Iskander

:"This article refers to the Russian-made missile. For the Abkhaz writer, see Fazil Iskander." Iskander is also the Arabic version of the name Alexander, after Alexander the Great." Iskander (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone) is a short range, solid fuel propelled, theater quasiballistic missile system produced in Russia.

The system is intended to use conventional warheads for the engagement of small and area targets, such as:
* hostile fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery pieces);
* air and antimissile defence weapons, especially those located in relatively fixed sites;
* fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft at airfields;
* command posts and communications nodes;
* critical civilian infrastructure facilities;
* other vital small and area targets.

The missile system ensures:
* high probability of fire mission accomplishment in hostile active countermeasures environments;
* high probability of failure-proof functioning of the missile during its launch preparation and in flight;
* automatic computation and input of missile flight missions by the launcher devices;
* high tactical maneuverability and strategic mobility owing to transportability of the system vehicles by all types of transport;
* long service life and ease of operation.

The Iskander-E system is equipped with a solid-propellant single-stage guided missile 9M723K1 controlled throughout the entire flight path and provided with a nonseparable warhead.

In flight, the missile follows a non-purely-ballistic path, which includes such features as violent maneuvers in the terminal phase of flight and the release of decoys. The missile never leaves the atmosphere as it follows a relatively flat trajectory.

Russia has announced that it is contemplating positioning a regiment of the missiles in neighboring Belarus in response to US missile defense plans in Eastern Europe.

Versions

*Iskander-M – version for Russian armed forces. Range: 400 km with a potential for extension to INF Treaty violating 500 km. [ [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071114/88066432.html INF TREATY AND MODERNIZATION OF ISKANDER] ]
*Iskander-E – export version, specially designed to meet MTCR restrictions. Range: ~280 km.

Operators

*RUS

Possible future operators

*SYR - President Bashar al-Assad told a Russian newspaper that he would like to revive a deal to import Russian Iskander ballistic missiles which have better targeting capabilities than its existing Scud missiles. [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/df3f0e4a-6fd5-11dd-986f-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1] [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601104&sid=aRqaF2.hYmZ0]

Basic Characteristics

*Manufacturer: Kolomna KBM
*Launch range:
**maximum: 280 km (export version)
**minimum: 50 km
*Accuracy: 20 m CEP (export version)
*Burnout Velocity: ~2100 m/s
*Weight:
**missile launch: 3,800 kg
**payload: 480 kg (export version)
**launcher: 40,000 kg
*Warhead: conventional (cluster, HE fragmentation, penetrating)
*Guidance system: inertial, GPSGLONASS, optoelectronic homing head
*Chassis: wheeled, cross-country
*Number of missiles:
**on launcher 9P78E: 1 (export version)
**on transloader 9T250E: 2
*Crew: 3

Comparable systems

*MGM-52 Lance
*Pluton
*Oka
*Tochka
*MGM-140B/E ATACMS
*LORA

References

* "Russia's Arms Catalog 2004"

External links

* [http://www.wonderland.org.nz/rass.htm Russian Surface To Surface Systems]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/products/i/iskander.htm SS-26 Stone @ Defense Update]