Iran’s Tareq-class Submarines Were Built for Exactly One Thing
If Iranian threats of a preemptive strike against American military assets are to be believed, it seems obvious that the target of such a strike would be Diego Garcia. Here’s how it might play out.
The American and Israeli military buildup in the Middle East continues at a methodical pace, sending uncertainty and anticipation for the day that the American and Israeli warplanes are likely to be given the “go” order to launch waves of airstrikes against suspected Iranian nuclear weapons facilities.
Knowing that the hammer is readying to fall, Tehran has begun moving their military into defensive positions.
But there are more than just defensive moves being made by Iran’s military. The Iranian regime is even threatening to launch preemptive strikes against U.S. and Israeli forces throughout the region.
What Could Iran Use Its Submarines For?
Notably, Iran has threatened to lash out with their capabilities at what was once believed to be the far-too-distant US Navy staging area at Diego Garcia in the northern Indian Ocean. Today, however, Iranian military leaders have suggested that they have ballistic missiles with a long enough range to hit Diego Garcia.
More importantly, the Iranians have Tareq-class diesel-electric submarines that could reliably be deployed to strike targets on and near Diego Garcia, which the US is currently using as the main place from whence to strike Iranian targets with the B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers.
Understanding the Tareq-class Submarines
Iran’s navy possesses only three Tareq-class diesel-electric submarines: the Tareq (901), the Nooh (902), and the Yunes (903). These submarines were acquired from Russia between 1992 and 1996 at a reported cost of $600 million each. Based at Bandar Abbas in the Strait of Hormuz, these 2,325-ton submarines are capable of reaching speeds of 17 knots (19 miles per hour) undersea and ten knots (or 11.5 mph) when on the surface.
Each submarine is equipped with 533 mm torpedo tubes—able to deploy a mix of 18 torpedoes, anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), or 24 naval mines. Iran has performed upgrades on these submarines, giving them the ability to launch cruise missiles—as demonstrated in a 2019 test—and has developed indigenous torpedoes and mines to enhance their lethality.
The Soviet-era Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines, from which the Iranian submarines are derived, are renowned even to this day for their quiet operation. Indeed, they are nicknamed by most submariners as “Black Hole” because of their underwater stealth. However, the Persian Gulf’s shallow and warm environment limits their effectiveness compared to their optimal blue-water performance. This is one reason that the Iranians have acquired more than a dozen Ghadir-class midget submarines from the North Koreans, which are far better suited to operations in the Gulf as the Tareq-class goes further afield.
Tareq-class submarines are old, but they have been upgraded significantly over the years to ensure they remain relevant for Iran’s strategic needs. In fact, the Iranians even received assistance from India in the 1990s to ensure these boats remained competitive. Over the years, the Iranians have replaced the batteries powering these submarines in order to better adapt them to the warmth of the waters surrounding Iran.
The Tareq-class submarines can travel approximately 400 nautical miles 460 miles at three knots (around three miles per hour), although the process of snorkeling allows their reach to be extended to 6,000 nautical miles (6,905 miles). With that extended range, combined with the submarine’s impressive 45-day endurance, Tareq-class submarines could operate far beyond the Persian Gulf into the Indian Ocean, where Diego Garcia is located (about 1,864 miles from Iranian shores).
A Hypothetical Iranian War Game Scenario
If Iranian threats of a preemptive strike against American military assets are to be believed, it seems obvious that the target of such a strike would be Diego Garcia—given its importance to the U.S. Navy, and the fact that at least six of America’s prized B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are currently stationed there. With each one of those bombers costing $2 billion in today’s dollars—and with their production line long since shut down—Tehran would be able to decimate the Air Force’s stealth bomber capabilities in one stroke.
With this in mind, the Tareq-class submarines could depart from their pens at Bandar Abbas, transiting the Gulf of Oman, and crossing the Arabian Sea. A submerged approach, while stealthier, would require refueling or a mothership—capabilities Iran has not yet demonstrated in open waters. But employing that aforementioned snorkeling ability extends this range, though it also makes the submarine easier to detect by U.S. Navy defenses.
Should the Iranian subs approach the island undetected, they could employ their arsenals to strike at Diego Garcia. Torpedoes and mines would require close proximity to the U.S. Naval facilities on Diego Garcia, which would constitute a high-risk maneuver given the base’s advanced defenses. More probably, the Tareq-class subs would launch ASCMs like the Nasr-1 or potentially longer-range variants, targeting anchored ships or infrastructure.
That 2019 test of a submarine-launched cruise missile from a Ghadir-class submarine suggests this capability may extend the Tareq-class submarine’s reach where it could reliably threaten the Americans at Diego Garcia from a relatively safe distance. Tehran may decide to go all-in with such a daring attack on Diego Garcia by deploying all three of their Tareq-class submarines that could be used to attack the U.S. base in tandem, perhaps overwhelming many of the defenses at the base.
Iran’s Submarine Strike Might Not Succeed
Of course, such an attack, while bold, would be fraught with dangers for the attacking Iranians. That’s because such a strike, even with the Tareq-class submarines, would be on the very edge of Tehran’s strike capabilities. And that’s assuming that these subs would never be detected by Diego Garcia’s advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) defenses.
Distance, in this case, is Iran’s worst enemy for striking hard against American assets in Diego Garcia, either preemptively or in the immediate aftermath of any attempted U.S. airstrike against suspected Iranian nuclear sites.
Still, Iran’s possession of these submarines, as well as Iran’s mastery of asymmetrical warfare both on land and at sea, means that the threat these older submarines pose to U.S. assets in the area cannot be ignored.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Alex Marakhovets.