Engineering:Qassem Bassir

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Short description: Iranian ballistic missile
Qassem Bassir
TypeMedium-range ballistic missile
Place of originIran
Service history
Used byIran
Production history
DesignerTemplate:Country data Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force
ManufacturerMinistry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (Iran)
Produced2025
Specifications
PropellantTwo-stage solid fuel
Guidance
system
Inertial navigation + electro-optical/infrared terminal seeker
Launch
platform
Road-mobile TEL

The Qassem Bassir (also transliterated Qasem or Ghasem Bassir) missile is an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) unveiled in May 2025.[1]With a solid-fueled, two-stage system, it is presented as an improved variant of Iran’s Haj Qassem series, named after Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.[2][3] Iranian officials state the Qassem Bassir has a range of about 1,200 km, and features enhanced guidance and countermeasure resistance.[1] The missile was revealed by Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh on Iranian state television on 4 May 2025.[1]

Development

The Qassem Bassir emerged from Iran’s ongoing missile program development. It is explicitly an upgrade of the "Shahid Haj Qassem" medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) first unveiled in 2020 (with a longer advertised 1,400 km range).[4]

Design and technical characteristics

Estimates from Iranian sources suggest the Qassem Bassir re-enters the atmosphere at speeds up to ~Mach 11 and impacts at about Mach 5, classifying it as hypersonic at terminal phase.[5]

Guidance system

The Qassem Bassir’s guidance system combines inertial navigation with an advanced electro-optical sensor for the terminal phase. According to the Iranian Defense Ministry, it carries a thermal imaging (Infrared) camera that allows the missile to visually identify and home in on designated targets by their heat signatures,[5] this means it can attempt to "see" its target and maneuver toward it without relying on any satellite GPS signal.[6] Iranian reports claim that during testing the Qassem Bassir flew under intense jamming, yet its autonomous optical seeker and onboard inertial units maintained trajectory.[6] Observers note this is the first Iranian MRBM reported to use an image-based (infrared/optical) terminal seeker.[6] In practice, this guidance scheme should make the Qassem Bassir largely immune to radio-frequency jamming; as one analyst explained, by matching real-time images to stored terrain or target shapes, the missile avoids any external signals that an enemy could block.[6] Iran claims that the Qassem Bassir can achieve near "meter-level" accuracy against selected targets (e.g. airfield facilities).[5][6]

Missile defense evasion

During reentry, the missile's fins reportedly allow the warhead to perform course changes at supersonic speed[5]

Independent analysts caution that such figures likely include elements of propaganda.[7] Others, such as Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, are skeptical about Iran's claims about the new missile, stating that they need to be taken with a "pinch of salt,”, further stating about Iran that "they claim a lot" in order to retain a deterrent posture in anticipation of a rise in military tensions between Iran and the US.[7]

Parameter Reported figure/feature Reported advantage
Range ~1,200 km[citation needed](Reportedly, a 3000 km range model based on North Korean design is under development)[8]
Speed
Impact speed Mach 5[5]
Length ≈ 11 m[citation needed]
Launch mass ≈ 7 t[citation needed]
Launch vehicle Mobile transporter-erector-launchers (TELs)[citation needed]
Warhead ~500 kg (unitary or modular)[citation needed]
Fuel Solid[citation needed]
Propulsion Two‑stage solid‑fuel motor[citation needed]
Guidance system Thermal Imaging Sensor, Electro-optical imaging and onboard inertial measurement units (IMU)[citation needed]as well as Electronic Protective Measures (EPM) Improved accuracy through identification of targets by heat signature during terminal flight phase,[9] not dependent on satellite navigation systems (GPS)[citation needed] though reportedly retains satellite signal correction capabilities.[8] The EPM protects the missile's guidance system from electronic interference and jamming.[9]

Test firing and unveiling

According to the Iranian Ministry of Defense, the Qassem Bassir missile was successfully test-fired on 16–17 April 2025, striking a target over 1,200 km away.[10] On 4 May 2025, the missile’s formal unveiling took place, while US-Iran talks were on hold after a pause requested by Oman’s foreign minister.[11] In public statements, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and media outlets stressed that Bassir’s enhancements in guidance and maneuverability address the deficiencies of earlier missiles,[12][10][6] while stating that US bases in the region would be legitimate targets if military tensions in the area were to increase.[11][12][13][14]

See also

  • Haj Qassem
  • Defense industry of Iran
  • List of military equipment manufactured in Iran
  • Iran's ballistic missiles program
  • List of equipment of the Iranian Army
  • 2025 US–Iran negotiations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Iran Unveils Qasem Basir Ballistic Missile With Optical Guidance". https://www.defensemirror.com/news/39428. 
  2. ↑ "Iran unveils missiles with increased range" (in en). 2020-08-20. https://www.france24.com/en/20200820-iran-unveils-missiles-with-increased-range. 
  3. ↑ "Iran unveils new ballistic missile, vows to respond to Israeli aggression" (in en). 2025-05-05. https://www.intellinews.com/iran-unveils-new-ballistic-missile-vows-to-respond-to-israeli-aggression-379382/?source=iran. 
  4. ↑ RFE/RL. "Iran Tests Missile It Claims Can Reach Israel, Get Past US Defenses" (in en). RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-missile-israel-thaad/33405238.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Iran unveils new ballistic missile, vows to respond to Israeli aggression" (in en). 2025-05-05. https://www.intellinews.com/iran-unveils-new-ballistic-missile-vows-to-respond-to-israeli-aggression-379382/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 RFE/RL. "Iran Tests Missile It Claims Can Reach Israel, Get Past US Defenses" (in en). RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-missile-israel-thaad/33405238.html. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Helou, Agnes (2025-05-05). "Iran unveils its latest ballistic missile as Netanyahu warns Houthis' 'patron'" (in en-US). https://breakingdefense.com/2025/05/iran-unveils-its-latest-ballistic-missile-as-netanyahu-warns-houthis-patron/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Iran Unveils Qasem Basir Ballistic Missile With Optical Guidance". https://www.defensemirror.com/news/39428/Iran_Unveils_Qasem_Basir_Ballistic_Missile_With_Optical_Guidance. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Institute for the Study of War" (in en). https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-may-5-2025. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Iran Unveils Qassem Bassir Ballistic Missile With Optical Guidance". https://www.defensemirror.com/news/39428/Iran_Unveils_Qasem_Basir_Ballistic_Missile_With_Optical_Guidance. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Iran unveils new solid-fueled ballistic missile, state TV reports" (in en-US). The Washington Post. Associated Press. 2025-05-04. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/04/iran-us-israel-ballistic-missile/7c211cb0-292a-11f0-a724-3bc879c9f843_story.html. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Institute for the Study of War" (in en). https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-may-5-2025. 
  13. ↑ "Iran Unveils New Ballistic Missile Amid Rising Tensions" (in en). 2025-05-05. https://www.ilmessaggero.it/en/iran_unveils_new_ballistic_missile_amid_rising_tensions-8816862.html. 
  14. ↑ "Iran unveils cutting-edge missile, says U.S. bases are targets if attacked" (in en). 2025-05-04. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/512629/Iran-unveils-ballistic-missile-named-Qassem-Basir. 

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