Ghadr Missile: Iran’s Medium Range Ballistic Missile
The Ghadr, also written Qadr or Ghadr 1, is an Iranian medium range ballistic missile derived from the Shahab 3 family. Iran publicly displayed the missile in 2007, presenting it as an upgraded system with greater range and improved performance. Open source assessments generally classify the Ghadr 1 as a road mobile, single stage, liquid fueled ballistic missile.
The missile is designed for conventional strategic strike missions against targets at medium distances. Its extended range compared with earlier Shahab 3 configurations gives Iran the ability to threaten targets well beyond its immediate region. Estimates vary because Iranian missile specifications are not consistently disclosed. CSIS lists a range of approximately 1,600 to 1,950 km, while other assessments use about 1,600 km as a practical figure.
Manufacturer
The Ghadr is associated with Iran’s domestic ballistic missile industry, particularly the Aerospace Industries Organization and Hemmat Missile Industries complex. Its development incorporated the Shahab 3 design while introducing changes to the airframe, fuel capacity, reentry vehicle, and guidance system.
Speed and Range
The Ghadr has a reported range of roughly 1,600 to 1,950 km and carries an estimated payload of about 750 kg. Reliable open sources do not provide a definitive maximum speed figure, so a precise Mach number should not be presented as established fact. Its ballistic flight profile means the reentry vehicle reaches very high velocity during atmospheric reentry.
Cost and Price
Iran has not publicly released a verified unit price for the Ghadr missile. Therefore, there is no reliable public acquisition cost suitable for a product listing. Manufacturing costs are also difficult to estimate because information about Iranian production rates, components, and procurement remains limited.
