January 9, 2009

Missilethreat.com

The greatest strategic threat to the United States is an attack by one or more ballistic missiles armed with nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction. Today, the United States remains completely vulnerable to this form of attack.

Missilethreat.com is dedicated to explaining this threat, and the urgent need for robust and layered missile defenses. Systems based on land, sea, air, and in space which are capable of intercepting a missile during any phase of its flight are necessary to provide for the common defense.

Home :: Missiles of the World

Print This

Shahab-3

Country:  Iran
Associated Country:  North Korea
Class:  MRBM
Basing:  Road mobile
Length:  16.58 m
Diameter:  1.38 m
Launch Weight:  17410 kg
Payload:  Single warhead, 1,200 kg
Warhead:  Nuclear, HE, chemical, or submunitions
Propulsion:  Single-stage liquid
Range:  1300km to 2500 km km
Status:  Operational

Details

The Shahab-3 is a medium-range, liquid-propellant, road-mobile ballistic missile. Its range is sufficient to target Israel, Turkey, the Indian subcontinent, and US forces stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf. The missile's low accuracy means the missile would probably only be usable to attack civilian populations and has no military application other than simply holding enemy populations hostage. The Shahab-3 may also be known as the Zelzel-3, although this has not been verified.1

 

Iran's domestic missile program dates back to 1979, the year in which Islamic revolutionaries under the Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the Shah and established the Islamic Republic of Iran. Almost immediately, the new government began work on a strategic deterrent that would secure Iran's borders from US intervention. In 1986, the program went into full force, and in 1993, work began on the Shahab-3. Motor tests were conducted in 1997, and the missile's first flight test occurred in 1998. Reports indicate that this test was unsuccessful although it was run under the guidance of Chinese specialists. In July 2003, Iran successfully tested the Shahab-3 yet again.2 Reports indicate that Iran might be currently developing an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warhead for the missile.3

The Shahab-3 is believed to have a range of 1,300 km in its initial form. Unconfirmed reports dictate the possibility of a 3A version and 3B version with a maximum range of 2,500 km. The Shahab-3's payload is reported to be 1,200 kg, but lighter in the 3A and 3B versions. This translates to an 800 kg separating warhead, delivered with an accuracy of between 2,500 and 4,000 m CEP. The warhead is able to carry high explosives (HE), chemical agents, or submunitions, although an unconfirmed Israeli report claims that a nuclear warhead is in development. Further reports indicate the possibility of collaboration between North Korea, Syria, and Iran. In September of 2007, Israeli F-15 fighter-bomber aircraft performed a raid on a nuclear material cache in Syria. Those materials were believed to be delivered by sea to Syria from North Korea. Israeli reports indicate that this was intended to be delivered to Iran. 4 This cache was destroyed during the raid, although parties involved deny wrongdoing. Another correlation to note is Aviation Week & Space Technology cites that a website associated with the Iranian government, two weeks later claimed a capable force of 600 Shahab-3 missiles aimed and capable of hitting selected targets in Israel. Intelligence reports, though, thwart this claim citing the rare possibility of Iran having that many Shahab-3 systems operational.5


Another Israeli report suggests that a satellite-launch variant on the Shahab-3, the Shahab-3D, uses a Chinese guidance system with an accuracy of 250 m CEP. Reports regarding the Shahab-3D variant are unconfirmed, but suggest heavily due to public testing, that the D variant is a completely different missile system, perhaps solely intended for space propulsion. Reports indicate that the D variant is three stage and both solid and liquid propulsion. Some suggest that this indicates similarity with the North Korean Taep'o-dong 1 and possibly the Iranian designation "IRIS," a space booster.6 The Shahab-3 is believed to have a launch weight of 17,410 kg with a length of 16.58 m and a width of 1.38 m. It uses an inertial guidance system and a single-stage liquid propellant engine.

There are reports that Iran has developed a longer-range ballistic missile called the Shahab-3A.7In June 2002 it was reported that Iran was developing the Shahab 3A. It has range between 1500 and 1800 km with a increased length (17.58 m) and an increased launch weight (18300 kg). It may have a CEP of 1000 m. The project may be a joint venture with North Korea. The Shahab 3B is also reported. It has a range of 2000 to 2500 km with a launch weight of 18500 kg.

Several unsuccessful tests of the Shahab-3 were launched, only the eighth was successful. Successful tests of the Shahab-3 are confirmed for February 2006. Reports indicate 4 successful tests at ranges of up to 1300 km. Additional tests of this weapon system are confirmed in November 2006 and are capable of operational testing in military exercises from that point on.8 It is believed that around 20 missiles were operational in May 2004. By February 2006 it is believed that 30 to 50 were operational. The Shahab 3A and 3Bmay be operational in 2007.9 In November, 2007, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Najjar released information regarding a new missile. The new missile was dubbed Ashoura, with a range of 1200 km. According to the reports, he declined comment on this weapon's relationship with Shahab-3, but its range suggests close ties. Additional reports claim that the missile could have a 2000 km range. This is due to alternate claims that the Ashoura is possibly a two stage solid propelled missile, in similar casing to the Shahab-3. These reports are unconfirmed. Tehran has not dictated plans for testing of this weapon. 10 Mixed reports claim the possible testing and production of this weapon, but definitive knowledge of this action is uncertain11 Reports show that the Shahab-3 nose cone has been altered from its original configuration to resemble a bottleneck. Experts suggest that this is to bear a nuclear payload.

The primary threat from Iran's Shahab program is the likelihood that Iran will give or sell this technology to rogue nations or terrorist organizations antagonistic toward the U.S. To make matters worse, Iran's Shahab-3 missiles are stored and operated in underground sites under the complete control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which enjoys little outside supervision within Iran. In 1998, for instance, Pakistan demonstrated a flight test of a missile remarkably similar to the Shahab-3, possibly the Shaheen-2 , and the North Korean No-dong 1. Although little can be done to limit Iranian missile proliferation, the technology to defend against such missiles as the Shahab-3 is easily within technological and financial reach for both the U.S. and its allies.12

Footnotes

  1. GlobalSecurity.org, "Shahab-3/Zelzal-3," available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/shahab-3.htm, accessed on 6 June 2008.
  2. Alon Ben-David, "Iran Successfully Tests Shahab 3," Jane's Defence Weekly, 9 July 2003.
  3. "Shahab Break-ups Suggest Possible EMP Trial," Jane's Missiles and Rockets, 1 May 2005.
  4. "Israelis ‘blew apart Syrian Nuclear cache,'" The London Times Online, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article2461421.ece, 16 September 2007, Accessed on 10 June 2008. Dominic Waghorn, "Israel Accused of Attacking Nuclear Site," Sky News , http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1284716,00.html, 19 September 2007, Accessed on 10 June 2008
  5. David Bond, ed, "Washington Outlook: Nuclear Iran I," Aviation Weekly & Space Technology, Vol. 167 Issue 12, p31, 24 September 2007.
  6. Andrew Koch, Robin Hughes, and Alon-Ben David, "Tehran Altering Ballistic Missile," Jane's Defence Weekly, 8 December 2004.
  7. Robert Wall, "Pentagon Sees Iranian ‘Ashura' Missile as worrying development," Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, Vol. 224, No. 433, p 1, 30 November 2007. Bill Gertz, "Romney and Huawei," The Washington Times, 7 December 2007, www.washtimes.com, Accessed on 10 June 2008. Zalman Shoval, "A threat to Israel; NIE does not diminish Iranian Menace," The Washington Times, 18 December 2007, www.washtimes.com, Accessed on 10 June 2008.
  8. Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane's Strategic Weapons Systems 46 (Surrey: Jane's Information Group, January 2007), 71-73.
  9.  Lennox Jane's Strategic Weapons Systems 42 (Surrey: Jane's Information Group, January 2005), 102-103.
  10. Scott Peterson "Nuclear Report: parsing Iran's intent," The Christian Science Monitor, 5 June 2008. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0605/p06s02-wome.html. Accessed 6 June 2008.
  11. Charles P. Vick, "Shahab-3D," Federation of American Scientists, http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/missile/shahab-3d.htm, Accessed on 9 June 2008.
  12. Anthony H. Cordesman and Martin Keliber, "Iran's Military Forces and Warfighting Capabilities: The Threat in the Northern Gulf," 2007, Praeger Security International, http://0-psi.praeger.com/, Accessed 9 June 2008
  13. Nazila Fathi, "Iran: New Long Range Missile," The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/world/middleeast/28briefs-missile.html, 28 November 2007, Accessed on 10 June 2008.
  14. "Iran Fires Weapons in Response to Nearby Exercise," Aviation Weekly & Space Technology, Vol. 165 Issue 18, p 50, 6 November 2006.

Photos Indicate Improvements to Iranian Shahab-3

August 30, 2004 :: Ha'aretz :: News

Photographs of the Iranian Shahab-3 missile recently published in Iranian newspapers indicate that the warhead has undergone improvements. The photographs reportedly indicate that the missile’s warhead has a flatter shape, which would cause it to re-enter the atmosphere more slowly, allowing its contents to be better protected, important in the case of a chemical warhead. The Israeli Ha’aretz newspaper describes the improvements as characterizing “a daring approach to their technological planning,” and notes that “It is very likely that the Iranians are being assisted by foreign experts from the former Soviet Union hired by Iran under personal contracts, or by experts from North Korea.” The photographs also reportedly indicate that “various short wings” are added on the warhead itself, possibly to aid in re-entry. (Article, Link) 

» Washington Times on Shahab-3 warhead improvements

» More stories on: Iran, Technology

» Missile details: Shahab-3

Iran Tests Upgraded Shahab-3

August 11, 2004 :: News

Iran today tested what it describes as the most recent version of the already deployed Shahab-3 missile. With a range of 1,300km, the missile threatens all of Israel and some U.S. military bases in the Mideast region. The test closely follows upon Israel’s July 29 test of its Arrow II missile interceptor, which it hopes will protect it against especially the Iranian Shahab-3.
        Iran has recently renewed its pledge to wipe Israel “off the map.” The ISNA students news agency quoted Revolutionary Guard Commander Yahya Rahim Safavi as commenting today that the “If Israel behaves like a lunatic and attacks the Iranian nation’s interests, we will come down on their heads like a mallet and break their bones.” The Revolutionary Guard has direct control of the Shahab missile systems.
        Israel defense sources report that Tehran is also developing a “Shahab-4” missile with a range of 1,700 km, but Iran may be adding the additional range to the so-called improved Shahab-3, while understating its potential, and, by keeping the same name, not attract further international scrutiny.  (Article, Link) 

» Debka on Shahab-3 program

» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: Shahab-3, Shahab-4

North Korean Taepo-Dong II Now For Sale

May 5, 2004 :: Worldtribune.com :: News

Quoting “western intelligence sources,” worldtribune.com reports that North Korea has begun to offer its long-range Taepo-Dong II for sale to several middle eastern nations.
        The news comes just days after other reports that North Korea is building new missile bases, developing new missiles, has “at least” eight nuclear weapons, and, ironically enough, that Kim Jong Il pledged to the United States that he would not transfer ballistic missiles to terrorists. The sale of missiles is, however, North Korea’s primary source of revenue.
        Likely buyers include another rogue state and state sponsor of terrorism, Iran, which has apparently been negotiating a purchase with Pyongyang. Worldtribune’s source says that 2003 negotiations for the purchase of the Taepo-Dong by Syria and Libya apparently were not pursued, but that Iran was considering the Taepo-Dong as a possible basis for the its ICBM program, the Shahab-5, the development of the engines for which China is also named as an aid.
        Depending on the version of the Taepo-Dong II, the intercontinental missile has a range of 6000km or more. The three stage version of the missile has a range capable of striking the continental United States.  (Article, Link) 

» Dec. 14, 1999: North Korea Readies Taepo-Dong I missiles for sale to Iran

» Dec. 7, 1999: U.S. expects Iran will be North Korea’s first ICBM customer

» May 5, 2004: Middle East Newswire on Taepo Dong Market

» May 6, 2004: LA Times: North Korea “may” have missile to reach Guam

» More stories on: China, North Korea, Proliferation

» Missile details: Shahab-3, Taep'o-dong 2

North Korea Shipped 400 SCUDs to Middle East

October 23, 2003 :: SpaceDaily :: News

A report released by the South Korean defense ministry claims that North Korea has shipped over 400 SCUD-class ballistic missiles to the Middle East since the 1980s. The biggest buyers were Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria, but also include Egypt and Libya. Increasingly, the Communist government of North Korea continues to rely upon missile exports for its single largest source of currency. Sales have been estimated at around $500 million since the mid-80s. (Article, Link) 

» World Tribune on NK missile sales

» More stories on: Iran, North Korea, Proliferation

» Missile details: Scud B variant, Sergeant, Shahab-3

Total Records: 14 « 1 [2]

Home :: Missiles of the World

 

Powered by eResources.com