The Khorramshahr-4 missile is a medium-range, ballistic, rocket-propelled weapon. Its main characteristics are pin-point accuracy and destructive power as it is armed with an 1,800-kg warhead capable to penetrate into reinforced-concrete bunkers. First unveiled in early 2023 during test fire, the Khorramshahr-4 is propelled by a single-stage, liquid-fuel rocket. It can reach targets located at 3,500 km away, with precision, and it can sink a super aircraft carrier, hitting it in the middle of the flight deck. The missile shoots down vertically out of the sky like lightning at the speed of Mach 16. This is so, due to gravitational acceleration.
Like the others from the series, the Khorramshahr-4 missile was developed from the North Korean BM-25 missile; 25 meaning 2,500 km range. The Iranian engineers improved and upgraded its rocket and it presently has an effective range of 3,500 km. Thus, it can strike Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean. One of the most important improvements the Khorramshahr-3 underwent to become the Khorramshahr-4 is its detachable reentry vehicle (RV). Iranian defense engineers stated that the reentry vehicle is equipped with maneuvering capabilities designed to complicate missile defense interception efforts. This is managed through the controlled movable fins on the RV sides. Although much of the interior avionics and guidance architecture remain classified, it is known that the missile utilizes Beidou sytem, which is the Chinese GPS, as well as inertial navigation.
Although the missile is armed with a conventional HE warhead, the specifications of this hypersonic missile indicates that it could well be adapted for non-conventional payloads, like nuclear warhead. This is a concern that raises alarms in NATO countries. Ultimately, the Khorramshahr-4 is not just about firepower but it is also about warning, deterrence, and reshaping the strategic landscape in the Middle East. Thus, like the Sejjil missile, this dreaded weapon in the arsenal of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps allow Iran to exert geopolitical pressure to other actors in the international arena.
Specifications
Type: medium-range, ballistic missile
Total Weight: 20 tons
Warhead Weight: 1,800 kg (High Explosive)
Length: 13 m
Diameter: 1.5 m
Engine: liquid-fuel rocket
Fuel: hypergolic
Effective Range: 3,500 km
Accuracy: 10 m
Navigation System: Beidou; inertial
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