Jericho (rocket)

Shavit (civil Jericho 2) at takeoff

The Jericho missiles are ballistic surface-to-surface missiles made by Israel and part of the Israeli nuclear weapons program . Israel does not admit their existence.

development

The short-range missile Jericho 1 was created in 1963 with the support of the French company Dassault Aviation in Israel . The first missiles were handed over to the Israeli forces in 1973 . A total of around 100 Jericho-1 missiles were produced. The Jericho 2 medium-range missile was introduced in the early 1990s . The execution of the intercontinental ballistic missile Jericho 3 was introduced in the early 2000s. The Jericho 1 has since been decommissioned.

technology

All three versions are stationed on mobile launch ramps and can be laid quickly. The launch vehicles are parked in bomb-proof underground shelters. So far, the following missile base exists, but Israel denies its existence just as much as that of the missiles:

Sdot Micha Air Force Base

variants

Surname	Jericho 1 (Luz YA-1)	Jericho 2 (Luz YA-3)	Jericho 3 (Luz YA-4)
length	13.40 m	14.00 m	15.50 m
Hull diameter	792 mm	1554 mm	1560 mm
Weight	6350 kg	16,000 kg	29,000 kg
payload	500 kg	1000 kg	750-1300 kg
Warhead	Nuclear 20 kT	Nuclear 1000 kT	potentially nuclear
Operational range	500 km	1500 km	3500-11,500 km
control	Inertial navigation platform	Inertial navigation platform	Inertial navigation platform
Hit Accuracy ( CEP )	1000 m	unknown	unknown
Drive type	Solid propulsion	Solid propulsion	Solid propulsion