Posted on 12/12/2004 11:32:29 AM PST by Paul Ross
Iranian Missile Could Reach Eastern U.S. The latest generation of missile technology currently being engineered by Iranian scientists will be able to reach the continental United States, former Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Dore Gold said Saturday. Gold called Iran's capacity to launch a nuclear attack on most of the Western world a "global problem in which European governments, the United States and Israel have to come up with a solution."Reprinted from NewsMax.com
Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004 9:41 a.m. EST
Asked what Israel would do if Tehran began producing nuclear weapons, Gold told the Fox News Channel's Cal Thomas, "This is not just an Israeli problem. The missiles being developed in Iran have a range that goes well beyond Israel. "Certainly they have the Shihab-3 missile, with a range of 1,300 kilometers, that can strike Israel," he said. "But they're developing the Shihab-4 for hitting Europe and a Shihab-5, with Russian missile technology, that can strike the Eastern Seaboard of the United States."
Hey, I'm a red voter in a blue state....NY
HELP
We love you! You shall be revenged!:)
Isn't the specialized 747 [missile killer] in service?
Can the anti missile system reach that trajectory--it is over Sweden?
It's metastisized from L.A. up to SF and SAC and is trying to get loose out here in the rest of the valley.
"latest generation of missile technology currently being engineered by Iranian scientists will be able to reach the continental United States"
In their dreams............
Almost.
The problem with the missile development, is that it is more or less purchaseable piecemeal "off the shelf" from their "rogue-nation" super-markets.
Meanwhile, the usual leftwing suspects, such as the "Federation of American Scientists" typically downplays the imminence of the Shihab-5 materializing:
Shahab-5 / Kosar Estimated Missile Ranges
December 1996 news reports claim that Iran is developing a 3500-mile (5500-km) missile that would be capable of reaching Europe. The technology for this system was cited as coming from Russia and North Korea. [Reuters 1996] Initially it was reported that the missile would become operational by the year 2000, though other [less implausible] reports claims that Iran intends to complete the development of this system within five to ten years. It is possible that this missile is a Taepodong 2 derivative. There were few other indications that this is in fact an active development project.
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London) reported on 14 June 2004 that a military source in the Iranian Ministry of Defense, "in a meeting last week with Revolutionary Guards commanders, Khamenei said that Israel was planning to attack Iran's nuclear installations and the Iranian military soon, and therefore defense and military preparedness should be boosted as soon as possible. Khamenei stressed that the increase in petroleum prices allowed Iran to allocate a larger budget to its military projects. [Iran's] Ministry of Defense received $1 billion to resume its Shihab 4 and Shihab 5 project.... [President] Khatami halted the project of the Shihab 4, whose range is 2,800 [which covers Western Europe], and the Shihab 5, whose range is 4,900-5,300 km [and which can reach the U.S.], because he thought it was a project incompatible with Iran's strategic interests and defense needs." [MEMRI]
Iran has reportedly given some priority to the development of a surface-to-surface missile known as the Kosar, which has a reported 4,000-km. range. In July of 1999, it was suggested that the Shahab-5 first stage utilizes a Russian SS-5/R-14, RD-216 two engine cluster, however, this report is mis-informed. The SS-5 is substantially larger than the CSS-2. The CSS-2 also uses a totally different four thrust chamber engine from the RD-216.
Before developing this technology with the North Koreans, the Iranians evidently attempted to obtain this technology from NPO Trud (a Russian firm) but failed. The Iranians requested that a "gas, pumping turbo-machinery" joint venture worth $7 million be launched. Iran made the contract with out giving specifications. NPO Trud became suspicious when the Iranians refused to provide the specifications for the machinery they had contracted. Once Trud got the specifications, the Russian company realized that the Iranians had actually tried to get Trud to give the Iranians missile technology in the form of new pump turbo-machinery. NPO TRUD notified the Russian government, and the Russian government put an end to the contract. This is one occasion when the Missile Technology Control Regime had worked in Russia. NPO Trud was replaced by a joint stock company in 1994. No sanctions were brought against the Russian company that replaced NPO Trud. Although NPO Trud had initially been accused of providing the SS-4's RD-214 engine to the Iranians, in fact this particular engine was neither developed nor produced by NPO Trud. It is apparent that the sources of these reports were unfamiliar with the Russian entities developing these rocket engines.
I'd stay out of Boston.
If the Iranian mullahs have any brains, they'll hit there over "gay marriage".
That might even blunt any thought of a retaliatory response.
They are going to this expense to put a 2000 pound bomb on it?
Normally I would agree with you. But they are getting a lot of help...
FAS REPORT: Shahab-4 Taep'o-dong 1 (TD-1) Shahab-4 Estimated Missile Ranges
The Islamic republic has issued a range of diverse statements regarding its space program. The Iranian defence minister announced in February 1999 that Iran was in the process of constructing the non-military Shahab-4 missile for the purpose of launching a satellite into space.
Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Vice-Admiral Ali Shamkhani told state television on 23 August 2000 that "we are also investing in production of those military equipment that, with minimum cost, can have maximum effects on our deterrence capabilities. In fact we are investing in [our access] to space technology or its prerequisite field like missile technology by improving the range, accuracy, and destruction power of missiles. This is one of our main aims." As late as 2001, Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said the Shehab-4 intermediate-range missile was actually a satellite launcher.
In late 2003, however, the Defense Ministry denied that it was conducting a Shihab-4 program, a missile that aimed to reach a range of at least 2,000 kilometers. Iran has no intention of manufacturing a missile more powerful than the Shahab-3 Iran's Defence Ministry said in a statement carried 07 November 2003 by the student news agency ISNA. "As we have said on several occasions and contrary to certain statements, Iran has no programme to build a Shahab-4 missile," the statement was quoted as saying. It was not clear what provoked the defence ministry to issue such a statement.
According to some analysts, the Iranian Shahab-4 missile is believed to be a derivative of the 1,500-kilometer range North Korean Nodong-2. Other reports claim that the missile is based on the Soviet SS-4 missile, and is entirely a product of Russian missile technology. The preponderance of evidence suggests that the Shahab 4 is the North Korean three-stage Taepodong-1, which was initially flown by the DPRK as a space launch vehicle.
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London) reported on 14 June 2004 that a military source in the Iranian Ministry of Defense, "in a meeting last week with Revolutionary Guards commanders, Khamenei said that Israel was planning to attack Iran's nuclear installations and the Iranian military soon, and therefore defense and military preparedness should be boosted as soon as possible. Khamenei stressed that the increase in petroleum prices allowed Iran to allocate a larger budget to its military projects. [Iran's] Ministry of Defense received $1 billion to resume its Shihab 4 and Shihab 5 project.... [President] Khatami halted the project of the Shihab 4, whose range is 2,800 [which covers Western Europe], and the Shihab 5, whose range is 4,900-5,300 km [and which can reach the U.S.], because he thought it was a project incompatible with Iran's strategic interests and defense needs." [MEMRI]
The Shahab-4 is projected to include improved guidance components, with a range of 2,000 kilometer with a warhead weighing up to 1,000 kilograms. The Shahab-4 would be capable of hitting targets as far away as Germany and western China. Israeli reports have suggested that the Iranian Zelzal project provides for the development of a 1,000-1,500km range missile -- the upper end of this range spectrum would require the two-stage Nodong-2 configuration. The precise configuration of the Shahab-4, which has not been flight tested, remains somewhat conjectural. The missile could use two booster stages equipped with the Nodong engines, or a single Nodong engine on top of a more powerful Russian-design motor.
Israeli sources have claimed that that Russia has been providing Iran technology from the SS-4, which with a range of 2,000km is sufficient to reach Israel. Israeli officials who briefed US intelligence agencies in February 1997 reportedly produced a copy of a $7 million contract between NPO Trud and the Iranian program covering the transfer of equipment related to the SS-4 medium-range missile. Iran's Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG), the government defense industrial agency in charge of developing and producing ballistic missiles, has reportedly concluded several contracts worth more than $100,000 with the Russian Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute related to missile programs. The contracts are said to include construction of a wind tunnel for missile design, manufacture of model missiles and creation of related software.
Among the Russian firms said to be helping Iran are Rosvoorouzhenie, the Russian arms-export agency; the Bauman Institute; NPO Trud, a rocket-motor manufacturer; and Polyus ["North Star"} Russia's leading laser developer. Russian assistance reportedly includes wind-tunnel testing of missile nose cones, the design of guidance and propulsion systems, and development of a solid-fuel project. Israeli sources maintain that the Russian Space Agency [and its director, Yuri Koptev] is involved directly in some of the technology transfers. A Chinese company, Great Wall Industries, is reportedly supplying missile-testing telemetry technology to Iran.
According to U.S. officials, Russian enterprises have provided high-grade steel, wind tunnel test facilities for flight performance, and special alloys for the missile casing and for foil shielding around guidance systems. The firms involved, according to the officials, included the Baltic State Technical University, NPO Energy Mash and the Bauman Institute in St. Petersburg. The US government has concluded that the Russian government is at best turning a blind eye to these transactions.
I know they're getting help. But it's still pretty far off.
btw - where'd that report come from?
OK, so what are we going to do?
MAD will not work with the Islamofascist mullahs, they want to die in jihad and collect their virgins in paradise.
We can either sit back and do nothing, taking the jihadists word for it that they will not attack us.
Until the day the do attack us.
Or we can put an end to it now with a conventional air strike before millions of Americans have to die horribly on the alter of the bloodthirsty moon-god.
That could plunge this entire world into a black hole of depression and despair that will make WW2 and the great depression look like a walk in the park!
The ball is in our court now...
As you are correctly inferring...it would not be a conventional device. It is likely they have the W-88 warhead design courtesy of the North Koreans, courtesy of the Chinese, courtesy of the bozos at Bezerkely, and Prez Bubba. If they can buy a missile, why not a warhead design? AG Khan was busy running around selling them to Libya...and we have every reason to suspect he got to Iran. Why else are they in such a hurry to get into the ICBM missile market?
N. Korea puts long-range missile on the market
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
LONDON – North Korea has begun offering its Taepo Dong-2 long-range missile for sale to several nations in the Middle East.
Western intelligence sources said the most likely client to purchase the Taepong-2 is Iran. The sources said Teheran has been negotiating with Pyongyang for the purchase of the Taepo Dong-2 for Iran's first intercontinental ballistic missile as well as a space launcher.
On Tuesday, the South Korean daily Chosun Ilbo reported that North Korea was constructing two underground bases for the Taepo Dong-2. Quoting a South Korean intelligence official, the newspaper said Pyongyang has completed 80 percent of the work on the bases in a development that signaled the imminent deployment of the Taepo Dong-2. Health insurance for the self-employed: Special offer The main source of North Korea's hard currency has been missile sales, primarily to the Middle East. Pyongyang's leading clients have been identified as Egypt, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen, Middle East Newsline reported.
The Taepo Dong-2 is estimated to have a range of more than 4,000 kilometers. U.S. officials said the missile's range could be extended to 6,500 kilometers, which would enable any Taepo Dong-2 fired by North Korea to land in the United States.
"Iran wants an ICBM and China and North Korea are already helping in the development of engines," a senior intelligence source said. "North Korea could eventually reach a deal to sell the Taepo Dong-2 to Iran."
The sources said that in 2003 North Korea discussed the Taepo Dong-2 with Libya and Syria. But they said neither country pursued the issue.
The sources said Iran was also considering the Taepo Dong-2 as the basis for Iran's Shihab-5 missile program. The Shihab-5 was meant to have a range of 5,500 kilometers. The sources said Iran has been completing development of an extended-range Shihab-3 missile, also termed Shihab-4, with a range of about 2,000 kilometers.
"U.S. intelligence satellites have spotted about 10 new ballistic missiles and mobile launching pads kept at the two places," the South Korean intelligence official was quoted as saying.
The intelligence sources said North Korea was developing a long-range Taepo Dong with a range of 6,000 kilometers. In 1998, North Korea launched the Taepo Dong-1 missile with an estimated range of more than 2,000 kilometers.
The Western intelligence sources said the United States has tried to stop North Korean missile and weapons of mass destruction exports through the Proliferation Security Initiative. But the sources said the multi-national PSI has not affected North Korean air transports of missiles to Middle East clients.
Copyright © 2004 East West Services, Inc.
Hopefully it could hit Boston and Vermont.
Beverly Hills to be exact. Let's make sure the Ayatollahs get the right coordinates on that!
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