So someone was asking about the Iran army in a defense-related forum, and i answered them there, but being a BF2 and occasional PR player, i decided i'd post a complete answer here. If an Iranian faction was actually instituted even as an add-on i'd be sold and would make PR my primary game.
Small Arms
Assault Rifle - KH-2002 / Khaybar. While the G3, AK or S.5.56 (M16 copy) may be more widespread, this would result in confusion between the two sides, assuming a battle vs the US or an "Iraq/Saudi" style enemy. Plus it is always nice to have variety, for instance, if you wanted to shoot an AK, you'd just go play as the MEC. Mechanics wise the Khaybar would be roughly equivalent to the US's M-16 because the internal components are derived from it. However it may not have a 3-round burst setting on it, it may just be single and full auto. It has been shown with a bayonet attached.
Pistol - The standard side arm is the PC9, a domestic copy of the Sig Saur -226. I'm not sure how one would want to skin that ingame.
Sub-Machine gun - I'd definitely advise the use of the MP5, while it's already being used by the US, there is simply no other choice (absent, ironically enough, the uzi in use by a few special forces brigades. In Iran it goes by the name MPT-9, they use the regular MP5A3 version.
Sniper Rifle / DMR Rifle - Steyr HS .50 / SVD. Ultimatelt the reason for this choice comes down to the fact that there are no other dedicated sniper rifles in the Iranian inventory. Sure theres the SVD but thats not a sniper rifle, thats why it belongs in the DMR category.
Infantry Skins
As mentioned previously, Iran uses an eclectic blend of camouflages. We can assume that any of the maps for this faction would focus around the south-west in much the same manner as the Iran-Iraq war as opposed to being around the north near Tabriz, although a few battles in the east near Maashad on the border with Afghanistan would certaintly be interesting. Bottom line is that a desert camo is the priority.
Some have mentioned the ACU style seen on parade, but i'd caution against this, first is that its way to similar to the MARPAT used by the USMC, and second is that its only in use by a certain brigade of naval commandos (NOT the takavaran though, they're still using a safariflage-chocolate chip blend). Also, while the US woodland BDU's have been seen they are increasingly being relegated to the lowest of the low like training exercises and the Basijj militia. The best blend between uniqueness to its faction - scale of distribution - and modernity, would either be a desert safari or the 5-color chocolate chip blend. The following two images is what the "Ideal" skin would look like in my opinion.
The first one is an unidentified regular army unit
Whereas this one is from the 12th Revolutionary Guards infantry division, this may or may-not be a heliborne brigade.
Armor / Land Vehicles
Main Battle Tank - this one's interesting. While the T-72 is the most widespread MBT in Iran's inventory, it, in my opinion, is to close to the MEC's T-90, and like i said earlier, wheres the fun in playing two factions that are the same. That being said, looking at the other two tanks in Iran's inventory, the Chieftain and the M60A1, they honestly are just really bad. This leaves the Zulfiqar-3. While not even mass produced yet, this is probably the best option as they give Iran a "unique" tank that is immeditaly identifiable, and plausible assuming a war in the future rather then immeditat present. I rationalize this because it's happened before, when the original BF2 was released, the F22 wasn't close to being the US's front line fighter, but it was presented as such.
Infantry Fighting Vehicle - BMP-2/Boragh. While a substandard IFV by modern standards, Iran has carried through enough upgrades to make it still competitive. I'm not sure if the game is still going with the premise of APC=IFV, but if you're introducing dedicated APC's i'd recommend the Boragh, essentially a BMP-2 with a 12.7 mm Dushka instead of a 30 mm autocannon, allowing more room inside and added armor (and consequently additional flotation canisters on side).
Fast Jeep - Easy choice, use the Safir Jeep, there was a picture of it a few pages back. It would also be interesting to keep the Toophan (Domestic TOW copy) on it, giving quick agile vehicles a hard-hitting punch is the epitome of the current Iranian defense doctrine, it would even be worth down-grading the MBT or IFV to do this.
Transport - 3/4 ton jeep, nothin' fancy but will get the job done. Either that or the Rakhsh APC, despite its name, its really an armored car. Check it out:
http://irandefence.net/attachment.php?a ... 1232152812
Airborne Assets
Attack Helicopter - Panha 2091, aka, the AH-1. This would be more complicated then reskinning of USMC AH-1Z, but not much, all that would be required would be to remove two rotors, and change the canopy, from curved to sharp angles. Armament would be TOW's, rockets and rotary gun, pretty standard. Alternately for a different AH-1 skin, there is an upgrade for the Non-TOW capable AH-1's that give it a sensor ball on the under the fuselage. Not a huge difference between the two
Here is the Panha 2091
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8670/panha20914.jpg
and here is the other upgrade program
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9199/72680728.jpg
Scout Helicopter - this is another fun one that we get to use a "just released" piece of equipment. Its basically an ultra-light Bell ranger, there are two versions, one has the capability to cary anti-ship missiles, which would be interesting if replaced with some varient of cruise missiles (unsure if most recent version supports). Its essentially the same as the OH-6 Kiowa. It carries rockets and a light machine gun in a fixed gunpod.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/8867/fdsfsdfdsf.jpg
Transport Helicopter - definitely the Mi-8/171, again, nothing fancy but it gets the job done. Maybe the UH-1 would be a suitable choice because the Mi-8 is already in use by the MEC.
Fighter- 100% the F-14, its the most ubiquitous fighter in the IRIAF, nothing else would suffice.
Fighter-Bomber - i'm torn, on one hand i want to say the Saeqeh (twin tailed ground attack derivative of the F-5)because, again, its a uniquely Iranian plane, but its also extremely light. So theres also the F-4 which has been converted into a dedicated bomber with air-to-air capabilities, its the aircraft always seen testing out all of the PGM's. In the end i'd go for the Saeqeh i think.
I probably missed something, so if theres a class or vehicle i dont have, speak up and i'll give my opinion on it.
