As a high-speed ballistic missile and pre-mission fuelling capability, the Shahab-3 has an extremely short launch/impact time ratio. This means that the INS/gyroscope guidance would also remain relatively accurate until impact (important, given the fact that the gyrosopes tend to become inaccurate the longer the flight lasts). With that guidance system, the Shahab-3B could achieve an accuracy of around 30-50m CEP or even less. The Iranians have already proved of developing even more precise systems – their Fateh-110 missiles have an electro-optical terminal guidance system. Shahab-3B is not known of having anything similar, but should be fully dependent on INS and, probably, GPS.
These improvements would increase the Shahab-3B’s survivability against ABM systems such as Israel’s Arrow-2 as well as being used for precision attacks against high value targets such as command, control and communications centres.
Masud Yazaiari, spokesperson of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, warned in the past that Iran would respond to any Israeli efforts to stop their nuclear program. “Their threats to attack our nuclear facilities will not succeed,” Yazaiari said. “They are aware that Tehran's response would be overwhelming and would wipe Israel off the face of the earth” (Maariv, July 27, 2004). In April 2007, Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr, Iran’s deputy interior minister in security affairs, said Iran will strike U.S. interests around the world and Israel if attacked. “Nowhere would be safe for America with [Iran’s] long-range missiles ... we can fire tens of thousands of missiles every day,” Zolghadr said (Haaretz, April 26, 2007).
Shahab-3 is reported to be able to deliver a 2,000+ lbs payload to over 1,300 miles. In general rocket theory, range can be reduced (less fuel weight) to increase payload size. If the payload is a single 2,000-lb high-explosive warhead, the damage would be somewhat identical to that of a Mk-84 drop bomb, which was nicknamed "hammer" during the Vietnam war for its considerable power.
Shahab-3B and higher models, though, carry a tandem-type cluster warhead with up to five 600+ lb bombs that can target different points within a ballistic cone trajectory. CEP is said to be around 100 ft for each bomb. In this case, as the old saying goes, the whole is MORE THAN the sum of its parts and the overall damage is considerably higher. In layman's terms, that is to say a single missile can turn several city blocks into brick and dust.
State TV broadcast footage of deep underground silos, claiming that medium- and long-range missiles stored in them are ready to launch in case of an attack on Iran. The sites are widely viewed as a strategic asset for Iran to launch a strike in the event of a U.S. or Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities.
Col. Asghar Qelichkhani, a spokesman for the war games, said the silos "function as a swift-reaction unit."
"Missiles, which are permanently in the vertical position, are ready to hit the pre-determined targets," he was quoted as saying by state TV.
An officer in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, which is in charge of the missile program, said Tehran has constructed "numerous" underground missile silos which satellites can't detect. He did not elaborate.
Topic: Shahab-3 Missiles........ (Read 4572 times)