence missiles, some of which are quite advanced, Iran has also recently deployed a variety of new indigenously developed air defence radars.

Its passive, phased array and long range radars allow Iran to monitor its airspace and that of neighbouring states. Giving it time to alert air defence units if air strikes were forthcoming.

So there is good reason to believe that U.S. military planners have been forced to revise their options should they be ordered to launch air strikes on Iran.

Commander: Enemies’ Policies Changed after Iran’s Air Defense Drills

Fars News Agency —

Senior Iranian military officials said on Sunday that the attitude and policies of the trans-regional troops deployed in the region has changed ever since the latest air drill staged by Iran’s Armed Forces.

“The personnel of the air defense took highly proper measures in the year 1392 (March 21, 2013-March 20, 2014) and highly important achievements were made in the field of air defense,” Lieutenant Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard said in Tehran on Sunday.

He said that among the air defense’s achievements were two massive drills codenamed ‘Modafe’an-e Aseman-e Veleyat 5 (Defenders of Velayat Skies 5)’ and ‘Mesbah al-Hoda’ after which “we witnessed the enemies’ change of behavior in the region”.

The Iranian Armed Forces, including the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), took part in massive air defense exercises in October.

Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli said at the time that his base along with the country’s Armed Forces’ units, including the IRGC, have participated in the massive aerial drills codenamed ‘Modafe’an-e Aseman-e Velayat 5′.

“These exercises were held in an area stretching over 700,000 kilometers of land,” Brigadier General Esmayeeli said……more here @ TheTruthSeeker