Western military equipment can be found in both Iran and Russia. While Russia faces severe economic sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, Iran is no longer subject to crippling Western military embargo. Clearly, the West is not abandoning Iran.
Western military systems can be seen in Iran routinely. Of course, there is no clear way of knowing when or how they will be delivered. We can only speculate.
Sutton, an independent defence analyst and author, has revealed something intriguing on his blog. He has published a photograph of an Iranian submarine and has indicated a curious object next to it with a red arrow. It is a German underwater scooter called Bonex, said Sutton.
It is unclear when the photograph was taken. According to Sutton, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) parade was recently held in Bandar Abbas. Although the date and location of the photograph are not specified, it is assumed that it was taken around that time. According to Sutton, Iran displayed a large amount of military equipment during the parade. The author mentions the “unique” Zulfiqar-class fast air defense boat.
According to him, the German Bonex underwater scooter is also used by the Russian Spetsnaz special forces, in addition to Iran. According to the photo on Sutton’s blog, the Bonex mounted on a military scabbard suggests this is not a civilian purchase.
About Bonex DPV
Bonex underwater scooters, also known as diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs), are manufactured in the well-known German state of Bavaria. Scooters are used for civilian purposes as well as military purposes, such as sport diving or technological diving.
The manufacturer claims that Bonex is an excellent tool for deep diving as well as diving in underwater caves. According to Bonex, the scooter is lightweight, and the battery is of high quality and durability. The underwater scooter can assist the diver in not only moving quickly but also transporting diving equipment.
Bonex has created six scooter models in total. The picture provided by Mr. Sutton does not indicate which model is in use in Iran. It should be noted that pattern recognition is difficult because the differences between the six patterns are so subtle.
Bonex scooters range in size from 218 to 300 mm. The scooters range in weight from 15 kg to 40 kg. The operational depth of the scooters ranges from 120 metres to 200 metres. The battery can last up to 310 minutes at the maximum speed of the scooter, but this only applies to the largest model. The top speed ranges from 60 to 90 metres per minute.
Some Bonex models can only operate with a single battery. Some, on the other hand, require two or four batteries. This also implies that the scooter can provide a different level of traction. Thrust ranges from 220 N to 340 N.
Underwater scooters, according to German manufacturer Bonex, are suitable for all types of diving. For example, lake diving, wreck diving, cave diving, deep sea diving, and exploration diving.
