Israeli Warplanes vs Iranian Missiles: Which is Faster?
© JOEL SAGET
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Iran used hypersonic ballistic missiles for the first time during its recent strikes on Israel, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced, claiming the destroyed more than 20 Israeli F-35 fighters at the Nevatim air base.
Hypersonic is defined as flying at more than five times the speed of sound (about 6,100kph or 3,800 mph) within the atmosphere. Iran unveiled its first such missile, the Fattah-1, in June, while the Fattah-2 version was presented to the public in November. Both boast a range of about 1,400km (870 miles).
According to open sources, Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles also include:
The Shahab-3 – with a range of up to 1,300 kilometers, the missile was adopted by Iran in 2003. It can carry a warhead of 1,200 kilograms. There are also Shahab-1 and Shahab-2 with ranges 300km and 500km.
The Kheiber-Shekan (or Kheibar Shekan) is capable of hitting targets at a range of up to 1,450 km with a 650kg warhead.
The Ghadr-110 intermediate-range ballistic missile can carry an 800kg warhead and has a range of nearly 2,000 km.
Sejjil – this ballistic missile has a range of about 4,000 kilometers and carries a 700kg warhead.
Other Iranian ballistic missiles include the Khorramshahr-4 (2,000km range), Emad (1,700km range), Paveh (1,650km range), Haj Qassem (1,400km range) and Dezful (range of about 1,000 km).
Since the 1967 Six-Day War, most of the Israeli Air Force (IAF)’s warplanes have been received from the US, including:
F-15I Eagle: an air-superiority fighter with secondary strike/attack role, which has a top speed of Mach 2.5 – although not hen carrying a mission load-out.
F-15E Strike Eagle: a specialized bomber version of the F-15.
F-16I Fighting Falcon: The Israeli designation for the C and D models of the single-seat multi-role fighter, with a top speed of Mach 2 and new avionics, weapons support systems and instrumentation.
F-35 Lightning II: a multi-role stealth fighter with a claimed top speed of Mach 1.6 at high altitude – although only for short bursts – which was dubbed “perhaps the most recognizable platform in Israel’s aerial fleet and best warplane” by The National Interest.
The IAF also has a domestically-made copy of the French Mirage 5, the IAI Kfir, with a top speed of Mach 2.3.
🧵(1/3) DOES ISRAEL HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS?
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Israel may target Iran's nuclear facilities following Tehran's missile strike, CNN reports, while the Guardian suggests that the escalation may prompt Iran to build a nuclear bomb. Israel's apparent possession of nuclear weapons… pic.twitter.com/UgoKl9bjsD
