August 5, 2007: Both China and
Russia began developing, in the 1990s, another successor to the SCUD. Actually,
the Russians wanted a replacement for the SS-23 (which did replace the SCUD in
the 1970s). Russia came up with the SS-26, a two ton missile with a half ton
warhead and a range of 280 kilometers. The SS-26 completed testing in 2004, and
now Russia is trying to find export customers for it. Iran is interested.
China developed a similar
missile, the B611. The first version had a range of 150 kilometers and a .3 ton
warhead. The most recent version has a range of 250 kilometers, and a more
accurate guidance system (using GPS, and possibly terminal guidance.) The B611
and SS-26 both use large trucks to haul them around (some with two missiles per
truck), and to launch from. China wants to use the B611 as mobile heavy
artillery in any attack on Taiwan. The missiles would be aimed at air bases,
naval bases, and other high-value military targets.
