Iran tests Solid-fuel-missile, 'Sijjal' successfully
Tehran,
Nov
12:
'Sajjil',
a
new
generation
of
long
range
surface-to-surface
missile
using
solid
fuel,
making
it
more
accurate
than
its
predecessors
was
test-fired
successfully
by
Iran.
The
Defence
Minister,
Mostafa
Mohammed
Najjar
announced
this
on
Wednesday,
Nov
12.
The
Minister
said
on
state
television
that
the
Sajjil
was
a
high-speed
missile
manufactured
at
the
Iranian
Aerospace
Department
of
the
Defence
Ministry.
He
said
it
had
a
range
of
about
1,200
miles
(2,000
kilometers).
Solid
fuel
missiles
are
more
accurate
than
the
liquid
fuel
missiles
of
similar
range
currently
possessed
by
Iran,
he
added.
The
official
IRNA
news
agency
said
the
test
was
conducted
Wednesday
and
television
showed
the
missile
being
fired
Wednesday,
Nov
12
from
a
launching
pad
in
a
desert
region.
"This
missile
is
a
two-stage
weapon
with
two
combined
solid-fuel
engines
and
has
an
extraordinary
high
capability,''
the
television
quote
Najjar
as
saying.
He
didn't
elaborate.
Najjar said the missile was a defensive weapon and not a response to threats against Iran. He didn't name any country but Israel has recently threatened to take military action against Iran to stop Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.
"This missile test was conducted within the framework of a defensive, deterrent strategy ... and specifically with defensive objectives,'' Najjar added.
Iran is known to possess a medium-range ballistic missile known as the Shahab-3, which means shooting star'' in Farsi, with a range of at least 800 miles (1,300 kilometers ). In 2005, Iranian officials said they had improved the range of the Shahab-3 to 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers).
Iran's Shahab-3 missile has been known to use liquid fuel. Missiles using liquid fuel have are less accurate.
OneIndia
News