Zulfiqar / Zolfaghar
The Iranian military displayed its Zulfiqar missile 16 December 2017, a new variant that marks a major development in the country's missile technology. The Zulfiqar, literally "spine-cleaver," is a medium-range, solid-fuel ballistic missile belonging to the Fateh-110 family that was put on display 16 December 2017 at the Amirkabir University of Technology in Iran, according to the Fars News Agency. The missile's name is the name of the Prophet Muhammad's sword, also used by his son-in-law Ali, the first imam to the Shiites. It became a major symbol of his family. After his death, it ultimately passed into the hands of the Abbasid caliphs. It was the only sword of that time which had double edges. It is sometimes spelled Zolfaghar. According to the Islamic tradition, the sword called Zulfikar belonged to Ali, the first Caliph after the death of Muhammed. Zulfikar is one of the oldest symbols in the Islam and according to Shiites its existance goes back to Adam, who carried it out of Eden down to the Earth. The tradition says that the sword once belonged to Muhammed too, who gave it to Ali before his death.
The missile had a range of 700 to 750 km and was equipped with a 450 kg warhead. The display of images of the production models of this missile on October 25, 2016 showed that Zulfiqar had completed the test stages quietly and is ready to be delivered to the IRGC Air Force. Comparing the images of the Fateh-110 missile of the fourth generation, as well as the samples fired during the exercises of the Great Prophet with the Zulfiqar missile, there was a relative increase in the length and diameter of the new missile. According to the Fars News Agency, which shows the 68 cm diameter of Zulfiqar, there is about 11% increase in diameter compared to Fateh-110, which had a diameter of 61.6 cm.
Based on the platform and the accuracy of the location of the missile's guidance bullets relative to the launch pad, there was an increase in the length of the new missile in the propulsion area and before the guidance and control block. This increase in length can be estimated at about half a meter. Therefore, taking into account these numbers, in total, there is an increase of more than 32,500 cubic centimeters in the volume of Zulfiqar missiles compared to Fateh-110, which has been spent on increasing the volume of missile fuel.
In addition, there is a difference in the arrangement of the guidance components along the length of the missile. In fact, in the Zulfiqar missile, the control blocks have been transferred to the rear of the guidance, control and navigation block. Also, the fins of this missile have a slight difference in their design with the fins, so that the tip is cut, creating a trapezoidal design instead of a triangular design.
Another very important point is the modification of the nose of Zulfikar relative to previous Fateh missiles. By referring to reputable scientific sources in the field of missile knowledge, this shape is used when the missile speed is hypersonic (above 5 times the speed of sound) and to reduce the heat generated at these speeds, a solution to increase the curvature of the tip of the nose is used to transfer less heat to the missile. In addition to the use of this design, ablative materials that are destroyed by heat to keep the lower part intact are also used, as evidenced by the images of the Zulfiqar missile.
An important new capability of Zulfiqar missile compared to other short to medium range systems is the separation of the warhead of this missile. In fact, Zulfiqar is similar to medium- and long-range ballistic missiles in this respect. This reduces the negative effects of connecting the fuselage to the warhead in the final phase of the attack on the missile range, reducing the possibility of tracking and reducing the likelihood of enemy defense missiles hitting the Zulfiqar warhead. The error of Zulfiqar missile in a video clip part of the radio and television is less than 10 meters, which allows Zulfiqar missile to attack various types of targets, including buildings, sensitive possibility, radars, etc.
The missile is reported to have a range of more than 700 kilometers, according to IHS Jane's, and to be accurate within 50 to 70 meters of its intended strike location, according to the Iranian news outlet. Previous generations of Fateh missiles have only traveled 500 kilometers. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Missile Defense Project, the Zolfaghar packs a highly explosive warhead as well as submunitions that separate from the missile prior to impact. Cluster munitions also make use of submunitions.
After the terrorist attack on the shrine of Imam Rahel and the Islamic Consultative Assembly in June 2017, the IRGC Air Force, which uses Zulfiqar missiles, launched a successful and powerful missile attack on 28 June 2017. Against ISIL positions in the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor. In this lightning attack, 6 Zulfiqar missiles were used, all of which hit the pre-determined targets, ie the buildings where the ISIL forces were gathering, with the utmost precision. Iranian media showed videos of the missiles launching as well as aerial footage of the projectiles striking targets. The aerial view was reported to have been collected by IRGC drones operating out of Damascus.
The high accuracy of the Iranian missiles in the field of operation and the service of the new Zulfiqar missile were proved at once. The missiles were fired from two western regions of the country and covered distances of 600 to about 700 kilometers. Images of the missiles being hit live by IRGC drones were taken to command centers in the country, and were made available to the public after the operation was announced. The missiles were fired just minutes after the IRGC's Quds Force infiltrators confirmed the presence of some ISIL leaders in the buildings, as well as the gathering of these forces, and targeted them when they could be estimated at less than 10 minutes. According to reports, more than 170 ISIS terrorists, including several key members of the group, were killed in the operation, dubbed Operation Laylat al-Qadr.
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