Iran manufactured for the first time a hypersonic ballistic missile capable of penetrating defense systems

Iran A hypersonic ballistic missile capable of penetrating all defense systems was manufactured for the first time, General Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force, announced Thursday.

“This hypersonic ballistic missile can counter air defense shields. It will be able to penetrate all anti-missile defense systems”said the general, quoted by the Fars news agency.

a hypersonic missile develops speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), at about 6,000 km/h.

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According to the Iranian military official, “This missile that targets enemy anti-missile systems It represents a great generation leap in the missile field.”

Hypersonic missiles pose challenges to radar designers because of their high speed and ability to move.

The announcement comes after Iran admitted on Saturday that he had sent drones to Russiabut said that he had done it before the Ukraine war.

The Washington Post claimed on October 16 that Iran was preparing to send missiles to Russia, but Tehran said this information was “completely false”.

Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles fly low, so they can hit targets more quickly.

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Several countries seek to develop them. Russia, North Korea and the United States announced in 2021 that they carried out tests, which revives fears of a new arms race.

Russia has an advantage in this sector, with several types of these missiles, and in August it announced that it had deployed planes equipped with these hypersonic weapons in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave surrounded by countries of the NATO in northeastern Europe.

Both Iran and Russia are targeted by sanctions: Iran after the United States unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, and Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February.

The two countries have responded to the sanctions by boosting cooperation in key areas to help prop up their economies.

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The launch of a military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) during a two-day drone drill at an undisclosed location in Iran. (Photo by IRAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE / AFP) (-/)

Unknown

A hypersonic missile is maneuverable, making it difficult to track and defend.

While countries like USA have developed systems designed to defend against ballistic and cruise missiles, the ability to track and shoot down a hypersonic missile remains an unknown.

Iran’s announcement comes against a backdrop of deadlocked talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

The agreement reached with six great powers – Great Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States – gave to Iran sanctions relief in exchange for guarantees that it would not develop an atomic weapon. Iran has always denied wanting to obtain a nuclear weapon.

The agreement fell apart after the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in 2018 under the mandate of the president donald trump

It also comes after Iran announced on November 5 the test flight of a rocket capable of propelling satellites into space.

The United States has repeatedly expressed concern that these launches could boost Iran’s ballistic missile technology, extending to the possible delivery of nuclear warheads.

In March, the US government imposed sanctions on Iran’s missile-related activities.

Iran, shaken for two months by demonstrations following the death on September 16, Mahsa Aminia young Iranian Kurdish woman arrested by the morality police, accuses her “enemies”, in particular the United States, of wanting to destabilize the country.

This Wednesday, Iran warned countries in the region, especially Saudi Arabia, that it would respond to any action aimed at destabilizing the Islamic Republic.

Source: Elcomercio