Engineering:Zolfaghar (missile)
| Zolfaghar | |
|---|---|
 Zolfaghar | |
| Type | SRBM[1] |
| Place of origin | Iran |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2017-present[1] |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | IRGC AF |
| Unit cost | $160.000 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 10.3 m[1] |
| Width | 0.68 m[1] |
| Propellant | Single-stage Solid-propelled[1] |
Operational range | 700 km[1] |
Guidance system | INS, GPS[2] |
| Accuracy | 10 m CEP estimated[2] |
| References | |
The Zolfaghar (Persian: ذوالفقار) missile is an Iranian road-mobile,[2] single-stage, solid-propelled SRBM[1] named after Zulfiqar the sword of Ali ibn Abi Talib. It is believed to be derived from the Fateh-110 SRBM family[2] (possibly the Fateh-313 missile).[1] The Aerospace Industries Organization unveiled the. weapon in 2016.[3] It entered service in 2017.[1] It was first used in the 2017 Deir ez-Zor missile strike and was therefore one of the first used mid-range missiles since 30 years.[4]
Design
According to Iranian sources, the Zolfaghar missile has a length of 10.3m, a diameter of 0.68m, and a launch weight of 4615kg with a warhead weighing 590kg that is designed to separate in midcourse phase, making it more difficult to detect, track and intercept than unibody missiles like the 9K720 Iskander.[5]
History
It was first unveiled during a military parade aboard a vehicle decorated with an anti-Zionist banner[2] on 25 September 2016[1] after which Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan claimed that the missile had a range of 700 km.[1][2] The Iranian Ministry of Defense would later on release a video of its testing.[1] On 17 June 2017 Iran launched six Zolfaghar missiles into Syria towards the Deir ez-Zor region on ISIS targets as a response to the attack in Tehran on 8 June 2017.[1]
In February 2019 Iran unveiled a new longer range version of the Zolfaghar missile called the Dezful missile with a range of 1000 km, this is an MRBM.[6]
On 7 March 2021, Yemeni Houthi attacked different locations in Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and armed drones with a Zolfaghar ballistic missile along with several Samad-3 loitering munitions targeted the Aramco oil facilities at Ras Tanura.[7][8]
Operators
State-operators
Iran[9]
Reported future operators
Russia – An intelligence assessment shared in October 2022 with Ukrainian and U.S. officials contended that Iran’s armaments industry was preparing a first shipment of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles to Russia.[10] Western media reported the sale was confirmed by the Iranian side later in October.[9] Iran rejected the Western "media hype" over the delivery of Iranian missiles to Russia. The foreign minister said that "what they have said about the missiles is completely wrong."[11]
See also
- Fateh-110
- Fateh-313
- Dezful (missile)
- List of military equipment manufactured in Iran
- Science and technology in Iran
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "Zolfaghar". https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/zolfaghar/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Zolfaghar". https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/todays-missile-threat/iran/zolfaghar/.
- ↑ Staff. (25 September 2016). "Iran unveils Zulfaghar long-range ballistic missile". Mehr News Agency website Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ↑ "Iran Fires at Militants in Syria in First Use of Mid-range Missiles in 30 Years". Haaretz. 18 June 2017. http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/1.796422.
- ↑ "The Iranian Missile Threat" (in en). https://www.csis.org/analysis/iranian-missile-threat.
- ↑ "Report: Iran Inaugurates Medium-Range Ballistic Missile" (in en-US). New York Times. Associated Press. 2019-02-07. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/02/07/world/middleeast/ap-ml-iran-missile.html.
- ↑ "World News | Latest Top Stories". https://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-saudi-defence-idUSL1N2L61T4.
- ↑ "Ansarullah's missile and munitions launches flex Saudi responses". https://www.iiss.org/blogs/military-balance/2021/03/ansarullah-missile-and-munitions-saudi-arabia.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Altman, Howard. "Ukraine Situation Report: Iranian Officials Admit To Selling Russia Ballistic Missiles (Updated)". The Drive. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-iranian-officials-admit-to-selling-russia-ballistic-missiles.
- ↑ "Iran plans to send missiles, drones to Russia for Ukraine war, officials say" (in en-US). Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/16/iran-russia-missiles-ukraine/.
- ↑ "Update: Iranian FM acknowledges sending drones to Russia before Ukraine conflict-Xinhua". https://english.news.cn/20221105/5ac7b772ce7047d7809a48a5108c723e/c.html.
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