Missile Jericho

The Jericho program originated in the 1960s through a development contract signed in 1963. Initial development involved international collaboration, with the first test firing occurring in 1965. This partnership ended in 1968 following an arms embargo, after which development continued domestically. The program has produced several generations of ballistic missiles, with later iterations sharing technical commonality with the Shavit space launch vehicle.

The Jericho family consists of multiple-stage solid-propellant ballistic missiles. The systems utilize inertial guidance, with later variants incorporating terminal guidance and active radar homing. Warhead options include high explosives, fragmentation payloads, and nuclear physics packages. The Jericho I was designed to carry a nuclear warhead with impact or proximity detonation. The Jericho II features a two-stage engine and a separating warhead capable of carrying high explosives or nuclear devices. The Jericho III is a multi-stage system that can be equipped with a single nuclear warhead or multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). The Jericho 4 is a three-stage variant capable of carrying fragmentation warheads. Launch platforms include hardened silos, railroad flat cars, and mobile truck-mounted units.

The Israel Defense Forces is the primary operator of the Jericho system. The Jericho I entered service in 1971 and remained operational until its withdrawal in the 1990s. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Jericho I missiles were prepared and armed with nuclear warheads at Sdot Micha Airbase in response to military setbacks, though they were not launched. The Jericho II entered service in the late 1980s and is deployed in hardened underground facilities. While its availability during the 1991 Gulf War is a subject of debate, base expansions occurred during that period to accommodate the system. The Jericho III reached operational status in 2011, with test launches conducted in 2008 and 2011. South Africa previously produced licensed derivatives of the Jericho II known as the RSA series, but these programs were terminated in 1994 following the country's accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime and the dismantling of its nuclear program.