Defense Industries Organization

The Defense Industries Organization (Persian: سازمان صنایع دفاع) is a conglomerate of companies run by the Islamic Republic of Iran whose function is to provide the military of Iran with the necessary manufacturing capacity and technical abilities. In recent years, the DIO has attempted to become export-oriented, allowing Iran to become an exporter of weapons. According to Iranian officials, the country sold $100 million worth of military equipment in 2003 and as of 2006 had exported weapons to 57 countries.

History

Prior to 1963, the Iranian military industry consisted of a number of independent factories. Iran's military industry was born under the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In 1973, the Iran Electronics Industries (IEI) was founded to organize efforts to assemble and repair foreign-delivered weapons. Most of Iran's weapons before the Islamic revolution were imported from the United States and Europe. Between 1971 and 1975, the Shah went on a buying spree, ordering $8 billion in weapons from the United States alone. This alarmed many in the U.S., which strengthened a 1968 law on arms exports in 1976 and renamed it the Arms Export Control Act. Still, the United States continued to sell large amounts of weapons to Iran until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

HM-15

Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 (HM-15) is a United States Navy helicopter squadron established in 1987 and based at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Nicknamed the "Blackhawks" and flying the MH-53E Sea Dragon, it is staffed by both active duty and reserve personnel. It is the sister squadron to HM-14, the "Vanguard", based a half-mile away at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

History

The Blackhawks were established on 2 January 1987, as the first of two similar active duty squadrons at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. On 1 October 1987, the squadron's permanent duty station changed to Naval Air Station Alameda, California (just outside Oakland).

In October 1989 the squadron was called upon to provide support for disaster relief effort after an earthquake devastated Loma Prieta, California. To assist they lifted full size construction backhoe tractors and assisted in other air-lift operations. The unit was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for their efforts.

The squadron was involved in its first major conflict in 1991 when it deployed a three aircraft, 100 man detachment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The squadron remained in theater until April 1992 after transporting over 3.2 million pounds of cargo and more than 4,000 personnel. They have also been involved in Operation Enduring Freedom most notably through deployments to Bahrain.