Missile Qiam 1

The Qiam 1 is a short-range ballistic missile derived from the Shahab-2, itself part of a lineage tracing back to the Soviet Scud missile. Developed as a domestic successor within this family, the missile was first revealed during a test in August 2010 before being publicly displayed later that year. It officially entered service and was delivered to the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps between 2010 and 2011.

A liquid-fueled system, the Qiam 1 possesses a number of distinctive features that enhance its performance. Its most striking characteristic is the absence of fins, a design choice that reduces its radar cross-section and allows for potential increases in range or payload. This finless airframe, coupled with a separable warhead, requires a sophisticated and highly responsive guidance system to maintain a stable and accurate trajectory. The warhead itself utilizes a distinct "baby-bottle" shape, which improves stability during atmospheric re-entry and increases terminal velocity, complicating interception efforts. The missile can be armed with conventional high-explosive fragmentation warheads, submunitions such as anti-runway penetrators, or cluster munitions. The potential for a nuclear payload has also been noted. Upgraded versions have seen improvements in range and accuracy.

The missile was first used in combat in June 2017 in a strike against Islamic State militants in Syria. Its most prominent operational use occurred in January 2020, when multiple Qiam 1 missiles targeted the Al Asad Airbase in Iraq. This attack, carried out in retaliation for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, reportedly utilized missiles equipped with cluster warheads, causing significant damage to infrastructure and resulting in traumatic brain injuries to over one hundred U.S. service members. Additionally, U.S. officials have asserted that the Qiam 1 has been supplied to Houthi forces in Yemen, with some missiles fired from there demonstrating a flight range exceeding the system's baseline specifications.