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.

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