CENTAF-REAR DISUM 184

File: 110196_aacbh_02.txt
Page: 02
Total Pages: 3

   IMMEDIATE                                                                  PAGE 2

 MLN 861


 RUFLFXA/808AREFS (P) DEPLOYED//IN//
 RULYVTA/COMCARGRU FOUR
 RUVHBJA/111ASOCS CAMP MURRAY WA//IN//
 RHIPAAA/USCINCCENT//CC//J-2//
 RUCLERA/403TAW KEESLER AFB MS//DOI//
 BT
 PERISHABLE, DELIVER WITHOUT SVC
 QQQQ

 MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
 PERISHABLE, DELIVER WITHOUT SERVICE


          .                                                         ,
 SUBJ: CENTAF-REAR DISUM 184 (U)
 PORTIONS FROM PAGE 2-3WITHHELD.  NOT HEALTH RELATED.

    (U) MISSILE/ELECTRONIC ACTIVITY:

 (U) IRAQ'S CHEMICAL SCUD THAT NEVER WAS: THOUGH THERE ARE RELIABLE
 REPORTS THAT THE IRAQ'S HAVE TESTED SCUD CHEMICAL WARHEADS,
 TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN THE DESIGN OF SUCH WARHEADS ARE MORE
 FORMIDABLE THAN MOST REPORTS HAVE SUGGESTED. THE SOVIETS DO HAVE A
 CHEMICAL WARHEAD FOR THE SCUD THAT DISPERSES VX (NERVE AGENT),  BUT -
 THEY HAVE ADAMANTLY DENIED EXPORTING THIS WARHEAD TO IRAQ.   THE MAIN
 HURDLE IN CHEMICAL WARHEAD DESIGN IS THE MISSILE'S HIGH TERMINAL
 SPEED, NEARLY ONE MILE PER SECOND FOR A CHEMICAL WARHEAD TO
 FUNCTION PROPERLY, IT MUST DISPERSE THE LIQUID AGENT INTO AN AEROSOL


CLOUD A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE IMPACT. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED
USING A PROXIMITY FUZE IN THE NOSE OF THE WARHEAD, DETONATING A
BURSTER CHARGE IN ITS BASE. THE FUZE MUST WITHSTAND THE SUBSTANTIAL
HEAT BUILDUP, SHOCK, AND VIBRATION OF DESCENT THE BURSTER CHARGE
MUST BE SUFFICIENT TO BREACH THE WARHEAD CASING WITHOUT
DESTROYING THE SMALL LOAD OF TOXIC LIQUID. IF EITHER DEVICE FAILS,
THE WARHEAD PLUNGES INTO THE GROUND AND THE CHEMICAL AGENT IS LARGELY
DESTROYED OR ABSORBED. THE IRAQIS HAVE LIKELY HAD DIFFICULTY
DEVELOPING THE PROXIMITY FUZE AND BURSTER CHARGE NEEDED FOR AN
EFFECTIVE SCUD CHEMICAL WARHEAD. ALTHOUGH IRAQ HAS THE CAPABILITY TO
LAUNCH CHEMICAL ARTILLERY, PROXIMITY FUZES FROM ARTILLERY SHELLS
CANNOT SIMPLY BE ADAPTED: THEIR TERMINAL VELOCITY IS HALF THAT OF
THE SCUD.