The Shahab-4 ( fa, شهاب ۴, meaning "Meteor-4") (a.k.a. IRIS) was an unbuilt Iranian rocket, derived from the

Shahab-3 The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (can ...

medium-range

ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the ...

. According to Iran it was intended to be a

space launch vehicle A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload (spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and syste ...

, after a slip by the Defense Minister in which he acknowledged it as a "more capable ballistic missile than the Shahab-3". According to Western observers, it was intended to be part of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile.

History

The IRIS/''Shahab-4'' project was initiated in 1988 but according to some sources, it never went beyond the drawing board. The design heritage of the IRIS was later incorporated into the

Safir Safir may refer to: *SAFIR, the Single Aperture Far-Infrared Observatory *Safir (Arthurian legend), a Saracen Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend *Safir (Belgian beer), a Belgian beer now owned by InBev *Safir (cycling team), a Belgia ...

.Project IRIS
b14643.de In 1997, an American satellite captured evidence of a Shahab-4 test facility in

Parchin Parchin ( fa, پارچین) is an Iranian military complex, located about southeast of Tehran. It is closely linked with the Khojir missile production complex. Geography Parchin is located on the bank of the Jajrud (river). History M ...

. In 1999, it was suspected that the Shahab-4 was largely derived from NPO Yuzhnoye's

R-12 Dvina The R-12 Dvina was a theatre ballistic missile developed and deployed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Its GRAU designation was 8K63 (8K63U or 8K63У in Cyrillic for silo-launched version), and it was given the NATO reporting name of SS-4 ...

, which in its single-stage variant had a maximum range of 2,000km and a circle of equal probability of 2,400m. The dual-stage R-12 Dvina was capable to lift payloads into orbit.

References

{{Expendable launch systems Space launch vehicles of Iran Ballistic missiles of Iran Surface-to-surface missiles of Iran Medium-range ballistic missiles of Iran Theatre ballistic missiles

History

See also

References