The Khorramshahr-4, also referred to as Kheibar, is an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) under the Iran Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO). The missile was publicly unveiled in May 2023 as the newest and most advanced evolution of the Khorramshahr missile family. Designed for strategic strike operations, the system is operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGC-AF) and is capable of delivering a large payload to targets at ranges of up to 2,000 km. Its design emphasizes heavy payload capacity, improved propulsion efficiency, and reduced launch preparation time compared with earlier Iranian liquid-fuel ballistic missiles.
Country users: Iran
Technical Data
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Design and Launcher Unit
The Khorramshahr-4 is a single-stage ballistic missile with a large-diameter cylindrical fuselage measuring approximately 13 m long and 1.5 m in diameter. The missile’s structural configuration allows it to carry a payload of roughly 1,500 kg, significantly higher than most MRBMs in the same range class. The missile is deployed from a road-mobile transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle, typically a heavy, multi-axle 10×10 or 12×12 military transport platform equipped with a hydraulic erection mechanism and integrated launch-control electronics.
The missile is transported horizontally on the TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) and raised to a vertical firing position prior to launch. This launcher configuration enables rapid relocation and dispersed deployment, allowing missile units to operate from concealed launch sites. The missile is designed to support quick launch cycles with minimal ground infrastructure, increasing survivability against counter-strike operations.
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Missile Propulsion
The Khorramshahr-4 missile is propelled by the Arvand liquid-fuel rocket engine, a high-thrust propulsion unit designed specifically for the Khorramshahr-4 upgrade. The engine uses storable hypergolic propellants, believed to consist of UDMH (unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine) as the fuel and N₂O₄ (nitrogen tetroxide) as the oxidizer. This propellant combination allows the missile to remain fueled for extended periods, reducing launch preparation time compared with earlier liquid-fuel systems.
During the boost phase, the engine generates sufficient thrust to accelerate the missile to hypersonic velocities exceeding Mach 15–16, enabling the missile to reach exo-atmospheric altitudes before entering the ballistic midcourse trajectory. The propulsion system is optimized for heavy payload delivery while maintaining an operational range of approximately 2,000 km.
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Guidance Systems
The Khorramshahr-4 missile employs an inertial navigation system (INS) that tracks the missile’s flight path using internal gyroscopes and accelerometers. This system calculates the missile’s trajectory throughout the boost and midcourse phases without requiring continuous external guidance signals.
To improve accuracy, the missile is believed to incorporate satellite navigation updates and onboard flight computers that can correct minor deviations during flight. The maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) is equipped with small control surfaces or thrusters that allow limited trajectory adjustments during the terminal phase. These corrections help the missile achieve an estimated circular error probable (CEP) of 30–100 m, depending on mission profile and range.
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Warhead
The Khorramshahr-4 missile can carry a variety of warhead configurations due to its ~1,500 kg payload capacity. The most common configuration is believed to be a high-explosive unitary warhead designed to generate large blast and fragmentation effects against hardened infrastructure and large military installations.
Alternative payload configurations may include cluster munition warheads, which disperse submunitions over a wide target area to engage troop concentrations or aircraft on open airfields. The missile may also support penetration warheads intended to defeat reinforced bunkers or underground facilities. The large payload capacity theoretically allows for unconventional payloads, although the system is officially described as intended for conventional missions.
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Combat Use
Within Iranian strategic doctrine, the Khorramshahr-4 missile is intended for use against high-value military and infrastructure targets at regional distances up to 2,000 km. Potential targets include air bases, hardened aircraft shelters, command and control centers, naval bases, missile defense sites, logistics hubs, and critical energy infrastructure.
Missiles of this class are typically employed in coordinated salvo launches from dispersed TEL units, saturating defensive systems and increasing the probability that some missiles will penetrate missile defense networks. The missile’s heavy warhead and maneuverable reentry capability make it particularly suited for destroying large strategic facilities where extreme precision is less critical than payload mass and impact energy.
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