Iran destroys mock U.S. aircraft carrier in naval wargames

February 25, 2015 Aircraft Carriers, Iran, Troubled Areas
David Cenciotti

Do you remember Iran’s mock Nimitz class flattop? Here’s what it was built for.

On Feb. 25, a mock U.S. aircraft carrier, was destroyed by missiles launched by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps missiles during the IRGC Navy’s massive Payambar-e Azam 9 (The Great Prophet 9) drills in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The model had first appeared in April last year, when images of the mock USS Nimitz class ship being assembled in an Iranian shipyard on the Persian Gulf had spread through social media.

Although the purpose of the fake carrier was not clear back then we mentioned the possibility the giant warship (adorned with several airplanes) might have been built to test weapons or serve as a training tool to develop tactics to attack a U.S. flattop in the Persian Gulf exploiting its vulnerabilities.

According to the FARS News Agency, the model came under attack and was destroyed by missiles and rockets fired from tens of IRGC speedboats; also a number of the IRGC cruise and two ballistic missiles were fired at the mock US aircraft carrier.

H/T to Giuliano Ranieri for the heads-up

About David Cenciotti
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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

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7 Comments

  1. Easy, it’s made of wood, doesn’t shoot back and has no escorts. One day we are going to ring their bell and kick their ass.

    • Mads, did you read this part :

      “At approximately the same time that Red (the bad guys) had located Blue forces (the good guys), operators of the Blue naval simulation were directed incorrectly to turn off all self-defense capabilities by a senior Naval Officer who was not in command of the simulated forces nor current in the scenario. In a preemptive strike, Red launched a massive salvo of cruise missiles that destroyed sixteen warships while the JSAF simulator operators sat and watched without responding defensively or offensively.”

      Did you miss this part?

      • No, I saw it. I just don’t think that Phalanx-guns are some kind of invulnerabilityshield as you seem to do.

  3. I dont believe they would get close enough. It’s real easy to beat up on something that isnt shooting back at you.

  4. Any one could always be excellent at hitting dummies.Unless they have the speed of light,they could never stay that close.Proceeding “Under Convoy” as always. I hope their best shots could do better next time,or end up Drone target dummies.

  5. The reason for building that mock up aircraft carrier has been revealed. It was an actual attempt to build a carrier, as many Americans said.

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