Iran Press/ Iran news: Today, relying on domestic capabilities, new and modern missiles are unveiled, including a variety of anti-ship cruise missiles that reveal Iran's defense power.
Anti-ship cruise missiles are one of the most effective weapons on naval battlefields, capable of delivering heavy blows against vessels.
During the 8-year imposed war, many operational experiences were gained in naval battles. In this regard, the acquisition of various types of anti-ship cruise missiles, which can be launched from the coast, vessels, and air, was one of the priorities of the Armed Forces.
Observing the performance of anti-ship missiles such as the Harpoon missile at the disposal of the Iranian Navy and the French Exocet missile at the disposal of Iraq, as well as using Silkworm missiles by both sides, prompted Iran's Defense Ministry to make significant investments in the design, construction, and production of long-range anti-ship missiles capable of firing from three main categories of launchers, namely vessels, aircraft, and ground platforms.
The Ra'ad anti-ship cruise missile was one of the first missiles built by the Defense Ministry based on reverse engineering of the Chinese Silkworm missile in the early 2000s.
Related news:
Iran's new Ra'ad 500 missile unveiled
Overview and features
In 2004, the Defense Industries Organization designed and mass-produced a new model of anti-ship cruise missile based on the Chinese Silkworm missile with greater range and speed, called the Ra'ad missile. The Chinese Silkworm missile is actually the reverse engineering of the Soviet-made SS-N-2 Styx anti-ship missile.
Ra'ad is one of the largest, long-range, and most destructive anti-ship cruise missiles made by the Defense Industries Organization.
The 360-kilometer-range Ra'ad missile has long been the most long-range anti-ship missile produced in Iran. It is the most similar Iranian cruise missile to an airplane. It is one of the most dangerous anti-ship missiles due to its warhead, which inevitably destroys enemy vessels.
There are two versions of the Ra'ad anti-ship missile in service in Iran. The first version, called Saeqeh, is actually the Chinese HY-2, which has a solid-fuel rocket engine with a range of 130 km, and the other version is a Ra'ad anti-ship missile equipped with a jet engine.
In fact, the Iranian version is different from the Chinese version, which is having a turbojet engine as propulsion. Using the Tolou turbojet engine instead of a liquid fuel rocket engine in Silkworm has caused Ra'ad to reach a much longer range.
Ra'ad anti-ship missile is powered by a turbojet engine with the required air intake from both sides of the engine, by a rocket booster with solid fuel, which increases the missile speed to Mach 0.6 - 0.8. The operational range of the Ra'ad cruise missile is estimated at 360 km.
Similar to its foreign counterparts, Ra'ad's warhead is several hundred kilograms. It is a large missile more than 7 meters long; however, it is easier to be detected and targeted by the enemy ships' anti-missile systems, Ra'ad is one of the most effective anti-ship missiles against large stationary and mobile naval targets.
Ra'ad's long range makes it possible to deploy its launchers deep inside the borders, thus reducing the likelihood of being detected by the enemy, having more space to relocate after an operation, and safer multiple firing (for launchers containing multiple missiles) from one area.
The missile has high destructive power, electronic warfare capability, low flight altitude, and increased accuracy in navigation and detecting and destroying targets; these are factors that can increase Iran's naval power, especially in defense.
It can cover large parts of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the northern Indian Ocean using its radar guidance. Of course, with the production and operation of new anti-ship cruise missiles, such as the Noor missile, Ra'ad is no longer the most advanced anti-ship missile in Iran.
Specifications:
Type: Anti-ship cruise missile
Speed: between 0.8 to Mach 1
Length: 7.8 meters
Weight: 2998 kg
Range: About 360 km
Flight altitude: 30 to 50 meters
Radar system type: Mono-pulse radar (active)
Weight of warhead: 512 kg
Engine: A liquid fuel engine with a solid fuel booster
207
Read more:
Iran's missile capability showcased in exhibition in Tehran
New footage shows IRGC's ballistic missiles hitting targets with pinpoint accuracy
