Subordinate to: Sanam Industrial Group, also known as Department 140 of the Defense Industries Organization (DIO)

Location: Latitude 35° 47 North; longitude 51° 30' East; 12.7km northeast of Tehran; province of Tehran

Primary Function: Production of missiles, rocket launchers, gyroscopes, bombs, and mortars; research, design, development, manufacturing, construction, and implementation of missile and aerospace projects; supplying non-military items and services such as fuel pumps, technical and engineering services, and research and development.

Description and Activities:
The Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) is located in Lavizan, a city 12.7km northeast of Tehran in the province of Tehran. AIO directs over 13 large factories and employs more than 10,000 people. There are two other missile design facilities in very close proximity -- the Lavizan Technical and Engineering Complex, which is a metallurgy and installation complex, and Sultanatabad (or "Saltanatabad"). The AIO has reportedly carried out missile-related computer research at the former facility
AIO is involved in the production of solid and liquid fuel surface-to-surface missiles (Shehab 1, 2, 3, Fateh, Zelzal, Nazeat); anti-ship missiles (Noor,* Kosar); short-, medium- and long-range air defense missiles (Sayyad 1, Mishag 1, Shehab Sagheb); anti-armor missiles with tandem warheads (Toophan, Tosan 1); the Raad-T antitank weapon system, a 240mm 30-round multiple rocket launcher (based on a North Korean design); and two-axis gyroscope Model 866, various types of rockets (Haseb, Nader, Oghab, S24, Saegheh, Noor*), warheads, accelerometers, IR Lamps, detonators, Xenon high tension arc lamps, linear potentiometers, sustainer and booster propellant sets, spool assemblies, servo-mechanism sets, launchers and ground equipment (rocket launching platforms, rounds transport vehicles, command posts, surveying vehicle, mobile repairing posts, meteorological vehicles).
AIO also offers services such as technical engineering consulting; industrial engineering using an auto-CAD system; manufacturing of heavy and light weapons; designing solid propellant rockets and electrical detonators; designing and manufacturing heat shield matrix, flight calculation and simulation equipment; performing empirical tension analysis by SG; restoring Scud missiles, performing reverse engineering; and providing aviation spare parts.
Another major AIO activity is research and development, including sensors, gyroscopes and accelerometers, AC DC electrical motors, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic and electrical actuators, chemical and thermal batteries, microwaves (radar and altimeter), optics, computers and electronics, liquid and solid propellants, composite solid propellant, metal materials, non-metal materials, and ballistic, anti-armor, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, air-to-air, air-to-surface missiles.

* Noor is both an anti-ship missile and an artillery rocket.

Key Sources: Aerospace Industries Organization <http://www.iran-aio.com/index.htm> and <http://www.iranaffairs.com/aio>; John Pike, "Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), Sanam Industrial Group, Sanam Industries Group, Lavizan, Sultanatabad [Saltanatabad]," <http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/facility/lavizan.htm>; John Pike, "Defense Industries Organization (DIO), Sasadjah (Sazemane Sanaye Defa)," <http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/agency/dio.htm>; Steve Rodan, "Documents Obtained by 'Jerusalem Post' Show: Iran Has Four Nuclear Bombs," The Jerusalem Post, 9 April 1998, p. 1.