Iran completed air defence drills on Tuesday in which it claimed to have shot down a simulated Israeli bunker-busting bomb.
The rehearsal involved defending Natanz, one of Iran’s major nuclear research sites, and represents an unorthodox approach to air defence, where missile systems are typically designed to intercept other missiles, drones or aircraft.
Bombs, by comparison, are said to have a small “radar cross section,” meaning they are difficult to spot and shoot down. A bigger issue in air defence is that aircraft carrying short-range, unpowered bombs – as opposed to missiles – represent a much larger, priority target.
A free-fall bomb, using guidance to stay on a predicted track, is not hard in itself to guide a missile against.
Bill Sweetman,
aviation expert
Most modern air defences defend against jet fighters at ranges more than 100 kilometres, threatening them long before they can release their bombs.
Tasnim News reported the exercise, saying Dey-9 air defence missiles hit the simulated bomb at a 17 kilometre range. For comparison, Israel is believed to have an air-launched ballistic missile, Golden Horizon, that can hit Iranian air defences at ranges of 2,000 kilometres.
Iran released images of the drill, highlighted by Russian analyst Yuri Lyamin.
Golden Horizon, also called Blue Sparrow, is believed to have been used in attacks in October that heavily damaged Iran's most powerful radar systems, the Ghadir and the 30N6E, and struck Parchin, a military research site linked to Iran's nuclear programme.
Some experts believe Israel could launch a third air strike on Iran this year, after retaliating for two of the largest ballistic missile attacks in history in April and October, which saw hundreds of the massive projectiles, along with drones and low-flying cruise missiles, strike targets inside Israel, including Nevatim, the country’s most important airbase.
Iran was retaliating for an Israeli strike in April in Syria, which killed two senior generals at their consulate in Damascus, as well as Israel’s assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Israel has said it is ready to act without US support for the difficult mission of bombing Iran’s nuclear programme. One Israeli expert who worked for the intelligence service focused on Iran told The National that such a strike was likely.
The UN says Iran is close to having the means and technical know-how to create a nuclear bomb, something that has long been a red line for Israel. But Israel lacks aircraft big enough to carry bombs with the capacity to destroy many of Iran’s nuclear sites that are buried within mountains, at weapons sites such as Fordow.
To seriously damage or destroy these sites – rather than destroy tunnel entrances which can be repaired – Israel is thought to need the GBU-57, one of the largest bombs in the world, carried by the US B-2 and B-1 bombers. Israel possesses neither the aircraft, nor the 13,600 kilogram device which burrows deep into the ground before detonating, creating an earthquake-like shock wave to crush bunkers.
One Israeli expert has speculated that Israeli F-15I fighter-bombers could be heavily modified to carry the huge bomb, but there is no evidence of this work being undertaken.
The largest bomb in Israel’s possession is the GBU-28, a 2,260 kilogram device intended to destroy bunkers. Israel is thought to have purchased 100 of the massive, short-range bombs – which fly just 10 kilometres – from the US. Iran’s air defences have stated ranges of hundreds of kilometres.
Carrying the huge weapon more than 1,000 kilometres would greatly complicate a mission over Iran, eating into fuel and leading to long periods of refuelling aircraft mid-flight.
Israel also used dozens of 900kg bombs to “dig” into late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s bunker in Beirut when it assassinated him in September, a tactic experts say might be replicated against some Iranian targets.
Intercepting a bomb
Intercepting a bunker buster could prove tricky for Iran, experts say, and their successful test likely occurred under near “perfect” conditions that wouldn’t be experienced in war.
Experts say the Russian-made TOR air defence system, in Iran’s possession, could theoretically shoot down a large, slow-moving bomb. Iranian Brigadier General Ahmad Sadeqnejad said in March that Iran had modified air defences to hit bunker busters, claiming Israel had used the weapons at “long range” in Syria.
This suggests Israel might have fitted its bombs with gliding wings, a tactic used by Russia in Ukraine to send extremely large bombs like the FAB 3000 out to ranges of 60 kilometres, making them more like unpowered, GPS-guided missiles.
“An exercise such as the Iranians are claiming to have pulled off is only as realistic as it is designed to be, and any kind of attack plan will take account of the capabilities and limitations of the defences,” says Bill Sweetman, an expert at Valkyrie Strategic Solutions, a consultancy, and veteran of the aerospace industry.
“A free-fall bomb, using guidance to stay on a predicted track, is not hard in itself to guide a missile against. Problem one is that the missile warhead to intercept it is almost certainly blast and fragmentation, effective against thin-skinned aircraft – including commercial aircraft – but less so against a hardened-steel bomb casing,” he says.
But Mr Sweetman points out the bigger problem, which is that Israel has an array of countermeasures for air defences. These include HARM missiles, which seek out enemy radar transmissions, in some cases fixing on to the radar position if the radar is switched off as a safety measure.
Israel also has decoy drones, known as the ATALD, which can mimic the radar profile of various jets and weapons, and potentially bunker busters, which could cause Iran to waste ammunition on the decoys, expose their own positions to enemy attack and lose vital seconds working out which aircraft are real, or fake.
Israel also has stealth F-35s, which can get close to enemy radar systems without being detected, and powerful electronic warfare equipment like the Scorpius pod, which can render Iranian radars useless, create misleading radar images or potentially break them.
“Problem two, you have to survive long enough to intercept the bomb, and there will be defence suppression in play. Problem three is electronic warfare, including jamming and decoys,” Mr Sweetman says.
Mr Sweetman says if the Israelis are concerned about Iran shooting down bunker-buster bombs, they could coat the devices with “special materials which could be wrapped around (fuel) drop tanks and bombs,” to make them less visible on radar.
A material called “parabeam,” he says, was used in tests by US defence firm Northrop Grumman. “It was cheap and light and did not have to be as durable as a radar absorber that you'd use on an aeroplane. I somehow doubt the Iranians put something like that on their target, but I would not bet against the Israelis having figured it out.”
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
The five pillars of Islam
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
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Andor
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Aregentina/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlans/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (Serbia/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (Netherlands/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Alisson (Brazil/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands/Juventus), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (South Korea/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (Brazil/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (France/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Brazil/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (Eengland/Manchester City), Joao Félix(Portugal/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (Austria/Chelsea), Ellen White (England/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (Sweden/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (France/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(England/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (Netherlands/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (Netherlands/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
