Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile
TypeMedium-range ballistic missile
Place of origin Iran
Service history
Used byIslamic Republic of Iran
Production history
DesignerIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
ManufacturerIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Unit cost$300.000
Produced2022
Specifications
Mass4.5 tons
Length10.5 meters
Diameter80 centimeters
Warhead weight500 kg
PropellantSolid fuel engine
Operational
range
1450 Kilometer (900 miles)
AccuracyManeuverability to cross the missile shield

Kheibar Shekan or Kheibarshekan (Persian: خیبرشکن) is an Iranian solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force. It is of the third generation of IRGC missiles and was unveiled in a ceremony attended by senior Iranian military commanders on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the Iranian Revolution.[1] The missile has solid fuel and in the landing phase has maneuverability to pass through the missile shield and has the ability to hit targets with a range and a radius of 1,450 kilometers (900 miles).[2]

Etymology

Kheibar Shekan means "Fortress Breaker", "Kheibar" is the Jewish fortress that was conquered by the Muslims in the beginning of Islam, "Shekan" is equal to "Breaker" or "Destroyer".[3][4][5]

Specifications

Kheibar Shekan exhibited at Tehran during 2022 Quds Day.

The Kheibar Shekan missile uses solid fuel and weighs less than similar missiles. It has a definite operating radius of more than 1400 kilometers (900 miles), while the maneuverability of this missile is very high compared to its classmates. It is also referred to as a long-range ballistic and aim point missile.[6][7]

The Kheibar Shekan missile can be considered as a new generation of missiles and a mutation in developments in the missile field of the Islamic Republic of Iran.[7][8][9]

The Kheibar Shekan is one of the third generation of long-range missiles of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which uses "solid fuel" and in the landing phase, has maneuverability to pass through the missile shield. Another important feature of the Kheibar Shekan missile is its optimal design, which weighs up to one-third less than similar models, and its preparation and firing time is reduced to one-sixth. Due to the design of the warhead and with special wingtips, the possibility of maneuvering this missile in the final phase to counter the anti-missile defense systems has been strengthened. This missile has high accuracy and has the ability to hit points. Its warhead can withstand very high temperatures.[10]

Dimensions

The Kheibar Shekan missile is 10.5 meters long, 80 centimeters in diameter, and weighs 4.5 tons with a 500-kilogram warhead. Its warhead is a fast and intense explosive type. The body of the Kheibar Shekan missile's body is made of Composite material same as Raad-500 missile.[7]

One of the advantages of the Kheibar Shekan missile is its smaller dimensions compared to similar models. Therefore, in the limited space of underground missile bases, more of them can be stored.[11]

Warheads

The relatively larger dimensions of its warheads increase the maneuverability of the warhead after entering the atmosphere and allow for more sophisticated and faster maneuvers to effectively cross the barrier of in-air missile defenses, which are characteristic of defense systems such as David's Sling of Israel Defense Forces and the Patriot of the United States.[12]

Its maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) warheads maneuver when enter the Earth's atmosphere with the help of wingtips, which reduce kinetic energy and, of course, velocity during the maneuver. For this reason, at the moment the warhead hits the target, there are no signs of burning of the blocks and melting of the warhead, which makes it possible to perform heavy maneuvers to neutralize the enemy's air defense. The velocity of the warhead at the moment of impact is estimated at 2 to 3 Mach.[7]

The Kheibar Shekan missile warhead configuration is of the Tri Conic type, which is used to maintain the warhead stability during heavy maneuvers. Of course, the amount of drag force in this configuration is a bit higher, but its due to achieve maneuverability. Therefore, the designers of this missile, by making engineering compromises, have preferred maneuverability to increasing the drag force.[7][9]

Velocity

The published images show the high speed of the Kheibar Shekan missile before leaving the Earth's atmosphere, so that the missile reaches speeds above 4–5 Mach before leaving the atmosphere. Such high acceleration greatly reduces the effects of deceleration due to the gravitational force of the earth, which ultimately leads to an increase in the range of the missile.[6][7]

Launch vehicle

The Kheibar Shekan missile has the ability to use a wide range of launchers. The launcher used for the Kheibar Shekan missile is mounted on a 10-wheel commercial chassis that can also be camouflaged as a commercial vehicle.[7][3][4]

Strike on targets in Syria

On 15 January 2024, Tasnim News Agency reported that the IRGC Aerospace Forces launched four Kheibar Shekan missiles from Darkhoveyn District in southern Khuzestan province at midnight, traveling a distance of 1,200 kilometres (750 mi), specifically targeting the perpetrators of the Kerman bombings in Idlib Governorate, northwestern Syria.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "سپاه پاسداران از 'موشک بالستیک با برد ۱۴۵۰ کیلومتر' رونمایی کرد" [The Revolutionary Guards unveiled a 'ballistic missile with a range of 1450 km'] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "مذاکره در اتریش و رونمایی موشک در ایران؛ تفسیر رسانه‌های اسرائیل از نام "خیبرشکن"" [Negotiations in Austria and the unveiling of missiles in Iran; Israeli media interprets the name "Kheibar Shekan"] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 "تمام خاک اسرائیل و همه پایگاه های آمریکا در منطقه در تیررس موشک های قدرتمند ایران! - نیوزین" [All Israeli territory and all US bases in the region are within range of Iran's powerful missiles! - Newsin] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 "تمام خاک اسرائیل و همه پایگاه های آمریکا در منطقه در تیررس موشک های قدرتمند ایران!" [All Israeli territory and all US bases in the region are within range of Iran's powerful missiles!] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "نامی جدید در ایران که به زودی معادلات منطقه را تغییر خواهد داد" [A new product in Iran that will soon change the equations of the region] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  6. 1 2 "آشنایی با موشک خیبرشکن - همشهری آنلاین" [Introduction to Kheibar Shekan Missile - Hamshahri Online] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "جدیدترین موشک ایرانی را بیشتر بشناسید" [Learn more about the latest Iranian missile] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  8. ↑ ""خیبرشکن" جدیدترین موشک ایران چه ویژگی‌هایی دارد؟ برد موشک‌های سوخت جامد تاکتیکی به اسرائیل رسید - ایرنا" [What are the features of Iran's latest "Khyber Breaker" missile? Tactical solid-fuel missile range reaches Israel - IRNA] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  9. 1 2 ""خیبرشکن" جدیدترین موشک ایران را بیشتر بشناسید - ساعدنیوز" [Learn more about Iran's latest "Kheibar Shekan" missile - Saadnews] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  10. ↑ "خیبرشکن؛ نسل جدید موشک‌های دوربرد ایران" [Kheibar Shekan; The new generation of long-range missiles in Iran] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "«خیبرشکن» جدیدترین موشک ایران چه ویژگی‌هایی دارد؟ برد موشک‌های سوخت جامد تاکتیکی به اسرائیل رسید" [What are the features of Iran's latest "Khyber Breaker" missile? - The range of tactical solid fuel missiles reached Israel] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  12. ↑ ""خیبرشکن" برای عبور از سامانه‌های پدافندی طراحی شده است" ["Kheibar Shekan" is designed to pass through defense systems] (in Persian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  13. ↑ "General Gives Details of IRGC Missile Attacks on Mossad, Daesh Targets". Tasnim News Agency. 16 January 2024.
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