India Continuing Work on Agni-III
June 4, 2004 :: Xinhua :: News
India is continuing its work on the Agni-3 missile with a range of 3,000km, reports the Chinese Xinhau news agency, but it is not certain when it might be tested. One of the scientific advisors to the program is quoted as saying that it could be within a year. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: India, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Agni-3
Russia Tests Tochka (SS-21) Missile
June 3, 2004 :: News
Russia has again test fired its Tochka (SS-21) short range ballistic missile. According to a transcript taken from Russian television on May 31, the missile traveled a mere 20 km. The Tochka has a range of 70km, and the Tochka-U, or SS-21B, has a range up to 120km, however. (More »»»)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-21 A, SS-21 B
Pakistan Now Plans to Test Two Ghauri-III Missiles
May 28, 2004 :: News
Coming one week after reports that Pakistan would test launch a Ghauri-III missile in early June, the Pakistani newspaper Nawa-i-Waqt now claims that the country will now conduct two tests of the missile, on May 29 and on June 3. The Ghauri III, said to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads 3,500km, is Pakistan’s longest-range missile. “After the successful test-fire of Ghauri III missile, Pakistan will join the ranks of other countries that can manufacture intermediate range missiles,” the paper boasted.
Update: May 29: Pakistan Tests Hatf-5, with range of 1,500 km. (More »»»)
» May 21, 2004: Pakistan to test Ghauri III in early June
» More stories on: Pakistan, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Ghauri-3, Hatf 5
North Korean Missile Moratorium Meaningless, if Iran Sharing Test Data
May 28, 2004 :: Kyodo :: News
On May 22, North Korea’s Kim Jong Il pledged to Japan that the communist country would maintain a moratorium on its ballistic missile tests, but a report by the Japanese Kyodo news service calls such a pledge into question, quoting a U.S. administration official saying that Iran is supplying test data from missile tests within its borders to North Korea, perhaps in exchange for nuclear technology. The unnamed official is quoted as saying that, “We’ve been concerned that maybe the Iranians are sharing data about their test with North Korea, perhaps in exchange for nuclear technology,” adding that a moratorium “isn’t very significant” if North Korea is getting Iranian missile test data. North Korea could be using data from Iranian tests to advance its own long range missile programs.
The fact that North Korea recently reported it would offer for sale its longest range missile, the Taepo-Dong II, and that Iran is a likely client, could also well indicate collusion to circumvent testing on the Korean peninsula. North Korea could sell The Taepo-Dong II to Iran and use the location as a vicarious testing ground, all the while being able to claim a moratorium of its own.
The Wall Street Journal reports on May 28 that Iran sent a response to the Kyodo news service denying that they were sharing test data. (Article, Link)
» May 28, 2004: Iran denies any military cooperation with North Korea
» Japan: Missile Testing would violate aid agreement
» Japanese Defense Chief: unable to verify that North Korean missiles not targeting Japan
» May 22, 2004: Kim: North Korea will maintain missile moratorium:
» More stories on: Iran, North Korea, Testing - Foreign
Pakistan to Test Ghauri III Missile in Early June
May 21, 2004 :: News
Pakistan is preparing to test a 3,500km range ballistic missile, referred to as the Ghauri-III, in the first week of June, possibly on June 3. This would be the first flight test of the liquid-fueled Ghauri III, and the longest-range missile of Pakistan’s to date, surpassing the range of the Shaheen II. A successful motor test for the missile has already taken place, reports the Pakistani newspaper Nawa-i-Waqt, probably in September 1999.
The missile will be fired from the testing range near the northwest province of Nowshera, and will travel southward, into the Arabian Sea. The Ghauri missile system was initially developed by Abdul Qadeer Khan. In March, Pakistan tested its Shaheen II missile, with a reported range of 2,000 to 3,000km.
Several news reports describe the Ghauri III missile as “long range,” but a missile with a range of 3,500km would be classified as an intermediate range ballistic missile, or IRBM.
Update: May 24: Pakistan could launch missile within 48 hours (Article, Link)
» March 9, 2004: Pakistan tests Shaheen II
» Nawa-i-Waqt report on Pakistan test (subscription)
» More stories on: Pakistan, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Ghauri-3
Iran Could Test ICBMs by 2005
May 20, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News
Middle East Newsline reports that U.S. intelligence officials believe that Iran could begin testing components of intercontinental ballistic missile in 2005, likely from the Shahab missile family.
“During 2003, Iran continued R&D in its longer-range ballistic missile programs, and publicly reiterated its intention to develop space launch vehicles — and SLVs contain most of the key building blocks for an ICBM,” CIA director George Tenet told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Feb. 24. “Iran could begin flight-testing these systems in the mid- to latter-part of the decade.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Shahab-5, Shahab-6
Russia Plans Test of Sea-Based Version of Topol-M
June 3, 2004 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Moscow plans to conduct the first test launch of the Bulava solid fuel ICBM this year, reported the Interfax Russian news agency yesterday. The Bulava (SS-NX-30) is the submarine-launched version of Russia’s most advanced missile, the Topol-M (SS-27). (More »»»)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-27, SS-NX-30
Five Russian Missiles Successfully Tested Since December
May 14, 2004 :: Itar-Tass :: News
The press service for Russia’s Strategic Missile Troops commented that Russia has successfully test launched five ICBMs since December 1, 2003. Col.-Gen. Nikolay Solovtsov said in his commander’s report that the Strategic Missile Troops “are combat-ready and capable of resolving military tasks assigned to them under any conditions.” Moreover, “The final decision has been made: the Missile Troops will be armed with both stationary and mobile land-based missile systems.” The story in ITAR-TASS goes on to enumerate the tests:
A test launch of an RS-18 ICBM (SS-19 Stiletto in Western classification terms) was carried out from Baykonur on 5 December 2003. A further two RS-18 ICBMs were launched from Baykonur and a Topol [ICBM] from Plesetsk as part of the Security-2004 strategic command-and-staff exercises in February 2004. A Topol-M ICBM was launched from a mobile launcher on 20 April. The launch was carried out to test its maximum range.
The story does not, however, seem to recognize the two test failures. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
THEL Test Successful
May 6, 2004 :: Northrop Grumman :: News
The Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) successfully destroyed a rocket by means of a laser on May 4, reports its producer, Northrop Grumman in a press release today. The test is described as “history making,” because the rocket destroyed was “larger, faster and that flies higher than previous threats destroyed by the laser weapon demonstrator.” A previous test this past week succeeded in its primary goal of tracking the rocket but did not attempt to destroy it. The target rockets in both tests were 6 1/2 inches in diameter and 11 feet long.
The interception comes as part of a series of tests begun on April 29. These specific tests were of a mobile form of the laser, called MTHEL, which will be the first version deployable of the weapons system. THEL is a collaborative effort between Israel and the United States, often tested at White Sands, New Mexico.
In programs such as THEL, the speed of lasers permits rapid interception of both short range rockets with a short flight time, as in the case of Israel, but also the ability to destroy larger, even intercontinental ballistic missiles during their brief ascent, or boost phase. Whereas another land-based boostphase program, the Kinetic Energy Interceptor, must devise methods for the interceptor to achieve extremely high velocities in order to “catch up” with an enemy missile during a brief ascent window, lasers based on land or in space would permit much more comfortable reaction times. (Article, Link)
» April 30, 2004: Previous MTHEL test
» April 21, 2003: THEL selected by Army
» More stories on: High Energy Defenses, Israel, Testing - American, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL)
Japan-U.S. Joint Test in 2005
May 6, 2004 :: Kyodo :: News
Japan and the United States are planning to conduct their first joint flight test in the second half of 2005 for sea-based missile interceptors. A second flight test would follow in 2006. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Allies, Testing - American, Testing - Foreign
