Oghab
Encyclopedia
The Iran
ian Oghab (Eagle) missile is an unguided 230 mm (9 in) artillery rocket with a range of 34-45 km (20-28 mi). It is spin-stabilized in flight but has a proven circular error probable
in excess of 500 m (1500 ft), making it a highly inaccurate weapon. It carries a 70 kg (150 lb) high explosive fragmentation warhead, though it may also be able to carry chemical warheads. According to US sources, a modified version has been developed that could be carried and fired from Iranian Air Force F-14 Tomcat
and F-4 Phantom II
aircraft. The launcher is an elevatable triple-rail launcher assembly fitted to a Mercedes-Benz
LA 911B 4x4 truck chassis.
The missile was developed from the Chinese Type-83
artillery rocket during the Iran-Iraq war
, with the assistance of the People's Republic of China
under an agreement signed in 1985. It entered service in 1986 and was immediately used in combat in an attack on the Iraqi city of Basra
in December 1986. Around 260-270 Oghabs were reportedly fired during the war, though their effectiveness was limited. The missile's short range confined its use to attacks on Iraqi border cities and its lack of accuracy meant that Oghab attacks were far less effective than artillery barrages.
The Oghab is used by the Iranian Army and the Revolutionary Guards. It is not known to have been exported outside of Iran.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Oghab (Eagle) missile is an unguided 230 mm (9 in) artillery rocket with a range of 34-45 km (20-28 mi). It is spin-stabilized in flight but has a proven circular error probable
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
in excess of 500 m (1500 ft), making it a highly inaccurate weapon. It carries a 70 kg (150 lb) high explosive fragmentation warhead, though it may also be able to carry chemical warheads. According to US sources, a modified version has been developed that could be carried and fired from Iranian Air Force F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
and F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
aircraft. The launcher is an elevatable triple-rail launcher assembly fitted to a Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
LA 911B 4x4 truck chassis.
The missile was developed from the Chinese Type-83
Type 83/WM-40
The Type 83/WM-40 was a 4 tube multiple rocket launcher used by the People's Liberation Army of China.The MRL system was developed by Norinco on Chinese designed Type 83 273mm 4-tube artillery rocket system on a tracked Type 60 I tracked chassis.-References:...
artillery rocket during the Iran-Iraq war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
, with the assistance of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
under an agreement signed in 1985. It entered service in 1986 and was immediately used in combat in an attack on the Iraqi city of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
in December 1986. Around 260-270 Oghabs were reportedly fired during the war, though their effectiveness was limited. The missile's short range confined its use to attacks on Iraqi border cities and its lack of accuracy meant that Oghab attacks were far less effective than artillery barrages.
The Oghab is used by the Iranian Army and the Revolutionary Guards. It is not known to have been exported outside of Iran.
External links
- "NTI: Country Overviews: Iran: Missile Capabilities". Nuclear Threat Initiative, February 2006.