Type Anti-tank missile In service 1997 - Present Wars 2006 Lebanon War | Place of origin Iran Used by Iran
Hezbollah Designer KBM | |
The RAAD (Persian: رعد, meaning "thunder") family of missiles is manufactured in Iran and based on the Soviet 9K11 Malyutka anti-tank guided missile with a range of a few kilometres. It is not to be confused with Iran's Ra'ad anti ship missile and Pakistan's Ra'ad cruise missile.
Contents
From 1996 to 2004, a total of 2,250 RAAD missiles were produced in Iran.
History
It was said that plans to start production of the RAAD started in 1994 when Chinese and North Korean assistance was enlisted in producing missiles to boost its domestic weapons industry followed by actual production in 1995 with the actual weapon being unveiled by Defense Industries Organization on April 30, 1997. Due to shortage of Western-made anti-tank weapons, it forced Iran to seek out alternate anti-tank weapons that included the purchase of the 9K11 Malyutka.
In 1998, it was reported that Iran had begun producing an improved version of the Russian AT-3B . The new missile was called the Improved Raad or I-Raad with improvements that include a new front airframe fitted with a tandem high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead.
Israel had captured some quantities of the RAAD on the Karine A in January 2002.
Combat use
Hezbollah said they used variants of the RAAD in the 2006 Lebanon War. Iran was said to have supplied Hezbollah with the RAAD.
I-RAAD
For Improved RAAD, it includes an upgraded tandem warhead that would defeat ERA. A video camera-based SACLOS guidance system is also implemented, mounted on a tripod.
I-RAAD-T
Improvements include a new tandem warhead system and a new frame. All RAAD and I-RAAD missiles can be changed to the I-RAAD-T version by possibly changing the warhead and missile frame.
Equipment
The RAAD has almost the same gear as the 9K11 Malyutka, from the battery to the guidance unit with a simulator that can be used to train two operators on using the RAAD.