Iran releases Khorramshahr missile test video
Jeremy Binnie and Nick Hansen - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
28 September 2017
Key Points
- Iran has confirmed its new Khorramshahr ballistic missile was tested on 29 January
- Video of the test appears to show that–contrary to US claims–it was successful
Iranian state television confirmed that a Khorramshahr ballistic missile was test launched on 29 January when it broadcast footage of the event on 23 September, a day after the missile was displayed for the first time in a parade.
Iranian officials say the Khorramshahr is a liquid-fuelled missile with a range of 2,000 km. It appears to be similar to North Korea’s Hwasong-10 (KN-07), early versions of which are believed to have been transferred to Iran more than a decade ago, but designed to carry a heavier payload over a shorter range.
There was initial speculation that the Iranian television footage, which was supplied by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp, showed a recent test. “Iran just test fired a ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel,” US President Donald Trump tweeted. “They are also working with North Korea. Not much of an agreement we have!”
Iranian media did not say when the test was carried out, but the footage included several frames where a time/date stamp had not been obscured in the editing process showing it was filmed at 17:18 (13:48 GMT) on 29 January.
Reuters and Fox News both reported on 30 January that Iran had tested a medium-range ballistic missile the day before, respectively citing US officials as saying it travelled 1,010 km and 966 km before it failed. Fox News identified the missile as a Khorramshahr, while Reuters’ sources said it was a type that had been previously tested in July 2016.
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The Iranian Khoramshahr ballistic missile test did take place – although the US said “It didn’t happen”
Sep 28, 2017 @ 9:58 Iranian missiles,
Israel,
US
The new Khoramshahr ballistic missile with a range of 2,000km and multiple warheads, which was paraded in Tehran on Sept 22, was indeed test fired, as reported by Iran’s Airspace chief, Gen. Amir Ajakozadeh. The launch shown filmed from a great distance on national television was genuine.
President Donald Trump tweeted: “Iran just test fired a ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel. They are also working with North Korea. Not much of an agreement we have!”
However, three days later, on Sept. 26, an administration official offered the opinion that the footage shown on Iranian television “appears most likely to be a re-run of a previous test launch.” He added: “the video was more than seven months old and dated back to a failed launch in late January, which resulted in the missile exploding shortly after lift-off. ” As to the latest launch, the US official said: “As far as we can see, it did not happen. Iran’s report “so far does not appear to be true.”
However, DEBKAfile’s intelligence and military sources in the Middle East, who examined the conflicting versions, found indications that refuted the US official’s disclaimer. The Khoramshahr was indeed test-launched, except that it happened a bit earlier than Tehran claimed – although very recently, and not seven months ago.
Those sources could not categorically confirm that it was a success – only that “it certainly did not fail.”
That the new missile is exceptionally accurate appears to be correct, since there is evidence that Iran has been able to develop a new control and guidance system for its ballistic missiles.
The Iranian general’s account of “several warheads” could refer to no more than two or three.
Of deep concern to Israel is the video reported to be fitted in the Khoramshahr’s nose cone, because that would make it possible to steer the missile precisely to target from a ground station in Iran – even if Israel prevented the missile’s delivery to Hizballah in Lebanon.
Our intelligence sources account for the extra long-distance shots of the launch by Iran’s need to disguise the location of the launching site deep in the desert.
But there were was another reason too. DEBKAfile’s sources reveal that in the same area, Iran is secretly developing special vehicles for carrying ballistic missiles across rugged desert or mountain terrain. This would make the missiles mobile, like North Korean rockets. Tehran has gone to great lengths to keep this project well hidden from alien eyes.
