Iskander-M (9K720)
Type: Short-Range Ballistic Missile
Domain: land
Country of Origin: Russia
Manufacturer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau
First Deployed: 2006
Overview
The Iskander-M (9K720) is Russia's primary theatre-level precision strike system. Each brigade battery consists of 12 TELs (Transporter-Erector-Launchers) each carrying 2 missiles. The 9M723 ballistic missile achieves 500 km range with 5-7m CEP, performing post-boost evasion manoeuvres to defeat BMD intercept. The 9M728/9M729 cruise missile variant (Iskander-K) extends range to 500+ km with terrain-following flight. Warhead options include conventional, submunition, penetrator, thermobaric, and nuclear. Russia has fired hundreds of Iskander missiles in Ukraine, targeting C2, airfields, and infrastructure. Ukrainian Patriot has achieved some intercepts.
Technical Specifications
| guidance | INS + GLONASS + optical scene matching + radar homing |
|---|---|
| launcher | TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) with 2 missiles |
| range_km | 500 |
| accuracy_m | 5 |
| warhead_kg | 480 |
| warhead_types | HE-frag, cluster, thermobaric, EMP, penetrating, nuclear-capable |
| max_speed_mach | 6 |
| maneuverability | High-G evasive maneuvers in terminal phase |
Operators
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Russia
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