Silkworm missile

Specifications

It is based on the Russian SS-N-2 Styx missile, and has a maximum range of 95 km, with a 513 kilogram payload. Silkworm missiles are 7.36 metres long, and weigh 2988 kg. They can be launched from semi-mobile (towed) launchers or from ships.

History Silkworms gained fame from the Iran-Iraq War, and have been used by Iraq in the Iraq War of 2003. Iraq also used Scud missiles during conflicts. China has supplied both Iran and Iraq with missiles.

In March 1988, China agreed to stop supplying Iran with HY-2 missiles, though it is reported that supply continued into 1989. Iran has since developed the capability to manufacture these missiles itself.

Naming confusion The name Silkworm may be slightly inaccurate. Coined by Western analysts, this term has been apparently used to refer to both HY-1 and HY-2 missiles.

The HY-1 missile, NATO codename CSS-C-2 has been nicknamed both Silkworm, and Sea Eagle (from the Chinese Haiying).

The HY-2 missile, NATO codename CSS-C-3 has been nicknamed Seersucker and Silkworm. This is the missile China has exported to many Middle Eastern countries, and is the missile referred to in this article, and in the mainstream media.

These weapons are, however, very similar to each other.

External links

• Federation of American Scientists page on HY-1 (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/hy-1.htm) and HY-2 (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/c-201.htm)