al-Hijarah | |
---|---|
Type | Short-range ballistic missile |
Place of origin | Iraq[1][2][3][4] |
Specifications | |
Payload capacity | 100-300 kg[3][4] chemical warhead |
Propellant | Liquid-propelled[4] |
Operational range |
700-900 km[3][4] |
Guidance system |
Inertial |
The al-Hijarah missile was an Iraqi liquid propelled inertial Short-range ballistic missile, it was also a Scud missile and considered an upgrade of the al-Hussein missile equipped with chemical warheads.[1][2] It was developed by 1990[3] and was first used in the Persian Gulf War where the al-Hijarah missile would release poison clouds and kill personnel on grounds as well as ignite oil wells.[1][2] One al-Hijarah missile was confirmed to have been fired at Israel during the Gulf War where one landed near Dimona, it was revealed that the missile had a concrete filled warhead.[1]
Characteristics
The al-Hijarah missile warhead was probably filled with chemical weapons and biological weapons possessed by Iraq at that time like anthrax, botulinum toxin, aflatoxin, sarin, cyclosarin and VX nerve agent.[2] The al-Hijarah missile being a version of the al Hussein also suffered from flight instability and improper guidance.[4] Iraq itself at that time was almost fully indigenous when it came to ballistic missile components and only lacked the ability to locally manufacture Gyroscopes.[1][2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Al Hussein/al-Husayn". https://fas.org/nuke/guide/iraq/missile/al_hussein.htm.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Al Hussein/al-Husayn". https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iraq/al_hussein.htm.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Ballistic Missiles in Iran's Military Thinking". https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/ballistic-missiles-irans-military-thinking.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Iraq". https://www.nti.org/learn/countries/iraq/delivery-systems/.
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