“Iran Tests Locally Produced Fajr-5 Missile with Thermobaric Warhead for Increased Destructive Power”

TEHERAN – The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Army (IRGC) successfully tested the Fajr-5 missile on Sunday (7/5/2023). The missile is locally produced and equipped with a thermobaric warhead.

According to a report by Iran’s Tasnim news agency, experts at the IRGC Army Self-Research and Jihad Organization have developed the Fajr-5 missile; 333 mm rocket whose guided version is dubbed “Fajr-5C”. The missile has been delivered to a unit of the IRGC Ground Forces.

The new thermobaric warhead, which uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, has increased the destructive power of Iranian rockets, according to the same sources.

The agency added that the destructive power of the new warhead is reported to be 1.5 times greater than that of trinitrotoluene (TNT), increasing its blast radius and thermal effect.

The lower sensitivity of thermobaric explosives than TNT makes it a safer choice compared to conventional warheads.

The newly developed model is more convenient for dealing with “terrorist groups”, especially in hard-to-reach mountainous areas.

The 333 mm rockets that use solid fuel come in single- and two-stage versions, with ranges of 75 km and 180 km, respectively.

(she)