NICOSIA Ñ Iran has reported a successful test flight of its new
solid-fuel surface-to-surface missile, believed to
have been developed with help from China.
The official Islamic Republic News Agency said Teheran has successfully
tested the Fateh A-110 missile. The agency said the missile, was tested on Friday.
The missile is said to be a solid-fuel rocket with a range of about 110
kilometers. But Iran has never released the range of the rocket and some
experts believe the missile is based on the Chinese DF-11A missile, with a
range of up to 400 kilometers.
Iranian officials said the successful test will lead to mass production
of the missile.
"This is one of the most precise in the world," Ahmed Hamidi, director
of Iran's Aerospace Industrial Organization, said.
"The production on a large scale of this missile will soon be launched and
it will be used for the defense of the country, stability and regional
peace."
Neither Hamidi nor the IRNA provided details of the Fateh-110.
Iran last reported a successful test of the Fateh-110 on May 31, 2001.
At the time, Iran also refrained from providing details of the missile.
Another solid-fuel program reported by Iran is the Zelzal-2. The rocket
is said to have a range of 200 kilometers.
Western defense sources said Iran wants to use the success of the
Fateh-110 to develop solid-fuel missiles with medium- and
intermediate-ranges.
Iran's solid-propellant rocket industry is said to be located at Sanam,
175 kilometers east of Teheran. Iran is said to have developed as many as 40
solid-fuel rocket motors.
Over the weekend, Iran announced it would hold a major exercise in the
north in an effort to train the military to repel a nuclear attack. An
Iranian military spokesman said 25,000 soldiers would participate in the
exercise, the date of which was not announced.
