Basic Information

Name

SS-1C (Scud-B) Russian Close-Range Ballistic Missile

Designation

SS-1C

Alternate Designation

SS-1C; Scud-B

Equipment Type

—

Manufacturer

—

Date of Introduction

1962

Description

The successor to the R-11, the R-17 (SS-1C Scud-B), renamed R-300 in the 1970s, was the most prolific of the series, with a production run estimated at 7,000. It served in 32 countries and four countries besides the Soviet Union manufactured copied versions. The first launch was conducted in 1961, and it entered service in 1964. The R-17 was an improved version of the R-11. It could carry nuclear, chemical, conventional, or fragmentation weapons. At first, the Scud-B was carried on a tracked transporter erector launcher (TEL) similar to that of the Scud-A, designated 2P19, but this was not successful and a wheeled replacement was designed by the Titan Central Design Bureau, becoming operational in 1967. The new MAZ-543 vehicle was officially designated 9P117 Uragan. The launch sequence could be conducted autonomously but was usually directed from a separate command vehicle. The missile is raised to a vertical position by means of hydraulically powered cranes, which usually takes four minutes, while the total sequence lasts about one hour.

Air & Air Defense Specifications

Engine V-12 Diesel (525 hp)

Range 650.0 km

Variants

Scud-A The first of the "Scud" series, designated R-11 (SS-1B Scud-A) originated in a 1951 requirement for a ballistic missile with similar performance to the German V-2 rocket. The R-11 was developed by engineer Viktor Makeev, who was then working in the OKB-1, headed by Sergey Korolev. It first flew on 18 April 1953, was fitted with an Isayev engine using kerosene and nitric acid as a propellant. On 13 December 1953, a production order was passed with SKB-385 in Zlatoust, a factory dedicated to producing long-range rockets. In June 1955, Makeev was appointed chief designer of the SKB-385 to oversee the program and, in July, the R-11 was formally accepted into military service. The definitive R-11M, designed to carry a nuclear warhead, was accepted officially into service on 1 April 1958. The launch system was placed on an IS-2 chassis and received the GRAU designation 8K11; only 100 Scud-A launchers were built. The R-11M had a maximum range of 270 km, but when carrying a nuclear warhead, this was reduced to 150 km. Its purpose was strict as a mobile nuclear strike vector, giving the Soviet Army the ability to hit European targets from forwarding areas, armed with a nuclear warhead with an estimated yield of 50 kilotons. A naval variant, the R-11FM (SS-N-1 Scud-A) was first tested in February 1955 and was first launched from a converted Project 611 (Zulu class) submarine in September of the same year. While the initial design was done by Korolev's OKB-1, the program was transferred to Makeev's SKB-385 in August 1955. It became operational in 1959 and was deployed onboard Project 611 and Project 629 (Golf Class) submarines. During its service, 77 launches were conducted, of which 59 were successful.

Scud-B The successor to the R-11, the R-17 (SS-1C Scud-B), renamed R-300 in the 1970s, was the most prolific of the series, with a production run estimated at 7,000. It served in 32 countries and four countries besides the Soviet Union manufactured copied versions. The first launch was conducted in 1961, and it entered service in 1964. The R-17 was an improved version of the R-11. It could carry nuclear, chemical, conventional, or fragmentation weapons. At first, the Scud-B was carried on a tracked transporter erector launcher (TEL) similar to that of the Scud-A, designated 2P19, but this was not successful and a wheeled replacement was designed by the Titan Central Design Bureau, becoming operational in 1967. The new MAZ-543 vehicle was officially designated 9P117 Uragan. The launch sequence could be conducted autonomously but was usually directed from a separate command vehicle. The missile is raised to a vertical position by means of hydraulically powered cranes, which usually takes four minutes, while the total sequence lasts about one hour.

Scud-C The Makeyev OKB also worked on an extended-range version of the R-17, known in the West as SS-1d Scud-C, that was first launched from Kapustin Yar in 1965. Its range was brought up to 500–600 km but at the cost of a greatly reduced accuracy and warhead size. Eventually, the advent of more modern types in the same category, such as the TR-1 Temp (SS-12 Scaleboard), made the Scud-C redundant, and it apparently did not enter service with the Soviet armed forces.

Scud-D The R-17 VTO (SS-1e Scud-D) project was an attempt to enhance the accuracy of the R-17. The Central Scientific Research Institute for Automation and Hydraulics (TsNIAAG) began work on the project in 1968, but the first test launch was conducted only in September 1979. Development continued through the 1980s until the system was accepted into initial service as the 9K720 Aerofon in 1989. However, by this time, more advanced weapons were in use, such as the OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21) and the R-400 Oka (SS-23), and the Scud-D was not acquired by the Soviet armed forces. Instead, it was proposed for export as an upgrade for Scud-B users, in the 1990s. Unlike previous Scud versions, the 9K720 had a warhead that separated from the missile's body and was fitted with its own terminal guidance system. With a TV camera fitted in the nose, the system could compare the target area with data from an onboard computer library (DSMAC). In this way, it was thought to attain a circular error probable (CEP) of 50 m.

Hwasong-5/Shahab-1 North Korea obtained its first Scud-Bs from Egypt in 1979 or 1980. These missiles were reverse-engineered and reproduced using North Korean infrastructure, including the 125 factories at Pyongyang, a research and development institute at Sanum-dong, and the Musudan-ri Launch Facility. The first prototypes were completed in 1984 and designated Hwasong-5. They were exact replicas of the R-17Es obtained from Egypt. The first test flights occurred in April 1984, but the first version saw only limited production, and no operational deployment, as its purpose was only to validate the production process. Production of the definitive version began at a slow rate in 1985. The type incorporated several minor improvements over the original Soviet design. The range was increased by 10 to 15 percent and it could carry High Explosive (HE) or cluster chemical warheads. Throughout the production cycle, until it was phased out in favor of the Hwasong-6 in 1989, the DPRK manufacturers are thought to have carried out small enhancements, in particular to the guidance system. In 1985, Iran acquired 90 to 100 Hwasong-5 missiles from North Korea. A production line was also established in Iran, where the Hwasong-5 was produced as the Shahab-1.

Hwasong-6/Shahab-2 The Hwasong-6 was first test-flown in June 1990 and entered full-scale production the same year, or in 1991, until it was superseded by the Rodong-1. It features an improved guidance system, a range of 500 km, but saw its payload reduced to 770 kg, though the dimensions are identical to the original Scud. Due to difficulties in procuring MAZ-543 TELs, the North Koreans had to produce a local copy. By 1999, North Korea was estimated to have produced 600 to 1,000 Hwasong-6 missiles, of which 25 served for testing, 300 to 500 were exported, and 300 to 600 are used by the Korean People's Army. The Hwasong-6 was exported to Iran where it is known as the Shahab-2, and to Syria, where it is manufactured under license with Chinese assistance. Also, according to SIPRI, 150 Scud-C were exported to Syria in 1991–96, 5 to Libya in 1999, 45 to Yemen in 2001–02.

Hwasong-7/Shahab-3 The Rodong (also NoDong, Hwasong-7, or "Scud-C"), was the first North Korean missile to feature important modifications from the Scud design. Development began in 1988, and the first missile was launched in 1990, but it apparently exploded on its launch pad. A second test was carried out in May 1993 successfully. The main characteristics of the Rodong are a range of 1000 km and a CEP estimated at 2,000–4,000 m, giving the North Koreans the ability to strike Japan. The missile is substantially larger than the Hwasong series, and its Isayev 9D21 engine was upgraded with help from Makeyev OKB. Some assistance came also from China and Ukraine while a new TEL was designed using an Italian Iveco truck chassis and an Austrian crane. The rapidity with which the Rodong was designed and exported after just two tests came as a surprise for many Western observers and led to some speculation that it was in fact based on a canceled Soviet project from the Cold War period, but this has not been proven. Iran is known to have financed much of the Rodong program, and in return is allowed to produce the missile, as the Shahab-3. While the first prototypes may have been acquired as early as 1992, production began only in 2001, with assistance from Russia. The Rodong has also been exported to Egypt and Libya.

Hwasong-9/Scud-ER The Hwasong-9 [dubious – discuss] also called the Scud-ER (extended range), is essentially a North Korean modification of the Hwasong-6 that exchanges payload for greater range; estimates range from 700–800 km (430–500 mi) to as much as 995 km (618 mi) through a reduced payload of 450–500 kg (990–1,100 lb) and enlarging the fuel and oxidant tanks along with a slight enlargement of the fuselage. The missile is a single-stage and road-mobile employing an HE, submunition, chemical, or potentially miniaturized nuclear warhead with a CEP of 3 km (1.9 mi). Its range allows the North Korean military to strike anywhere on the Korean peninsula and threaten areas of Japan. Development of the Hwasong-9 reportedly began in 1991 and production started in 1994. Deployment began in 2003, intelligence imagery first observed it in 2005, and it was only first revealed publicly in 2007. Reports suggest Syria received Scud-ER missiles in 2000, giving them the ability to target all of Israel and southeastern Turkey, including Ankara; Syria reportedly converted its own Hwasong-6 production line in order to make the longer-range Hwasong-9. Scud-ER/Hwasong-9 demonstrated the range of 1,000 km with a 500 kg payload. South Korean and the United States intelligence made the assessment that missiles can travel over 1,000 km, Japan previously rated its range at 1,000 km in the 2015 white paper and considers increasing the range estimate in 2016's white paper. The UN confirmed North Korea assisted Syria in the development of a maneuverable vehicles for "Scud D" since 2008. The UN also confirmed that the missile guidance and electronics were upgraded/improved.

Qiam 1 Iran began the development of the indigenous Qiam missile prior to 2010 when it was first publicly tested. It is developed from the Shahab-2/Hwasong-6. The Qiam 1 has a range of 750 km (470 mi) and 500 m (1,600 ft) (CEP) accuracy. The most noticeable difference from the Shahab-2 is a lack of fins—which could be used to reduce the missile's radar signature during ascent as fins reflect radar. Removing fins from a missile also reduces the structural mass, so the payload weight or missile range can be increased. Without the fins and associated drag, the missile can be more responsive to changes in trajectory. Iranian sources cite an improved guidance system on the missile, and analysts note that adjusting the missile's in-flight trajectory without fins requires a highly responsive guidance system. The Qiam 1's accuracy is also improved with the addition of a separable warhead. Other changes to the warhead include a "baby-bottle" shape, possibly to increase drag and thus stability during reentry at the expense of range, potentially increasing accuracy. The shape can also increase the terminal velocity of the warhead, making it harder to intercept. Deliveries began in either 2010 or 2011. The missile's first combat use was against ISIS militants on 18 June 2017. The Burkan 2-H used by the Houthis in Yemen is potentially related, or the Qiam 1 has potentially been used by that group.

Burkan-1 The Houthi forces in Yemen unveiled the Burkan-1 (also spelled as Borkan 1 and Burqan 1) on 2 September 2016 when it was fired toward King Fahd International Airport. The missile's range is 800 kilometers (500 mi), greater than the Soviet-made Scud-B missiles the Houthi forces took control of in 2015. Missiles shot down mid-flight in October 2016 and July 2017 were claimed to target the holy city of Mecca by Saudi Arabia, while the Houthis claimed the targets were airports in the region

Burkan 2-H The Houthi forces in Yemen unveiled the Burkan 2-H (also spelled as Borkan H2 and Burqan 2H) when it was launched in Saudi Arabia on 22 July 2017. Analysts identify it as based on the Iranian Qiam 1/Scud-C, Iranian Shahab-2/Scud-C, or Scud-D missile. Pictures indicate a "baby bottle" re-entry vehicle, like the Shahab-3 and Qiam 1 missiles. The missile's exact range is unknown but is greater than 800 kilometers (500 mi). It has been launched in July 2017, and a second launch was claimed on 4 November 2017, with the missile shot down over the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh. According to the US State Department, the missile was actually an Iranian Qiam 1. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and Information also supplied the Associated Press with pictures from a military briefing of what it claimed were components from the intercepted missile bearing Iranian markings matching those on other pictures of the Qiam 1.

System

Alternate Designation SS-1C; Scud-B

Country of Origin Russia

Basing Ground

Launch Platform(s) TEL

Engine single-stage storable UDMH liquid propellant with RFNA oxidizer (Russian SG-02 Tonka 250)

Speed at Motor Cutoff 2,865 knots (3,300 mph, 5,310 kmh, Mach 5.0)

Speed at Impact >990 knots (1,140 mph, 1,835 kmh, Mach 1.5)

Maximum Range 300 km

Pre-Launch Preparation 2-4 hours

Time into Action 1 hour from pre-surveyed site

Warhead 5-80 kiloton nuclear; or conventional unitary blast fuel-air explosive; or 40 runway-penetrator submunitions with 410-ft (125-m) blast-damage radius; or 100 11-lb (5-kg) anti-personnel bomblets w/820-ft (250-m) blast-damage radius; or chemical warhead

Circular Error Probable (CEP) 450 m

Guidance System simplified inertial guidance using three gyroscopes rocket-steered by small vanes on each fin extending into efflux

Dimensions

Missile Length 11.25 m

Warhead Bay 2.87 m

Missile Diameter 0.88 m

Launch Weight 5,900 kg

Nuclear Warhead Weight 770-860 kg

Conventional Warhead Weight 953 kg

Wheeled Launch Vehicle Length 13.36 m

Wheeled Launch Vehicle Width 3.02 m

Wheeled Launch Vehicle Height 2.60 m

Wheeled Launch Vehicle Weight 37,400 kg

Automotive

Wheeled Launch Vehicle Name MAZ-543 8 x 8 Wheeled Launch Vehicle

Engine Name 1 x D-12

Engine Type liquid-cooled, V-12 diesel engine

Engine Power 525 hp

Fuel Capacity 800 liters

Maximum Road Speed 55 kmh

Maximum Range 650 km

Gradient 30 %

Vertical Obstacle 0.8 m

Trench 3.4 m

Fording 1.0 m

Protection

Hull Armor INA

Applique Armor INA

Explosive Reactive Armor No

Active Protection System No

Mine Clearing No

NBC Protection INA

Smoke Equipment No

Image Sources

Notes https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Front_view_of_a_Soviet_made_MAZ-543-TEL_for_SCUD_missiles.jpeg; https://www.pinterest.com/pin/590816044851303936/; https://archive.org/details/r-17-elbrus-ballistic-rocket-technical-documents;