Quick thread on the comments about Iran's new solid-fuel SLV by Minister of Defence Hatami. 1/8 mehrnews.com/news/4999511/%…
First Hatami mentioned that he thinks there will be a launch of both the Simorgh and the Zoljanah SLV in the current Iranian year (until March 2021). 2/8
The Zolajanah was first mentioned in February as a new all-solid SLV without going into specifics. This time, Hatami gave at least some more details. 3/8
mehrnews.com/news/4848202/%…
mehrnews.com/news/4848202/%…
According to him, the Zolajanah will be solid fuel and "similiar in size and shape" to the Simorgh. However, unlike the Simorgh it will be launched from a mobile launcher. 4/8
It seems exceedingly likely that this will be the all solid-fuel successor to the IRGC's Qased which Hajizadeh already announced back in April. 5/8
The diameter of the Simorgh is about 2.5m. If the Zolajanah's diameter is even anywhere close to that and a test is indeed planned within the next seven months, it would mean that Iran has advanced much further in the development of large solid motors than often assumed. 6/8
Add to that the fact that the system will be mobile and things get a little worrisome. The IRGC SLV program appears to have been a hedging effort for long-range missile tech from its beginning and if Hatami is to be believed, Iran seems to be progressing on that path quickly. 7/8
For further info on the current trajectory of Iran's solid-fuel SLV program check out this piece I wrote for ELN after the Qased launch in April. 8/8 europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/hav…
