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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

File: 971030_2660z137_ast_001.txt
Page: 001
Total Pages: 1

2660z136.ast
16 November 1990
SUBJECT:  WEAPONIZATION
A.  The Iraqis have successfully produced and weaponized large 
quantities of the blister agent sulfur mustard and the nerve 
agents tabun, sarin, and GF.
B.  The Iraqis have adapted a number of conventional munitions 
for the delivery of chemical agents.  An example is the Spanish-made 
250-kg white phosporous bomb used to deliver mustard and nerve agents.
The bombs were purchased without the fill and were subsequently filled 
with the CW agents.  The same holds true for other munitions; none 
of those purchased was orignally designed for CW agents.  In addition 
to 250- and 500-kg aerial bombs, the Iraqis have filled and used 
90-mm air-to-ground rockets; 82- and 120-mm mortar rounds; various 
artillery projectiles; and 122-mm artillery rockets, which had 
agent-filled plastic containers in the warheads. * * *    T
he potential also exists for the filling of submunition-type warheads 
and bombs.
Table 5:   CHEMICAL MUNITIONS USED BY IRAQ
	AERIAL BOMBS  (250, 500-KG)
	ARTILLERY  (130, 152, 155-MM)
	ROCKETS  (122-MM)
	AERIAL ROCKETS  (90-MM)
	MORTARS  (82, 120-MM)
	NOTE:  -  NONE KNOWN FOR FROGS
	   	  -  NOT USED BUT NOW PROBABLE FOR SCUD-B/IMPROVED SSMs;
		     NUMBER UNKNOWN BUT BELIEVED LIMITED.
C.  No information is available concerning markings used by Iraq 
to identify chemical munitions.  Chemical ammunition captured 
during the Iran/Iraq war, do not have markings that can be identified 
as referring to the chemical fill.  One example of this is the 
Spanish-made 250-kg white phosporus bomb used during the war to 
deliver mustard or nerve agents.  A number of such bombs, filled 
with mustard agent, were reportedly found damaged but unexploded in 
march 1984.  They were painted light-green with a yellow band near the 
nose.  The band is estimated to be 2.5 inches wide.  Each bomb had 
two suspension lugs and bore the letters "BR-250-WP"  (Bomb, 
retarded, 250-kg, white phosporus).  One of the bomb fuses had the 
following inscription in Spanish:  "For arming time less than 
6 seconds, remove screw.  Red dial reading means danger type 
munitons Lot 83.1."  The bombs were purchased from Spain without 
the white phosporus filling and were subsequently filled with the
chemical agents.  However, it is not known if the Iraqis altered 
in any way the appearance of these bombs.  The same holds true 
for other types of munitions as well such as air-to-ground rockets; 
mortar rounds, artillery projectiles, and artillery rockets; none 
of these purchased were originally designed for chemical agents.
Table 6:  IRAQI DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR
POTENTIAL CHEMICAL AGENT DELIVERY
TYPE		CALIBER		WEAPON		MAX.  RANGE (KM)
Mortar		82-mm		--			3.1
		120-mm		--			5.6
Artillery	122-mm		M-30			11.8
				D-30			15.3
				2S1			15.3
				D-74			24.0
		130-mm		M-46			27.5
		152-mm		D-1			12.4
				ML-20			17.2
				D-20			17.4
				Type 66			17.4
				2A36			28.0
		155-mm		G-5			30.0
				GHN-45			30.3
MRL		122-mm		BM-21			20.5
				FIROS-25		25.0
				SAKR-30			28.0
Rocket		540-mm		FROG-7			73.0
				LAYTH			90.0
Missile		884-mm		SCUD-B			300.0
		?		HUSAYN			600.0?
		?		ABBAS			735.0?
Note:  base-bleed artillery projectiles would have greater ranges 
with the same payload.  Rocket-assisted projectiles (RAP) would 
have greater ranges but with reduced payloads.  Chemical munitions 
of this type have not been reported in Iraq.



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