Sejjil

Sejil-1/2/3
Type Strategic MRBM
Service history
In service In service as of 2014
Used by  Iran
Production history
Manufacturer  Iran
Specifications
Weight 21.5 tonnes[1]
Length 18.2 m[1]
Diameter 1.25~1.50 m[1]
Propellant Solid fuel
Operational
range
 2000-2500 km[1][2]
Speed Mach 13 (4300 m/s)
Guidance
system
 Inertial - GPS

Sejil, or Sejjil, (Persian: سجیل‎‎, a Quranic word meaning "baked clay", see Surat al-Fil) is a family of Iranian solid-fueled ballistic missiles. The Sejil are replacements for the Shahab liquid-fueled ballistic missiles. According to US Pentagon sources, the missile profile of the Sejil closely matches those of the Ashura (Ghadr-110) and the Samen.[3]

Design

According to Jane's Information Group, details of the design other than the number of stages and that it uses solid fuel have not been released. Uzi Ruben, former director of Israel's Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, indicated that, "Unlike other Iranian missiles, the Sajil bears no resemblance to any North Korean, Russian, Chinese or Pakistani (missile technology). It demonstrates a significant leap in Iran's missile capabilities." Rubin went on to state that the Sejil-1 " ... places Iran in the realm of multiple-stage missiles, which means that they are on the way to having intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities ..."[4]

The missile utilizes composite solid-propellant fuel and unlike the Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), which is launched only vertically, the Sejil could be launched at a variable angle.[5]

As a weapon, Sejil presents much more challenge to Iran's potential enemies, as solid-fuel missiles can be launched with much less notice than liquid-fueled missiles, making them more difficult to strike prior to launch.[6]

Political commentator Kiyan Nader Mokhtari elaborated more about the features of the new missile. "The engine and various fuels have been tested and the platform is now highly reliable. The latest tests to be carried out are mainly to do with the variety of warheads that it has to carry," he said. "Some of the warheads obviously have been designed to be able to evade anti-ballistic missile defenses of the enemy in actual battle conditions," he added.[7]

Variants

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Theodore Postol (31 May 2009). The Sejil Ballistic Missile (PDF) (Report). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  2. ↑ http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/sajjil.htm
  3. ↑ "Iran Tests Second Solid-Fuelled Sejil Missile, Capable of 2,000 km". Defense Update. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
  4. ↑ "New missile marks 'significant leap' for Iran capabilities". Jane's Defence Weekly. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
  5. ↑ "Sejil Technology Surpasses Shahab-3". FarsNews. 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  6. ↑ "Iran, U.S.: Missile Claims and BMD in Europe (pay site)". STRATFOR. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  7. 1 2 "Iran tests new Sejil-2 missile with success". Press TV. 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
  8. ↑ "Iran tests new long-range missile". BBC. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  9. ↑ "Iran tests new surface-to-surface missile". CNN. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  10. ↑ "Iran successfully tests Sejil 2 missile". Press TV. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  11. ↑ "Iran Successfully Tests Sejil-2 Missile". YouTube. 2009-05-21. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  12. ↑ "Iran tests long-range missile, raises ire of West". AP. 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
  13. ↑ http://missilethreat.com/missiles/sejil-123
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