Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base
Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base | |
---|---|
Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base | |
Coordinates | 20°26′N 45°21′E / 20.43°N 45.35°E |
Type | Missile base |
Site information | |
Owner | Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force |
Controlled by | Saudi Arabia |
Site history | |
Built | 1987 |
The Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base is the first Saudi ballistic missile facility built 1987-1988 near the town of Al-Sulayyil, 450 km southwest of the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh.[1] [2]
Location and layout
Al Sulayyil RSSMF base was built in low mountain terrain at coordinates: 20°43′07″N 45°35′01″E / 20.71861°N 45.58361°E. The base houses two missile garrisons (a north and a south), with a third area providing housing, maintenance, and administrative functions. The garrisons themselves are located a short distance apart within a secured complex. The administrative and support complexes are outside the security perimeter to the south.[3] The missile garrisons have 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 intermediate-range ballistic missile bought by Saudi Arabia in 1987 and is believed to have a range of 2,500 - 2,800 km, with a 2,000 kg warhead.[4]
References
- ↑ Ronen Bergman - GlobalSecurity Org. "Al Sulayyil Missile Base" GlobalSecurity.org.
- ↑ Hasterya.com
- ↑ GlobalSecurity Org. photos "Imagery of Al Sulayyil Missile Base Launch Complex Area" GlobalSecurity.org
- ↑ SinoDefence "DongFeng 3 (CSS-2) Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile", sinodefence, 27 February 2009.