Half a million soldiers but ageing hardware… a look at Iran’s military capabilities

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00:00Iran's army was considered the most powerful in the Middle East during the Shah's rule.

00:05The country had cordial relations and military links with the state of Israel.

00:10But after the Islamic Revolution and the costly war with Iraq in the 1980s, its army took

00:16a beating.

00:18Iran is geographically large.

00:20The country of 90 million has over 500,000 active military personnel, as well as fighters

00:26in the Revolutionary Guard Corps and Army Reservists.

00:30Western sanctions have weighed on the state of Iran's army, with Tehran struggling to

00:34upgrade its military hardware.

00:37Back in May, the helicopter of the country's late president crashed.

00:41The accident put the focus on the state of its decrepit air force.

00:46Iran is estimated to have roughly 140 American fighter jets from before the revolution, as

00:52well as more recent Russian-made models.

00:55To make up for shortfalls in hardware, the country has built ballistic and cruise missiles,

01:00as well as created a domestic industry of kamikaze drones.

01:05Iran used new hypersonic technology to retaliate against Israel in the latest barrage it launched.

01:11The missiles travel five times faster than the speed of sound.

01:16The advancement is also used to compensate for the state of the Iranian navy.

01:21With three submarines and 50 patrol boats, Iran has turned to miniature submarines and

01:25surface ships, which can block maritime traffic in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

01:32Iran also lacks modern anti-ballistic and air defence capabilities, which is why Tehran's

01:37strategy prioritises asymmetric warfare through the use of regional proxies to keep the fight

01:43far away from its territory as possible.

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