Al Hussein
Missile · Iraq
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: US Congress
Iraqi modification of the R-17 that doubled the missile's range at the expense of more than halving the payload and accuracy.
In the Iran-Iraq War, the Iraqis needed a missile with the range to bombard Tehran in reply to Iranian attacks on Baghdad. The Al-Hussein was an Iraqi modification of Soviet-supplied R-17 Scud B tactical missiles. The oxidizer tank was lengthened by 0.85 m, and the fuel tank by 0.45 m. The warhead was reduced from 1000 kg to 500 kg (some sources say 250 kg). These changes increased the range from 280 to 600 km (some sources say 650 kg), although the accuracy decreased correspondingly, from 1.0 km CEP to 3.3 km. The modifications weakened the structure of the missile, causing it to disintegrate during re-entry. This later actually proved to be an advantage, since the fragments served as decoys - the American Patriot missile system could not differentiate the warhead from the missile fragments.
The missile was used against Tehran during the War of the Cities, and later against coalition forces in Saudi Arabia during the 1991 Gulf War. Of the 93 total missiles launched in 1991, 88 were Al-Husseins - 42 against Israel and 46 against Saudi Arabia, resulting in 28 deaths.
One variant of the Al Hussein, the Al Hijara (the stones) used a concrete warhead. At least one was fired against the Israeli nuclear complex at Dimona. VX nerve gas warheads were developed for the missile but never used.
Maximum range: 650 km (400 mi). Boost Propulsion: Storable liquid rocket. Initial Operational Capability: 1988.
Related
- Family
- IRBM
- Country
- Iraq
- Launch Sites
- Scud Batteries
- Stages
- R-17 stage
Chronology
72 events
1987 August 3
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Range test, 615 km - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1987 December 28
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat valid. test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1988 February 29
Launch Site: Al Amarah. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- vs Tehran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1988 February 29
Launch Site: Al Amarah. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- vs Tehran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1988 February 29
Launch Site: Al Amarah. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- vs Tehran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1988 March 1
Launch Site: Al Amarah. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- vs Tehran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1988 March 1
Launch Site: Al Amarah. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- vs Tehran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1988 March 1
Launch Site: Al Amarah. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- vs Tehran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1989 July 27
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Launch trailer test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 January 2
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Test flight - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 January 2
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Test flight - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 April 8
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Chemical warhead - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 June 27
Launch Site: Tall Afar. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Separating RV test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 August 15
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Weapon test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 December 1
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-A. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Weapon/test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 December 1
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-A. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Weapon/test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1990 December 1
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-A. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Weapon/test - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 17
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 19
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 19
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 19
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 20
18:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 20
18:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
08:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
08:29 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
09:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
09:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
09:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
09:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 21
19:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat launch - target: Al Jubail - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
00:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
00:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
00:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
04:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
04:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 22
04:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 23
19:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 23
19:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 23
19:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 23
19:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 23
19:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 25
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 25
19:23 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 25
19:23 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 26
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 26
00:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 26
19:46 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 January 28
17:55 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 1
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 1
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 1
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 2
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 2
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 2
21:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 7
22:54 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 11
19:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 14
08:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Hafir Al Batin - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 14
08:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Hafir Al Batin - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 15
23:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat launch - target: Al Jubail - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 21
14:06 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat launch - target: King Khalid Military City - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 21
14:06 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat launch - target: King Khalid Military City - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 21
18:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat launch - target: King Khalid Military City - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 21
23:31 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Bahrain - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 23
01:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 23
01:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 24
Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-W. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Israel - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 24
01:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 24
06:23 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Riyadh - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 24
09:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Combat launch - target: King Khalid Military City - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 25
17:32 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Dhahran - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).
1991 February 25
22:26 GMT - . Launch Site: Scud Batteries. Launch Pad: IRAQ-S. LV Family: R-11. Launch Vehicle: Al Hussein.- Qatar - . Nation: Iraq. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi).