ISKANDER

:''This article refers to the Russian-made missile. Iskander is also the Arabic version of the name Alexander, after Alexander the Great.''

'Iskander' (NATO reporting name 'SS-26 Stone') is a short range, solid fuel propelled, theater quasiballistic missile produced in Russia.
The system is intended to use conventional warheads for the engagement of small and area targets, such as:

★ hostile fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery pieces);

★ air and antimissile defence weapons, especially those located in relatively fixed sites;

★ fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft at airfields;

★ command posts and communications nodes;

★ critical civilian infrastructure facilities;

★ other vital small and area targets.
The missile system ensures:

★ high probability of fire mission accomplishment in hostile active countermeasures environments;

★ high probability of failure-proof functioning of the missile during its launch preparation and in flight;

★ automatic computation and input of missile flight missions by the launcher devices;

★ high tactical maneuverability and strategic mobility owing to transportability of the system vehicles by all types of transport;

★ long service life and ease of operation.
The Iskander-E system is equipped with a solid-propellant single-stage guided missile controlled throughout the entire flight path and provided with a nonseparable warhead.
In flight, the missile follows a non-purely-ballistic path, which includes such features as violent maneuvers in the terminal phase of flight and the release of decoys. The missile never leaves the atmosphere as it follows a relatively flat trajectory.

Contents

Versions

Basic Characteristics

Comparable systems

External links

References

Versions

★ Iskander-M – version for Russian government forces. Range: ~400 km.

★ Iskander-E – export version, specially designed to meet MTCR restrictions. Range: ~280 km.

Basic Characteristics

★ Manufacturer: Kolomna KBM

★ Launch range:

★
★ maximum: 280 km (export version)

★
★ minimum: 50 km

★ Accuracy: 20 m CEP (export version)

★ Cruise speed: 4500 km/h (?)

★ Weight:

★
★ missile launch: 3,800 kg

★
★ payload: 480 kg (export version)

★
★ launcher: 40,000 kg

★ Warhead: conventional (cluster, HE fragmentation, penetrating)

★ Guidance system: inertial, GPSGLONASS, optoelectronic homing head

★ Chassis: wheeled, cross-country

★ Number of missiles:

★
★ on launcher: 1 (export version)

★
★ on transloader: 2

★ Crew: 3

Comparable systems

★ MGM-52 Lance

★ Pluton

★ Oka

★ Tochka

★ MGM-140B/E ATACMS

★ LORA

External links

★ Russian Surface To Surface Systems

★ SS-26 Stone @ Defense Update

References

★ ''Russia's Arms Catalog 2004''