Iran Iran Aerospace Industries Organization
Shahab-3
Iran's first medium-range ballistic missile, derived from the North Korean Nodong-1, forming the basis for a wider family of liquid-fuel Iranian MRBMs including the Ghadr-110 and Emad. Range and accuracy figures are Iranian state claims not independently verified.
In service since 2003
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,000
km range
8
Mach
1,000
kg warhead
Pricing: Range and accuracy figures are Iranian state claims, not independently verified
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Sanctioned origin
Under multilateral sanctions; acquisition carries severe legal/financial exposure for most buyers.
Channel: State channel
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 2003. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 8 Mach Top 8% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 1,000 km Stronger than 86% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 1,000 kg Top 5% of missiles
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- High-explosive fragmentation
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Inertial navigation
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 16.6 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 17,400 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Single-stage liquid-fuel rocket
Specifications compiled from public Iran Aerospace Industries Organization and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
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Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3? +
The Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3 has a maximum range of 1,000 km.
How much does the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3 weigh? +
The Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3 has a combat weight of 17,400 kg.
What is the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3 used for? +
The Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3 is a missile typically used for deep strike.
How much does the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3 cost? +
Iran Aerospace Industries Organization Shahab-3: Range and accuracy figures are Iranian state claims, not independently verified. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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