Al-Watah ballistic missile base
Al-Watah ballistic missile base is located in Saudi Arabia
Al-Watah ballistic missile base
Al-Watah ballistic missile base
Coordinates24°12′49″N 44°42′07″E / 24.213691°N 44.701952°E / 24.213691; 44.701952
TypeMissile base
Site information
OwnerRoyal Saudi Strategic Missile Force
Controlled bySaudi Arabia
Site history
Built2007 (2007)

Al-Watah ballistic missile base is a ballistic missile facility in the low but quite rocky mountains near the town of Al-Watah, Saudi Arabia, 200 km west-southwest of Riyadh.[1]

Overview

The analysts think that the base was built no earlier than 2008. The communication tower of the base is situated at coordinates: 24°12′49″N 44°42′07″E / 24.213691°N 44.701952°E / 24.213691; 44.701952. The base has several underground entry gates, parking slots for mobile launchers and two large launch pads that are identical to ones that can be seen at Chinese DF-3 (CSS-2) Dongfeng missile bases. The liquid-fueled DF-3A is an early Chinese nuclear weapon Intermediate-range ballistic missile and is believed to have a range of 4,000 – 5,000 km with a 2,000 kg warhead.[2] Michael Elleman and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. stated that the site appears to have a rocket-engine production and test facility.[3]

The launch pads' marks and configuration from satellite images[4] show that the base is 'targeting Iran and Israel with ballistic missiles'.[5] As a Response Israel Target Saudi Arabia With Jericho Missiles

Construction of the base likely began in 2013.[3]

See also

References

  1. Sean O'Connor – IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. "Saudi ballistic missile site revealed", IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, 10 July 2013.
  2. SinoDefence "DongFeng 3 (CSS-2) Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile" Archived 2013-08-14 at the Wayback Machine, sinodefence, 27 February 2009.
  3. 1 2 Sonne, Paul; Harris, Shane (January 23, 2019). "Can Saudi Arabia produce ballistic missiles? Satellite imagery raises suspicions". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019.
  4. Colin Freeman – The Telegraph "Saudi Arabia 'targeting Iran and Israel with ballistic missiles", The Telegraph, 10 July 2013.
  5. Cheryl K. Chumley – The Washington Times "Saudi Arabia targeting Israel, Iran with ballistic missiles, satellite images show", The Washington Times, 12 July 2013.
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