South Front
Khoramshahr 4 or Kheibar ballistic missile. Source: the Tasnim News Agency.
On May 25, Iran announced that it had successfully tested an upgraded version of the Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile.
The new version, dubbed Khoramshahr 4 or Kheibar, was unveiled in the presence of Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani during an event marking the 41st anniversary of the liberation of the southwestern city of Khorramshahr.
“The message of the Ministry of Defense… is that we are fully committed to defending our country and the achievements of the Islamic Revolution,” Ashtiani said during the unveiling ceremony. “We are taking steps to equip the Armed Forces in various sectors of defense such as missiles, drones, air defense, and more, and undoubtedly, more [achievements] will be unveiled in the future.
The liquid-fueled ballistic missile has a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers and can carry a 1,500 kg warhead, which make it a serious threat to Israel.
Kheibar features an advanced steering system that allows the missile to adjust its trajectory outside the Earth’s atmosphere, as well as an upgraded guidance system that turns off as the missile enters the atmosphere, giving it complete immunity against electronic warfare attacks. The original version of Khorramshahr is thought to have an accuracy of three meters.
The new version of the missile also has a launch time of less than just 12 minutes thanks to a new fuel and self-igniting systems.
The missile can reach speeds of up to Mach 16 outside the atmosphere and Mach 8 upon reentry, making it difficult to detect, track and intercept by existing anti-missile systems.
Kheibar will further boost the offensive capabilities of Iran. The country has been working nonstop to develop its missile capabilities in order to deal with increasing threats from the United States and Israel. Tehran’s large missile program achieved a number of breakthroughs in the last few years, despite facing strict sanctions and even sabotage.
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