Iran gets missile technology

News 24:

27/07/2005 17:21 - (SA) Tehran - Iran confirmed for the first time on Wednesday it had fully developed solid-fuel technology in producing missiles, a major breakthrough that increases the accuracy of missiles hitting targets.

Defence minister Ali Shamkhani said that Iran had made an "important step forward" in developing the technology, which provided them with the ability to fire solid-fuel engine ballistic missiles like the Shahab-3.

The Shahab-3, with a range of 1 300km to more than 1 930km, was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching Israel and United States forces in the Middle East.

Shamkhani said: "We have fully achieved proficiency in solid-fuel technology in producing missiles."

Such technology enabled the production of solid fuel, which made missiles more durable and dramatically increased their accuracy in reaching targets. Missiles using liquid fuel were short-lived.

Two engines developed

Shamkhani said: "It's an important step forward, an important achievement. It's a locally developed achievement."

Iran said last month it had successfully tested a solid-fuel motor for its medium-range Shahab-3 ballistic missile. The motor was one of two developed for the Shahab-3.

The minister said no flight test of a Shahab-3 missile had been carried out using solid fuel.

However, he had said Iran had used solid fuel with its Fateh-110 short-range missile some time ago, but it was unclear if the fuel was made in Iran or came from outside. The Shahab-3 ballistic missile was known as a single-stage device and military experts said the development of a second motor demonstrated a significant improvement in Iran's missile programme.

Iran's most efficient missiles

The Fateh-110 was a solid propellant surface-to-surface guided missile with a reported range of about 170km and was classified among Iran's most-efficient missiles.

Last November, Shamkhani said Iran was able to mass-produce the Shahab-3 missile.

The missile - whose name "Shahab" meant shooting star in Farsi - was last successfully tested in 2002 before equipping the elite Revolutionary Guards were equipped with it in July 2003.

Iran launched an arms development programme during its 1980-88 war with Iraq to compensate for a US weapons embargo.

Since 1992, Iran had produced its own tanks, armoured personnel carriers, missiles and a fighter plane.