OCT 6, 2014
Iran’s rocket and missile forces serves a wide range of Iranian strategic objectives. Iran’s forces range from relatively short-range artillery rockets that support its ground forces and limit the need for close air support to long-range missiles that can reach any target in the region, as well as the development of booster systems that might give Iran the ability to strike at targets throughout Europe and even in the US.
Iran’s rocket and missile forces are steadily evolving. While the lethality of most current systems is limited by a reliance on conventional warheads, poor accuracy, and uncertain reliability, Iran is developing improved guidance systems, attempting to improve the lethality of its conventional warheads, and has at least studied arming its missiles with nuclear warheads.
The Burke Chair at CSIS is completing a book length study of Iran’s rocket and missile programs entitled Iran’s Rocket and Missile Forces and Strategic Options. It is now available on the Burke Chair section of the CSIS web site athttp://csis.org/files/publication/141007_Iran_Rocket_Missile_forces.pdf
The study is being circulated for comment and any comments, corrections, or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. They should be sent to Anthony H. Cordesman at ACordesman@gmail.com.
The study assesses Iran’s programs in the context of the overall limits to its conventional forces, air power and air defense, and explains why Iran has placed such a heavy emphasis on artillery rockets and missiles as a way of compensating for the shortcomings in its conventional forces, as well as a way to enable its use of steadily stronger forces for irregular warfare.
At the same time, the report examines why Iran’s missile forces now have critical limits in their lethality, and Iran’s incentives for giving them nuclear and precision conventional warheads. It shows why placing clear limits on Iran’s ability to arm such missile with nuclear warheads is a critical part of any meaningful P5+1 nuclear agreement with Iran, and why the US and Iran’s neighbors must prepare suitable deterrents and defenses to deal with Iran’s efforts to give its longer-range conventionally armed missiles sufficient precision to hit critical military, civil, infrastructure, and energy facility targets.
The book provides extensive maps and figures. Key chapters include:
I. Iranian Politics and Their Impact on Iran’s Missiles and Nuclear Warhead Programs
II. Setting The Stage: Iran’s Missile and Rocket Programs and Their Impact on the Gulf and Regional Military Balance
III. Iran’s Artillery Rocket Programs
IV. Iran’s Shorter Range Missiles
V. Iran’s Medium and Long-Range Missile Programs
VI. Assessing Warfighting Capabilities of Iran’s Current and Future Medium and Longer-Range Ballistic Missile Force
VII. Cruise Missiles
VIII. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVS) and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVS)
IX. The Missile Defense Challenge
X. Impact on Deterrence and Warfighting
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