History & Description of the Soviet SCUDS ----
by Jack E. Hammond, Defense Data Inc
January 18th 1991

Israel has been hit by between 6 to 8 SCUD medium range ballistic missiles
(Israel now says 10).  The following is a short history of the SCUD.

The first version of the SCUD was the R-11\SS-1b\SCUD-A (USSR\US\NATO) and
appeared about 1957.  It was carried by a tracked vehicle and was erected
on round table then the tracked carrier was pulled away from the missile,
i.e. like the WW2 German V-2 rockets.  Unlike the V-2 it had the advantage
of using semi-storable liquid fuels (these fuels are dangerous though to
human contact and the crews are required to wear rubbers suits making many
to think they all have chemical warheads).  But they still had the
disadvantage of using the V-2 type guidance system with a internal gyro
and radio cut off to control the trajectory.  This requires a weather
balloon being tracked to predict the air currents before launch.  The
SCUD-A main weak point was its accuracy -- hitting somewhere in a circle
of around 4 km (CEP of 4km).

The second version of the SCUD was the R-17\SS-1c\SCUD-B and first
appeared in 1965.  Besides being slightly longer, it was mounted on a 8X8
wheeled vehicle, the MAZ-543\7310TLM Uragan transport-erector.  This
vehicle gave a great highway and semi-rough terrain mobility making them
easy to hide and hard to find. The biggest improvement was the inertial
strap down guidances system which improved the CEP to 1 km.  Minimum time
from first fueling to firing is 90 minutes.

Besides the standard HE or variable tactical nuclear warheads the Soviets
also developed a chemical warhead that if filled with VX (nerve agent). It
uses a proximity fuze that activates a small HE charge that rams a pusher
down spreading the nerve agent.  This warhead was developed for use
against NATO air bases to hinder refueling and arming of its strike
aircraft.

The R-17\SS-1c\SCUD-B or versions of it are the most common and has a
length of 11.2 m (38 ft 9 in), Span: 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in), Diameter: 85 cm
(2 ft 10 in), Weight: 6300 kg (13,890 lb), Range: 280 km (170 mi),
Warhead: either tactical nuclear or high explode warhead weighing
approximately 1 ton.

After the SCUD-B the Soviets had a small scale development of two more
version.  The SS-1d\SCUD-C (no known Soviet designation) which has a
longer range but an even worst CEP than the SCUD-A.  The second version
was the SS-1e\SCUD-D -- and THANK GOD help us that none were exported.
The SCUD-D is fitted with a improved guidance and has a submunnition
warhead. Against air bases it is extremely dangerous -- EXTREMELY!  (The
Soviets have re designated their missiles and the R-17 is now the R-300)

There one other SCUD-B version developed, and that was the M-11 by the
People Republic of China. The M-11 can be launched from the same Soviet
made MAZ vehicle.  The M-11 was developed strictly to acquire gold
currency -- export -- and the PLA has no need for it.

Today in the Soviet Army the SCUDs are being replaced by the OTR-23\SS-23
Spider (Soviet\NATO).  The Spider uses solid fuel, is super accurate --
measured in 10s of meters) -- and most Third World leaders would give half
their oil, prettiest daughter and even their left testicle if requested
for some of them.  Syria has them in limited numbers, and Israel hates the
Soviets for it.

The Arab SCUDS ----

In the 1970s the Arabs had the short range FROG free flight artillery
rockets.  To keep the Israeli AF from attacking their cities they
requested the SCUD-B.  For the Arabs the Soviets developed an export model
(i.e. Mickie Mouse version in their terms).  Called the R-17E, it was a
SCUD-B with the SCUD-A guidance system (i.e. instead of a 1km CEP a 4 km
CEP).  The first models were shipped shortly before the 1973 war: e.g.
Egypt, Syria, Libya (a lot of them with 72 transport-erectors -- which is
what counts), North Korea, Iraq (36 transport-erectors) and South Yemen
(not the Republic of Yemen).

The first combat use of the SCUD was when the Egyptians launched a number
of them during the 1973 War against suspected Israeli military
installations in Sinai.  Nothing is know about their effectiveness.  Also,
as a sidenote, in April 1986 the Libyans launched two export SCUDs against
Italian island of Lampedusa, where the USN has a navigation station.  Both
landed in the sea off the island.

The Iraqi SCUDS: Terror in the Cities ----

From the outset of the Iran-Iraq Gulf War the Iraqis used short range FROG
free flight artillery rockets.  Even though Iraqis had the SCUD-Bs they
could not use them because their missile crews were not trained.  By 1982
the crews were trained and the war was going against Iraq.  In October 27
1982 they fired the first SCUD missile that killed civilians when one
impacted the Iranian city of Dezful killing 21 and reportedly injuring in
the hundreds. (Many are now saying, "Gawd! The one that hit Tel Aviv
didn't do that -- not even killing one!"  Please keep reading.)

Iraq continued to firing SCUDs against cities killing hundreds of Iranian
civilians.  In 1985 the tables turned when Iran acquired a small number of
SCUDs from Libya.  Soon Bagdhad was getting hit.  At first Saddam tried to
shove it off as car bombs, but it was soon out and Saddam suffered a
massive lose of "face.": i.e. the Iraqi capital was being hit but not the
Iranian capital.  Saddam tried to acquire a missile that could reach
Teheran -- e.g. reported the older liquid fueled Soviet SS-12 Scaleboard
(now destroyed under the INF treaty).  The Soviets by this time were
changing and refused.  But for some reason -- i.e. thought to be hard
currency -- provided a huge number of R-17\SCUDs (reports are from
anywhere from 200 to 500).  From these missiles the Iraqis with foreign
experts developed the al-Husayn.  THESE ARE WHAT HIT TEL AVIV ON JANUARY
18th 1991.

Most so called experts state that the al-Husayn was an R-17E fitted with
strap on boosters to increase its range.  THIS IS 100% FALSE!  It is a lot
simpler.  The Iraqis and their foreign engineers took a standard R-17E and
reduced the warhead from 2000 lbs to less than 500 lbs.  This over doubled
the range to approximately 370 miles with a report CEP 500m.  (This writer
does not accept that figure.) On February 29th 1988 the first al-Husayn
impacted Teheran.  From then on Iran's strong morale to continue the war
with Iraq began to come unglued.  A reported 200 al-Husayn were launched
against Teheran.  Then besides the deaths created by the light warhead of
the al-Husayn, the Iranians learned that Iraq was developing a chemical
warhead (if they have or not is not known) and the Great Imman done
something worst than taking poison.

Finally, besides the al-Husayn the Iraqis have developed an improved
version of the SCUD, called the al-Abbas, which has the same range of the
al-Husayn but the SCUDs original 2000 lb warhead with a reported CEP of
300m. (Also, not believe by this writer.) The al-Abbas was developing by
cannibalizing two SCUDs and extending the fuel tankage. Iraq has not
manufactured many because they have only so many SCUDs.  If a al-Abbas had
been launched the deaths in Tel Aviv would have been much great -- i.e.
especially with all the civilians in soft sealed upper story rooms
expecting an chemical attack.

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