Arash (sniper rifle)

An Arash (Persian: تفنگ ارش‎) is a semi-automatic firearm designed for targeting larger objects such as bunkers, helicopters and military vehicles. It is commonly used by the armed forces of Iran, Hezbollah and the Iraqi army.

The Iran Army has developed the Arash rifle that is fired from long distance with a scope and stand, making it an accurate shot for military and civilian militants. The Arash rifle is fired by either placing it on one's shoulder or on a stand for resting because of its weight due to it being made of metal. Much like a RPG, it is a deadly weapon but this has much more influence due to its accuracy. The ammo is placed in a 20x102mm "HEI (High Explosive Incendiary) round (or a similarly sized 20mm caliber HEI round)". On missions it is used for destroying enemy vehicles and militants or fulfilling specific operations. The components of the weapon are the ballistic computer, detachable scope mount, trigger, pistol grip, carry handle and stock. The ballistic computer for the Arash weapon indicates whether the target is far or close and also keeps a lock on system while the wielder is using the scope to keep track of the target. It can show how many targets are around and the ammo count. Some of the Iran army use the Barrett Optical Ranging System due to its impact and tech. Stock is used for aiming and stability when firing. This is important due to the Arash's heavy weaponry and recoil impact when taking out targets. Its recoil can create massive impact due to its force and caliber. The Arash's detachable scope mount which is helpful for transporting the Arash around plus using the detachable as a way of sighting enemies without the gun needed. The Arash weights 67 to 85 kilograms, fires 20mm rounds and is 180 cm long which is also equipped with optical cameras. The Arash, due to its heaviness, has a pistol grip for support to the individual using the weapon which helps to pull the trigger smoothly and release pressure on the recoil. The pistol grip is a supportive element to the weapon. Its ammo also comes in different styles such as Rocket, Gas and Liquid/Acid. These different types are used for different situations and targets. For example, rockets are used for housing, vehicles and helicopters. The Gas can be used for area control with groups of targets in buildings and bunkers, mines or enclosed areas. Also for the Liquid and Acid rounds for tanks, ships and submarines due to its attachable chemistry to control areas so enemies can't reach objectives.

The Iran Army has made major breakthroughs in arms production in the last three decades. Tehran launched an arms development program to support and aid the Iran army during the 1980–88 when the Iraqi government imposed war on Iran to compensate for the US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armoured personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes. Although the Iranian officials have stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve for defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country. Recently, the IRGC test-fired a shoulder-launched weapon with the capability of shooting down choppers, tanks and non-target objects in its massive war games in Southern Iran, codenamed as "Payambar-e Azam 8" or (The Great Prophet 8). This gun is could be Arash, but military officials did not mention its name however. The IRGC are aimed at maintaining and improving the combat weaponry of the IRGC Ground Forces, testing the latest combat systems of the IRGC Ground Force and exercising different warfare tactics. The Western counties such as America and England use this weapon mounted on a motorcycle with two individuals, one that drives and the other that shots, which creates less accuracy but more speed to reach the destination for the position to be shot from. The issue with this of course is if the motorcycle is still travelling, the Arash rifles accuracy is reduced which due to drag. This will most likely make the shot miss. The Arash weapon can destroy targets from land, air and sea within around 1,800 meters. One shooter said "The 20-mm shoulder-launched missile is an anti-chopper weapon which can hit targets from a distance of 1,400 meters."

Specifications

• Semi-automatic
• Rotary bolt closed and gunpowder gas system with eight Khan straight back from left to right
• 180 cm-long
• Cameras
• Shoulder-fired
• Weight between 18 and 20 kilograms
• 20mm bullets

Use cases

• Target hostile helicopters in a range of 2,000 to 2,200 meters
• Ground and armoured targets and trenches

See also

• List of anti-aircraft weapons
• Anti-aircraft warfare