The Qiam-1 [“Uprising-1”] is a liquid fueled, short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed and deployed by Iran. The missile is an indigenous variant of the Shahab-2 SRBM. Unlike Iran’s other Scud-variants, it does not have external tail fins, and has a separating warhead. Iran has employed the Qiam-1 in combat operations on multiple occasions since 2017. 

Description

The Qiam-1 is a single-stage, liquid fueled SRBM. The missile measures 11.5 m in length, 0.88 m in body diameter, 0.66 m in warhead diameter, and weighs 6,155 kg at launch. It is reportedly capable of delivering a 750 kg payload to ranges between 700 and 800 km.

The Qiam-1 is distinguished from other Scud variants by its lack of tail fins, instead using a thrust vector control system to stabilize the missile.¹ The missile is also believed to possess a separable warhead and ground-based radio guidance system, significantly improving accuracy over prior Scud-based designs.² The warhead’s distinctive triconic shape is thought to enhance its stability after separation. In addition to improving accuracy, such a configuration could reduce the system’s radar signature, potentially increasing its survivability against missile defense.

Development

Unveiled in 2010, the Qiam-1 reportedly derives from Iran’s Shahab-2, a variant of Russia’s Scud-C SRBM.³ The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGC-AF) reportedly acquired its first set of Qiam-1 missiles in late May 2010.⁴ Qiam-1 successfully completed its first flight test on August 20, 2010 and was publicly displayed during an armed forces parade in October 2010.⁵ Iran announced a second successful test flight on February 10, 2014.⁶ In the same month, Iran’s Fars news agency released images of 24 Qiam-1s stored in an underground tunnel complex.⁷ The IRGC conducted a third flight test of the Qiam-1 in March 2016.⁸

Operational History

The Qiam-1 may have seen its first operational use on June 18, 2017 in an attack against Islamic State militants in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor region. Conflicting reports state that Iran fired five or six missiles at Deir ez-Zor, including up to five Zolfaghar SRBMs and one Shahab-3 or Qiam-1 missile. Though sources at the time claimed that Iran launched single Shahab-3, later assessments suggest that it fired a Qiam-1.⁹ It remains unclear whether the missiles hit their targets.

On October 1, 2018, Iran fired up to two Qiam-1 missiles in an attack on Islamic State targets in Al Bukamal, Syria. According to reports, Iran launched six ballistic missiles from a base in Kermanshah Province; accounts are uncertain whether the missiles struck their targets, with some claiming that two Qiam-1 missiles failed in flight.¹⁰

Burkan-2H

Beginning around 2017, Iran begun transferring Qiam-1 missiles to Yemen’s Houthi militants as the “Burkan-2H” (Borkan-2H) [“Volcano-2H”]. ¹¹ On July 22, 2017, Houthi rebels fired a Burkan-2H missile for the first time, targeting an oil refining facility in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. On November 4, 2017, Houthi militants again fired a Burkan-2H, this time at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.¹² Saudi Arabia claimed its Patriot system successfully intercepted the missile, though that account was later disputed by independent analysts.¹³ Saudi forces later claimed several successful intercepts of Burkan-2H missiles over Riyadh in April, May, and June 2018.¹⁴