Posted on 05/24/2009 6:57:41 PM PDT by neverdem
A campaigning President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tells a rally that the missile hit its target. The Sejil-2 reportedly has a range of 1,200 miles and incorporates advanced technology.
Reporting from Beirut — Iran's president announced the successful test launch of an advanced surface-to-surface solid-fuel missile Wednesday that could reach Israel and other potential targets across the Middle East.
Iranian state television showed the blue rocket rising from a sunny desert, surrounded by the red, white and green flags of the Islamic Republic.
Iran has long had missiles that could reach Israel and the Persian Gulf states where the U.S. maintains several bases. But President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boasted that the new Sejil-2 incorporates "advanced technology" that makes it more accurate than Iran's arsenal of Shahab missiles, which are based on North Korean-designed rockets.
The two-stage missile has a range of 1,200 miles, the official Islamic Republic News Agency said. Iran's single-stage liquid-fueled Shahab-3 has the same range. But experts say solid-fuel double-stage rockets are more accurate.
In addition, they say, solid fuel is more stable, meaning it can be stored longer and moved more easily. Solid propellant may also allow Iran to bypass the fueling cycles needed for liquid-fueled rockets, speeding up the launch sequence.
"The defense minister contacted me and said . . . 'With divine intervention and the assistance of the Lord of the Age, the Sejil-2 rocket, which has very advanced technology, was launched from Semnan province,' " Ahmadinejad told a crowd of supporters in the rural northern province, where he was campaigning ahead of June 12 elections. " 'It hit the target exactly.' "
In Washington, Obama administration officials said the test demonstrated that Iran had made progress in its efforts to develop a solid-fuel missile with a longer range than its older, Shahab series rockets.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I have read that the Germans wasted vast resources on the V1 and V2 that could have gotten them more useable weapons.
If solid fuel has even a small crack in it it goes boom on the pad !........:o)
Divert their road works money to create more potholes and sabotage their vehicle shocks and springs technology and we’ll be safe !......:o)
What a great day of Iran and Islam. They can now kill non Muslims more easily. Beheadings are so messy. Praise Allah.
One giant leap forward for Iran, one giant leap backwards for international stability.
I suppose the Obama administration will just wait around until the Iranians launch one of their missles to a target outside Iran with a nuclear warhead on board.
One day closer until Israel takes care of business and neutralizes this grave threat to their existence.
Somehow the US, China, and Russia have gotten over these solid fuel troubles. The Norkies are still messing around with liquid fuel and all its fumey, leaky, volatile problems.
If it can be described as a leap forward, it is a leap forward into Pandora’s box. It will prove to be an unwanted pox on the average Iranian.
I bet the duct taped a bunch of estes d motors together
I am beginning to wonder if Israel just might use nuclear weapons against Iran.
Of course it would be an extremely controversial act but the choice might be that or lose their nation.
Yes, but wait until Iran has nuclear-tipped missiles capable of reaching Paris, Berlin, and London. Will the Europeans petition Moscow for protection? No, they will come begging on their knees to Washington. And what will be Washington's response?
It depends who is in power. If the isolationists control Washington, the President and Congress will tell Europe to get lost.
Send in the Airborne Laser to vaporize the Sejils before Tel Aviv gets a mushroom cloud five times that of Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
Aw..jeeze....then what’s left of Europe will be coming over here in boats wanting asylum...
Barack Obama is giving Iran the time it needs to build a nuclear bomb
Daily Telegraph (UK) | May 21, 2009 | Con Coughlin
Posted on 05/23/2009 4:03:17 PM PDT by reaganaut1
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257095/posts
They will be turned back. Too white for the multicultural orgamsmic rainbow.
With their stunning scientific and technological progress, Obama should invite Iran to compete in an international science fair. That will boost their self esteem and make them a little less iritable.
They continue to develop ever longer range missiles. The "reach" they develop to tells you exactly who they want to be able to hit. Hmm, so once this missile system has been developed with a reach over all of Israel, they stop pushing the range envelope and go to work on quality control, quicker firing cycles, and accuracy? I guess hitting Israel is all this is about then.
Same story on the payload end. If you want to use conventional weapons, well, bigger is better in this case. Why stop at the payload they have now? If you're going to go to the expense and trouble of sending a MRBM, why not get some real bang for your buck? I mean, the payload they have now is just a fraction of what a tactical fighter-bomber could carry... But it also happens to be just sufficient for a first generation nuclear RV.
Iran can claim whatever they want about their intentions. But their actions are loud and clear: they are gunning for Israel, and they will be sending nuclear weapons.
Agreed.
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