AARMS Vol. 7, No. 4 (2008) 705 710 TECHNOLOGY Technical parameters of the 9K720 Iskander (SS-26 Stone) JÁNOS DEÁK Miklós Zrínyi National Defence University, Budapest, Hungary The Iskander Missile System is a short-range device of the Russian Army designed for tactical battlefield use. The Iskander may be mounted either with regular missiles of the system or with cruise missiles. Besides the various conventional warheads there is a possibility of using tactical nuclear warheads. The mobility of the Iskander Missile System launch platform makes a launch difficult to prevent, while the maneuverability of the missiles makes a strike hard to thwart. Introduction The Iskander Theatre Missile System received a high publicity in the past few months due to its possible deployment on the Kaliningrad Region, the Russian Federation s exclave in Europe. Hereby we summarise some information published in open sources publications. The Iskander Missile System (NATO designation: SS 26 Stone) is a short-range tactical missile system developed and produced in Russia. Development of the system was undertaken by the Kolomna Engineering Design Bureau development during the 1990s under the project name Tender. 1 The system in technical terms replaces the Oka (SS 23 Spider) which had been terminated under the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. In military terms, the Iskander M missile complexes are to replace at the troops the outdated Tochka and Tochka U (SS 21) complexes. There are two current versions of the system: the Russian military version is the Iskander M, the export version is known as Iskander E. The Iskander M/Iskander E is a short-range ballistic missile designed for tactical battlefield use. In 2006, the modernised version of the Iskander Tactical Ballistic Missile System was adopted by the Russian Army and the serial production was launched. The system makes use of various conventional warheads: tactical earth penetration warhead; shrapnel penetrating charges; cluster munitions warhead; fuel-air explosive enhanced-blast warhead; electro-magnetic pulse device for anti-radar missions. The possibility of using a tactical nuclear warhead may also be an option. 2 Launch is from highly mobile trucks carrying two rockets each: the second missile can be launched after the first one in only a minute. In 2007, a new variant the R 500 Iskander K (krylataya) cruise missile was test fired. Received: January 23, 2009 Address for correspondence: JÁNOS DEÁK E-mail: deak.janos@zmne.hu
In November 2008, it was announced that the Iskander Missile System would be deployed in the Kaliningrad region in response to the deployment of US ballistic missile defence system (BMDS) elements in Eastern Europe. On 05 November 2008 Anatoly Tsyganok, head of the Moscow-based Military Forecast Centre, told that the deployment of Iskander systems with a range of 500 km (310 miles) would allow Russia to target the entire territory of Poland and also parts of Germany and the Czech Republic. The 9K720 Iskander M (SS 26 Stone) would certainly have a range to strike the Redzikowo missile defence facility in Poland, which is a bit more than 200 km from Kaliningrad. But only an extended range version would be capable of striking the Brdy facility in the Czech Republic, which is more than 600 km from Kaliningrad. 3 By 2015, according to the State Armament Programme, the Russian Federation is planning to equip at least five missile brigades with Iskander M complexes. 4 The deployment of the Iskander M (SS 26 Stone) tactical missile systems closes a missile coverage gap caused by Russia s participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The Soviet Union and the U.S. signed the INF Treaty on 08 December 1987. The agreement came into force in June 1988 and was of indefinite duration. The treaty banned nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (300 to 3,400 miles). 5 In 2007, then-president Vladimir Putin announced, that the INF Treaty no longer served the Russian Federation s interest and threatened the West with the potential Russian withdrawal from the INF Treaty. For the time being, neither the export nor the domestic variant of the Iskander E missile system are not violating the INF Treaty, however there is a potential for the Russian military industrial complex for further developments. In November 2007, Colonel General Vladimir Zaritsky, then-commander of the Russian Missile and Artillery Troops, said that the Iskander missile system could be modernized and its range extended, if Russia finally withdrew from the INF treaty. Zaritsky told: The current version of Iskander is in full compliance with the INF treaty, but should the Russian leadership decide to pull out of the agreement, we will immediately enhance the capabilities of the system, including its range. The flight range of a new missile (R 500 cruise missile) adapted for Iskander and successfully tested in May 2007 could exceed 500 km (310 miles). 6 706 AARMS 7(4) (2008)
Iskander-E short-range missile system Range of fire max: 280 km min: 50 Launch accuracy autonomous application: 30 70 m coupled with optical homing head: 5 7 m Missile launch weight 3800 kg Payload (warhead weight) 480 kg Length 7200 mm Diameter 950 mm Launcher: 40 000 kg Missiles per launcher 2 Engine single stage solid propellant Guidance mode independent, inertial, integrated with optical homing head Warhead cluster, high explosive fragmentation, penetrating, high explosive incendiary Chassis wheeled cross-country Pre-launch preparation time from firing position 4 min. from march 16 min. Operating temperature 50 +50 C Crew 3 people Manufacturer KB Mashynostroyeniya (KBM, Kolomna) Compiled from different sources: www.rosoboronexport.ru, www.en.wikipedia.com, www.globalsecurity.com, www.kbm.ru AARMS 7(4) (2008) 707
Versions: Iskander M version for Russian armed forces. Range: 400 km with a potential for extension to INF Treaty violating 500 km.. Iskander E export version, specially designed to meet Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) restrictions. Range: ~280 km. 7 The Iskander E missile complex is capable of accomplishing tasks connected with the use of non-nuclear warheads, it s the world s first complex equipped with twomissile launch installation. Weighing 3800 kilograms each, controlled throughout the trajectory of their flight, equipped with systems of correction and self-targeting, its missiles are capable of overcoming the enemy s anti-missile defences and hitting targets at a distance of 280 kilometres. The Iskander M system is equipped with two solid-propellant single-stage guided missiles. Each one is controlled throughout the entire flight path and fitted with a nonseparable warhead. Each missile in the launch carrier vehicle can be independently targeted in a matter of seconds. The mobility of the Iskander launch platform makes a launch difficult to prevent. 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; troops in concentration areas; critical civilian infrastructure facilities; other vital small and area targets. 8 The missile system offers: 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. 9 708 AARMS 7(4) (2008)
The full Iskander system includes: missiles; transporter-erector-launcher vehicle (chassis of 8x8 MAZ 79306 ASTROLOG chassis); transporter and loader vehicle (chassis of 8x8 MAZ 79306 ASTROLOG truck); command and staff vehicle (chassis of KAMAZ six wheel truck); information preparation station vehicle (chassis of KAMAZ six wheel truck); maintenance and repair vehicle (chassis of KAMAZ six wheel truck); life support vehicle (chassis of KAMAZ six wheel truck); depot equipment set; set of equipment for transporter-erector-launcher training class; set of equipment for command and staff vehicle training class; training posters and training missile mock-up. 10 A new version of the Iskander M missile was successfully tested at the Kapustin Yar site in the Astrakhan Region on May 30, 2007. The missile was in flight for 24 minutes, its deviation from the expected path was not greater than 30 metres despite strong wind and high air temperature. The maximum speed of the new missile is 257 m/sec, with a range of 300 km. In flight, the missile follows a quasi-ballistic path, enabling it to perform violent manoeuvres in the terminal phase of flight and to release decoys designed to overcome air defence systems. The missile never leaves the atmosphere as it follows a relatively flat trajectory. 11 The system can be used against small and large targets. The Iskander missile can easily overcome air defence systems. It s almost impossible to prevent a launch of an Iskander missile because of the system s mobility. Targets can be found not only by satellite and aircraft but also by a conventional intelligence centre. Targets can also be found from photos, which will be put into a computer by means of a scanner. The selfdirection device functions even in fog or darkness. 12 In November 2008, Lieutenant General Sergei Bogatinov, Commander of the Russian Missile and Artillery Troops said, that supply of the armament including Iskander-M complexes would not be interrupted, thus brigades armed with Iskander M systems would appear in missile forces by 2015. 13 AARMS 7(4) (2008) 709
Summary In case of its deployment nearby the European borders of the Russian Federation the Iskander Missile System would pose a real threat to the European security. The high mobility of the Iskander complex makes difficult to identify its exact position. In order to exploit its advantages, the system is to be deployed within range (i.e., 280 max. 500 km). The missiles are quick and manoeuvrable. The difficulties of detection, the short distance between the area of the installation and the targeted territories and the quickness and unforeseeable by the enemy trajectory of the missiles makes it hard to prevent a launch and do not leave enough time to adequately respond in case of an attack carried out with Iskander Missile System. The Iskander Missile System could be installed with nuclear warheads. However, there existing bilateral or international agreements do not include the mechanism of control for the tactical nuclear weapons. Therefore, there are no legal limitations for the Russian Federations to deploy such nuclear devices. References 1. www.russiafile.com 08 Dec 2008 2. www.russiafile.com 08 Dec 2008 3. Russia s Iskander: best answer to US missiles in Europe www.rian.ru 05 Nov 2008 4. Russia to equip 5 brigades with Iskander missile system by 2015 www.rian.ru 7 Nov 2008 5. www.globalsecurity.com 08 Nov 2008 6. Russia to compensate for INF losses with Iskander missile system www.rian.ru 14 Nov 2007 7. www.wikipedia.org 08 Dec 2008 8. www.globalsecurity.com 08 Dec 2008 9. www.globalsecurity.com 08 Dec 2008 10. www.wikipedia.org 08 Dec 2008 11. www.wikipedia.org 18 Nov 2008 12. www.globalsecurity.com 08 Dec 2008 13. Oruzhie Rossii 26 Nov 2008 Other sources: www.rosoboronexport.ru www.warfare.ru www.missilethreat.com 710 AARMS 7(4) (2008)