Iran to Test Shahab-2 as “Friendship Message” to Neighbors
March 29, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
Iran plans to carry out military wargames in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, including a test of the Shahab-2 ballistic missile. Rear-Admiral Morteza Saffari, commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy, recently stated that the “Noble Prophet” military exercise will be held from March 31 through April 6, and will take place 40 km from the Iranian coast. The wargames will begin with the firing of a Shahab-2 as a “peace and friendship message” to the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman littoral states. Over 1,500 military and privately-owned vessels will take part in the exercise, as well as fighter-bombers, logistics aircraft, and helicopters. Saffari noted that IRGC Navy’s objectives include “preparing the armed forces to defend the independence and territorial integrity” and “resisting the enemy’s psychological warfare.” (Article, Link)
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Pakistan Tests Hatf-7 Cruise Missile for Second Time
March 22, 2006 :: BBC :: News
Pakistan on Tuesday test-launched its nuclear-capable Haft-7 Babur cruise missile for the second time. According to a statement from the Pakistani army, “All phases of the planned trajectory were extremely successful and the missile impacted with pinpoint accuracy.” Reports indicate that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf witnessed the launch and congratulated the scientists involved. India was not given advanced warning of the test.
The terrain-hugging Haft-7 missile has a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and is capable of carrying nuclear, chemical, biological, or conventional warheads. The indigenously developed missile, named after an ancient Mughal emperor, was first tested in August 2005. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Cruise Missiles, Pakistan, Testing - Foreign
U.S.-Japan SM-3 Interceptor Test Successful, Using Innovative Japanese Nosecone
March 8, 2006 :: The Missile Defense Agency :: News
The U.S. and Japan successfully test-launched a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) today from the Aegis-equipped cruiser USS Lake Erie near Hawaii. The SM-3 was equipped with an experimental nosecone, which is being jointly developed by the Missile Defense Agency and the Japanese Defense Agency.
The demonstration also tested prototypes for the rocket motor, but the primary test was of an innovative “clamshell” nosecone, designed by Japan to more quickly release the interceptor’s kill vehicle. In the standard configuration for previous tests, the SM-3 missile must maneuver to eject the barrel-shaped kill vehicle—a process known as “pitch and ditch.” The newer nosecone eliminates the need for such maneuvers, which in turn means the kinetic kill vehicle can collide with and destroy its target more quickly. The flight test did not involve an attempted intercept of a target missile, but simulated target data was instead fed into the computers of Aegis weapon system. Instead of a kill vehicle aboard the SM-3, its nosecone instead contained a camera and instruments to register temperature and shock readings during the flight. In today’s test, the nosecone was deployed at about 88 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean and 96 km northwest of the island of Kauai.
Japan has already decided to procure the SM-3 and the Aegis defense system for several of its Kongo class destroyers, as well as purchasing a number of Patriot (PAC-3) interceptors, and having received a license to produce others. Japan’s innovation in missile defense technologies is a further sign of growing international support for ballistic missile defense. (Article, Link)
» Defense News on SM-3 Test
» MDA Photos of SM-3 interceptor launch
» More stories on: Allies, Japan, Testing - American, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD
Pakistan Tests Hatf-2 SRBM
February 20, 2006 :: News
Pakistan successfully test-launched a Hatf-2 short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile on February 19. The indigenously developed missile has a range of 200 km and is capable of carrying a 500 kg warhead payload containing nuclear, chemical, or conventional warheads. This was the missile’s second test; the first was conducted in March 2005. (Article, Link)
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» Missile details: Hatf 2
Report: Iran Has Conducted Four Missile Tests in 2006
February 15, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
The German news agency DDP reports that Iran has conducted four missile tests since the beginning of 2006. Citing employees of Western security services, the report claims that Iran tested a modified intermediate-range ballistic missile, an air defense missile, a cruise missile, and an anti-tank missile. The modified intermediate-range missile is believed to have been a Shahab-3 with a range of 900 km. The report adds that Iran recently transferred several Shahab-3 missiles to neighborhoods surrounding the cities of Kermanshah and Hamad on its western border, from which it could reach targets in Israel (the distance from Kermanshah to Tel Aviv is 850 km). The air defense missile that was tested was an Iranian version of an as-of-yet unidentified Russian SAM, most likely the S-300, while the cruise missile was an Iranian version of the Chinese HY-2 Silkworm missile. The Silkworm apparently flew 150 km during the test, which would make it capable of reaching targets in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The report adds that Iran is attempting to acquire new engine components for these cruise missiles from Germany and Switzerland, which are then smuggled through Iranian cover firms registered in Dubai’s free trade zone in the United Arab Emirates. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Shahab-6
German Newspaper: Iran Tested Missile Secretly in January
February 6, 2006 :: News
The German daily Die Welt cites western intelligence sources as reporting that Iran secretly tested a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile last month. The purpose of the test, which allegedly took place on January 17, was to collect electronic and aerodynamic measurements from the long-range missile during its flight. The test was conducted by a 15-person engineering team under the direct control of the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and was attended by commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as well as some high-ranking employees of the Iranian aviation industry. Diplomatic sources in Iran are cited as saying the test was a success.
The German news agency DDP speculates that the above-mentioned missile may have been the Shahab-4, an intermediate-range weapon similar to the older Shahab-3 except for its increased range of over 2,000 km (approx. 1,250 miles) and its improved accuracy based on more modern digital guidance systems. Although the Shahab-4 project has been shrouded in secrecy in recent years, it is most likely an attempt to make Iran’s missile program less dependent upon foreign materials. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Shahab-6, Small ICBM
Admiral: U.S. Monitored North Korean Launch of Three Missiles
March 16, 2006 :: BBC Worldwide Monitoring :: News
The U.S. knew in advance about North Korea’s plan to launch three short-range surface-to-surface missiles on March 8, and was able to quickly confirm the actual launch, reports Timothy Keating, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, who testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 14.
Sources indicate that the three North Korean missiles tested were of modest range and capbility, with ranges of approximately 120 kilometers, which could however reach the South Korean city of Pyongtaek where U.S. military installations are located.
Last week, General Burwell Bell, head of U.S. forces in Korea, said the launch demonstrated that North Korea has made a “quantum leap forward” in its technology, having greatly improved accuracy and mobility. (Article, Link)
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India Tests Three Akash SAMs in Two Days
January 30, 2006 :: AFP :: News
India has recently carried out three tests of its Akash surface-to-air missile on January 29 and 30. The missiles were fired from the Chandipur-on-Sea testing site, 200 km of the Orissa state capital, Bhubaneswar. According to an Indian defense official, all three hit their flying targets successfully. The Akash system, which means “sky” in Hindi, is able to track 100 targets simultaneously, move at 600 m/second, and deliver its 55 km warhead across 27 km in 50 seconds. (Article, Link)
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India Fires Dhanush
January 1, 2006 :: Forbes :: News
India test-launched its short-range Dhanush ballistic missile on December 28, reports the Press Trust of India. The missile was launched from a warship in the Bay of Bengal off the eastern coast. The Dhanush, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, is the naval version of surface-to-surface Prithvi missile. It has a range of 250 kilometers and can carry a payload of 500 kilograms. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: India, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Dhanush
Second Launch of Russian Bulava Missile, From Submerged Position
December 21, 2005 :: News
Russia today tested its Bulava (R-30/SS-NX-30) ballistic missile. The successful launch was only the second test of the Bulava system, the newest missile being developed by Russia. The missile was fired from the Dmitry Donskoy submarine of Russian navy’s Northern Fleet, from within the White Sea. In the previous test on September 27, the missile was fired while the submarine was at the surface. Today, however, the submarine was moving underwater at the time the missile was launched.
The missile’s payload traveled some 6,000km to its target at the Kura testing range on the Far Eastern Kamchatka peninsula. Interfax reported that twelve missiles will be based on each submarine. RTR television in Moscow reported that the solid fuel Bulava missile can “carry at least 10 nuclear MIRV warheads and its range is about 8,000 km.” RTR television also showed President Putin and Defense Minister Ivanov commenting on the test:
[Ivanov] We can now already talk boldly about all the design and engineering decisions that were put into this new missile system having vindicated themselves.
In 2006 we will continue flight tests in the various modes of this system and we are already firmly counting on the fact that this system - and also the new submarine that is being built, as you know, alongside this system - will be accepted to be with our fleet by 2008.
[Putin] This is a good present to the country from all of those who have worked on this subject matter for the New Year. I congratulate you, well done!
Ivanov was also quoted by RIA Novosti as emphasizing that, “What is important is that the submarine was moving [underwater], it was not stationary.” He noted that further Bulava testing would continue in 2006, and that “We are fairly certain that the [Bulava] missile system, and a new submarine to be equipped with it, will be deployed by our navy in 2008.”
RIA Novosti noted that Chief of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces Gen Nikolai Solovtsev recently declared Moscow’s plans to test-fire several nuclear-capable cruise missiles in 2006. (Link)
» RIA Novosti: Ivanov on launch significance
» Moscow RTR television quotes Putin and Ivanov on launch
» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: SS-26
