Houthis Useing Iranian-Made Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles in Red Sea and Indian Ocean Assaults

Defense News , World :- In a series of strategic assaults, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, known as an Iranian proxy, have exploited their advantageous position to target vessels in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. By January 18, 2024, they successfully launched a significant number of missiles, all of which were of Iranian origin.

Historically, the world's arsenal of precise naval armaments primarily relied on cruise missiles, including some horizontally moving rockets above the water's surface, typically subsonic. In the 1970s, the Soviet Union utilized ballistic missiles with various guidance methods to target ships. While Russia did not persist in these efforts, China embraced and developed coastal ballistic missiles with ranges spanning hundreds to thousands of kilometers. Iran and North Korea subsequently pursued similar initiatives.

Recent assessments suggest that the Iranians have opted for anti-ship ballistic missiles, driven by three key considerations:

1.  Diversification of Attack Array: By posing a threat from the zenith, a less protected area, the Iranians seek to broaden their range of attacks.

2.  Limitations of Modern Battleships: Recognizing the limitations of contemporary battleships in countering ballistic missile threats, Iran aims to exploit vulnerabilities.

3.  Penetration Efficiency: Attacking from above allows for more convenient penetration of both "hard" and "soft" defenses of most battleships, enhancing the lethality of the warhead.

The Iranians have chosen an electro-optical homing method, initially relying on sensors in the operational area. In this approach, the ballistic missile is launched toward a projected point where the naval target is expected to be within the missile's travel time (3 to 6 minutes). During this trajectory segment, the missile utilizes inertial navigation, often complemented by GNSS updates (GPS and GLONASS).

At an optimal range from the target, the attacking missile activates its electro-optical homing system, relying on passive optical guidance without transmission. Some experts suggest that this choice is driven by the absence of mature radar homing technologies, which would necessitate specific maneuvers of the missile.

The Houthi rebels' deployment of Iranian-made anti-ship ballistic missiles underscores the evolving dynamics in naval warfare, posing challenges for modern battleships and emphasizing the importance of innovative defense strategies in the maritime domain.