R-11 (missile)

The R-11 (Russian: P-11, NATO designation: SS-1 Scud) is a Soviet tactical ballistic missile developed during the Cold War and exported in large quantities to other countries. Later versions of the missile are known as R-300 «Elbrus» (Russian: P-300 «Эльбрус»). In the West, instead of using its original name, it is mistakenly known as Scud. The name Scud has been used by the media to refer not only to these specific missiles, but to the entire range of missiles developed in other countries based on the Soviet design.

Soviet development

The term Scud was first used when NATO applied the name SS-1b Scud-A to the R-11 ballistic missile. The previous R-1 missile had been called SS-1 Scunner by NATO, but its design was very different, almost a copy of the German V-2. The technology used in the R-11 also came from the V-2, but it was a new design, smaller and its shape was very different from that of the V-2 and R-1. The R-11 was developed by OKB Korolyeb and entered service in 1957.

Other later versions were the R-300 Elbrus/SS-1c Scud-B in 1961 and the SS-1d Scud-C in 1965, both of which could carry a conventional payload, a 5 to 80 kiloton nuclear warhead, or a VX chemical head. The SS-1e Scud-D variant developed in the 1980s can carry a conventional high-explosive warhead, a thermobaric warhead, 40 fragmentation bombs, or 100 antipersonnel mines of 5 kg each.

All models are 11.25 meters long (except the Scud-A, which is one meter shorter) and have a diameter of 0.88 meters. They are powered by a single engine. The Scud-A uses kerosene and nitric acid, while the rest of the models use UDMH and RFNA type fuels.

R-11FM

The R-11FM (8A61FM) (Russian: Р-11ФМ) is a modification for the marine environment intended for launch from submarines but on the sea surface. It had a maximum range of 250 km and was adopted by the Soviet Navy. Developed in Zlatoust by SKB-385 a Special Construction Bureau headed by Viktor Makeyev.

R-11 versions

The name "Scud" It is also used to refer to an Iraqi modification of the same missile. Improved to achieve greater range, it took center stage during the Gulf War, when 40 of these missiles were launched at Israel and another 46 at Saudi Arabia. The American-made Patriot missile system was successful in shooting down the missiles, but many critics claim that the accuracy of the Patriot missiles has been greatly exaggerated and that 85% actually missed their target. Missiles accounted for most of Iraq's offensive weapons, especially against Israel. There was great concern about the possibility that they were loaded with chemical or biological warheads.

In the end the R-11 caused the direct death of an Israeli and 28 American soldiers (the missile fell on their barracks in Saudi Arabia). The interception of the missiles accounted for a third of the Coalition's efforts. They could easily move loaded on trucks and were difficult to detect.

The Iraqis developed four versions: the Scud, the longer range Scud, Al Hussein and Al Abbas. They were mostly low-quality missiles, since they tended to break in mid-flight and had very small warheads.^{[citation needed]}

The North Korean, Iranian and Pakistani missile programs have used Scud technology to develop missiles with ranges that, according to their military forces, range between 1,300 and 1,500 km.

Practical use

All versions of the R-11 are derived from the German V2 rocket (like most early military missiles and rockets) and are very inaccurate due to their construction. The Iraqi modifications increased the range, at the cost of reducing hit accuracy.

As with some other missiles, the military advantage of this weapon lies in its ease of transport, over a transporter erector launch vehicle (TEL). This mobility allows a more or less constant change of position, thus increasing the system's survivability in combat, to such an extent that, of the approximately 100 launchers initially considered destroyed by coalition pilots and special forces in the Gulf War, none could be confirmed.

The R-11 (including derivatives) is one of the few ballistic missiles that have been used in real conflicts, it is the second most used missile after the V2 in terms of launches in combat operations and over cities. The other type of similar missile used in war is the Russian SS-21, with five launches during the Chechnya conflict in 1999. In addition to being used in the aforementioned Gulf War, R-11 missiles were used in several regional conflicts., especially by Soviet forces in Afghanistan (1979-1987), by the Iranians and the Iraqis in the so-called "War of the Cities". This happened in 1988, when in response to Iranian missile attacks on Baghdad, Kirkuk, Sulamaniya and other urban centers, Iraq launched 190 R-11 missiles on several Iranian cities including the capital Tehran.

These impacts caused thousands of deaths on both opposing sides and tremendous panic in Iran, which probably led to the signing of a more favorable peace treaty for Iraq at the end of the war, announcing what the wars of the future would be like, with armies launching missiles on cities. A few Scuds were also used in the 1994 Yemen civil war and by Russian forces in Chechnya from 1996.

The countries that have R-11 are: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Libya, Poland, Slovakia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, North Korea and Yemen. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Egypt have purchased R-11C in addition to R-11B. Syria has acquired R-11D, and Iraq's Al-Hussein type missile also has a range similar to that of the R-11D.

General characteristics