| Country: |
Syria |
| Associated Country: |
People's Republic of China |
| Alternate Name: |
DF-11/CSS-7 |
| Class: |
SRBM |
| Basing: |
Road mobile |
| Length: |
7.50 m |
| Diameter: |
0.80 m |
| Launch Weight: |
3800 kg |
| Payload: |
Single warhead, 800 kg |
| Warhead: |
HE |
| Propulsion: |
Single-stage solid |
| Range: |
280 km |
| Status: |
Operational |
Details
The M-11 is a short-range, road mobile, solid-propellant ballistic missile believed to have been imported by Syria from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). However, there are no confirmed reports of this missile being possessed by Syria. Like most PRC exports, it is nearly identical to a PRC domestically deployed missile, in this case the DF-11. The DF-11 is essentially a PRC improvement upon the Russian ‘Scud B’. The original M-11 missiles have been phased out and replaced with the longer range but less destructive M-11A variant.
As an improved Scud, M-11 is designed for deployment against fixed, large targets. Its range easily outdistances most conventional weapons, and the mobility obtained from a mobile launch vehicle allows it to be deployed against military targets. While it is not sufficiently accurate to target individual military units, it is capable for attacking small areas such as military bases, airfields and cities.
The original M-11 is 7.5 m in length, has a diameter of 0.8 m and a launch weight of 3,800 kg. It can carry an 800 kg warhead, which can be equipped with high explosive, chemical, sub-munitions, fuel-air explosive (FAE) or a nuclear yield of 2, 10 or 20 kT. It has a range that is supposedly 280 to 350 km (155.343 to 217.48 miles), within the limits of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and an accuracy of 600 m CEP.
The M-11A as deployed has a range of between 350 and 530 km (217.48 and 329.327 miles) with a 500 kg payload which can be equipped with high explosive, chemical, submunitions, FAE or a nuclear yield of 2, 10 or 20 kT. The M-11A warhead section separates in flight and has four small fins for control. The M-11A is 8.5 m in length, the diameter is 0.8 m, the launch weight is 4,200 kg and the payload is 500 kg. The lighter payload is the primary cause for the increased range. The previous combination of inertial and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) guidance has been supplemented by a new optical correlation terminal guidance system that has improved the accuracy to 200 m CEP.
The Syrian variant of the M-11 is believed to have a payload of 800 kg and a range of 280 km (173.984 miles), but can be modified to deliver a 500 kg payload 400 km (248.548 miles). The M-11 was designed to be launched from converted ‘Scud B’ launcher systems, so it is likely that Syria will convert some of its ‘Scud B’ launchers for this purpose. It will likely be equipped with HE, FAE, submunitions and chemical agents.
There are conflicting reports on the origin of the Syrian M-11. Some reports state that it received 20 Chinese M-11s. A manufacturing facility in Hama is thought to produce them, as well as a longer-ranged variant. It may be similar to the Pakistani Hatf-3. It is also reported, however, that the Syrian missile program was developed in a joint project with Iran, connecting the Syrian missile with the Fateh A-110. There are additional unconfirmed reports that Russian SS-21 launchers were sent from Syria to North Korea for reverse engineering and that the technology may have been applied to the M-11 variant. However, there have been no confirmed reports or flight tests of this missile in Syria.(1)
More information about the M-11 can be found in the description for the PRC’s DF-11/CSS-7.
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 46 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, January 2007), 169.
Iran Parades Missiles
September 22, 2005 :: News
Iran conducted a military parade today to mark the anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, the beginning of what Iran calls “holy defense” week. The parade took place conducted south of Tehran, near the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini. At his first military parade since taking office, President Mamhoud Ahmadinejad addressed dozens of top Revolutionary Guard officials, as well as generals in the regular army. (The Revolutionary Guard operates Iran’s ballistic missiles.)“Those who decide to misuse our nation’s honour and dignity and want to test what has been tested in the past, should know that the flames of the nation’s wrath are very hot and destructive,” said Ahmadinejad. The parade’s announcer repeatedly cried “God is Great!” when six Shahab-3 missiles went past the presidential viewing platform. The announcer said too, “If world arrogance wants to attack Iran … [it] will destroy their countries with these missiles.” Some of the missiles had banners saying, “Israel should be wiped off the map” and “We will trample America under our feet,” “Death to America,” and “Death to Israel.” The banners and verbal attacks prompted a number of European military attaches, from France, Italy, Greece, and Poland, to leave the parade. One diplomat is quoted as saying, “there was a common position among the European Union members that, if the military parade included any slogans that attacked our allies, we would leave.”
The major media services report the display of the Shahab-3, but there were a number of others. According to a summary of the parade provided on live Iranian television (Vision of the Islamic Republic of Iran Network 1) and translated via BBC Monitoring, the missiles displayed included:
- Shahab-3, 2,000km range
- Zelzal 1 and Zelzal 2, range 150-400
- M-11 Variant/Tondar-68, purchased from China, range 400km
- Nazeat
- “M-6”(see below)
- HQ-2 air-/missile-defense system, purchased from China
The reference to an “M-6” missile may well be a typographical error. It more likely refers to the M-9 variant, which Iran purchased from China. The term “Nazeat,” however, has been used to describe a primitive 150km range missile.
- M-9 missile, range 600km, purchased from China
Summary of parade provided by Iranian television: (More »»»)
» AFP Summary of parade
» Iranian TV account of parade, via BBC Monitoring
» More stories on: China, Chinese Missile Defenses, Iran, Proliferation
» Missile details: M-9 variant, M-11 variant, Shahab-6, Zelzal-1/2/3
» Missile system details for: Hongqi-2 (HQ-2)
