May 17, 2008

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M-11 variant

Country:  Iran
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 Iranian M-11 is a short-range, road mobile, solid-propellant ballistic missile exported from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Like most PRC exports, it is nearly identical to a PRC domestically deployed version, in this case the DF-11. The DF-11 is the PRC’s 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. The missile is possibly designated the Shahab 1, though this title might refer instead to the ‘Scud B’ 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 during a military conflict. While it is insufficiently accurate to target individual military units, it is able to attack 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 (174 to 217 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 and 329 miles) with a 500 kg payload with the same potential warheads. It 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 Iranian variant of the M-11 appears to be taken from the M-11A. It is believed to have a payload of 500 kg and a range of 400 km (249 miles). The M-11 was designed to be launched from converted ‘Scud B’ launcher systems, so it is likely that Iran will convert many of its ‘Scud B’ launchers for this purpose.(1)

More information about the M-11 can be found in the description for the PRC DF-11/CSS-7.

 

 

Footnote

 

  1. Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 46 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, January 2007), 69.

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