Iran’s Flying Boat Fleet – For Asymmetric War

Bavar 2 is described as a Ground Effect Vehicle, also known as ekranoplan, sea skimmer, or Wing-In-Ground vehicle. With its available resources, Iran has improved and developed many unique weapons based on old platforms, for example the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet modified to be compatible with Russian missiles, homemade mini-submarines, and remanufactured Cold War jets. In 2006, Iran introduced a special flying boat, the Bavar 2, and in 2010 Tehran proudly announced it had three squadrons serving in the Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. This is a unique Iranian approach to asymmetric warfare. Bavar 2 is described as a Ground Effect Vehicle, also known as ekranoplan, sea skimmer, or Wing-In-Ground vehicle. Basically, these are designed to fly at very low altitudes by capitalizing on “ground effect,” the phenomenon in which wing surfaces encounter less drag the closer they are to the surface. After generating lift through speed during takeoff, vehicles can stay airborne as long as they remain within that low-altitude envelope. This makes them more applicable to maritime operations.