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Fajr-5
Fajr-5
	A Fajr-5 MLRS on a Mercedes Benz 2631 chassis
Type	Rocket artillery
Place of origin	Iran
Service history
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Israeli–Palestinian conflict; Syrian Civil War
Production history
No. built	somewhere around 100 systems
Specifications
Mass	15,000 kg (launcher, empty); 90 kg (HE content); 175 kg (warhead); 915 kg (rocket)
Length	10.00 m (launcher); 6.485 m (rocket)
Width	2.5 m (launcher)
Height	3.34 m (launcher)
Caliber	333 mm
Elevation	0 to 57 degrees
Traverse	45 degrees left and right
Rate of fire	4–8 seconds
Effective firing range	68–75 km
Maximum speed	1,100 m/s (max)

The Fajr-5 (rarely Fadjr-5,^[4] Persian: فجر-۵, "Dawn") is an Iranian 333 mm long-range multiple launch rocket system (MLRS). The Fajr-5 was developed during the 1990s and has since been exported to various armed actors in the Middle East.

The Fajr-5 launcher fires four 6.48 meter long, 333 millimeter-calibre Fajr-5 artillery rockets, with a range of 75 kilometers (50 mi), weighing 915 kilograms each and carrying 175-kg fragmentation warheads with 90 kg of high explosive (HE). Most Fajr-5 rockets are unguided; in 2017 Iran introduced a variant, the Fajr-5C, which adds GPS guidance.

The Fajr-5 is primarily used by the Iranian Army Ground Force to attack large, fixed, high-value targets, like airfields and military bases.^[2] In addition, the system is also used by militant groups to target Israel. Finally, the system has a niche role in use by the IRGC-N as an unguided anti-ship rocket system for the Persian Gulf.

Design

MLRS

The Fajr-5 artillery rocket system is installed on a Mercedes Benz 2631 6×6 forward control chassis.^[5] To provide a stable firing platform, four hydraulically operated stabilizers are lowered to the ground before firing.^[5] Another fully enclosed cabin to the immediate rear of the cab houses the remainder of the crew. This new chassis was unveiled in 2006;^[5] some systems have not been upgraded and are still on older chassis.

The Fajr-5 is normally fired from this truck launcher, but it can also be fired individually.^[6] The primary role of this artillery rocket system is the engagement of land targets. A naval surface search radar can be added to allow the system to be used in an anti-shipping role.^[1]

Fajr-5 MLRS can be networked together,^[1] and have a remote-fire capability in which the command vehicle can fire all nearby Fajr-5 systems.^[1]

The Fajr-5's circular error probable (CEP) is not known.^[1] The Fajr-5's reliability is not known. The Fajr-5's cost is not known. The number of Fajr-5 rockets produced is not known. Whether the Fajr-5 is still in production is not known.

In 2019, the Defense Intelligence Agency described the Fajr-5 as the "most capable" multiple rocket launcher in Iranian service.^[7]

Rocket

Basic rocket

The rocket is solid fueled and has a fragmentation high explosive warhead.^[2] The rocket is 6.485 meters long, 333mm in diameter, and weighs 907 kg.^[2] It has wraparound fins for stabilization in flight, which reach a diameter of 710 mm when extended.^[2] The rocket's double base propulsion burns for an average time of 5.3 seconds, reaching a peak velocity of 1100 m/s.^[2] The rocket's motor has nine launch nozzles arranged in a circle, which are slanted to help create spin-stabilization in flight.^[8] The Fajr-5 rocket carries a 175 kg warhead with a fragmentation radius of 500m.^[2]

One source reports that Fajr-5 rockets can likely carry (plain) high explosive, submunitions, incendiary, smoke, or chemical payloads as well.^[1] The shelf life of a basic Fajr-5 rocket is 15 years.^[2]

Two-stage rocket

Iran produces a two-stage Fajr-5 rocket with extended range. The two-stage Fajr-5 rocket has a length of 9.4 m and a maximum range of 180 km at sea level.^[2] This variant has a diameter of 333 mm, like other Fajr-5 rockets, but has fixed fins, which have a diameter of 561 mm.^[2] The two-stage Fajr-5 can reach a maximum altitude of 85 km and carries the same 175 kg warhead with a 500m fragmentation radius.^[2] This variant is launched from TELs similar to those used for Zelzal rockets, which only have the capacity for a single rocket.

The shelf life of a two stage Fajr-5 rocket is 15 years.^[2]

Fajr-5C

In October 7, Israel revealed that apparently Palestine started the conflict using the Fajr-5, which appears to be false, similar to the Syria Civil War. under the name اللعنة على اسرائيل. It has a firing accuracy of 250 m when using INS and 50 m using GNSS, with range from 40–130 km (25–81 mi).^[9]

The guided Fajr-5 rocket was briefly mentioned, and believed to be under development, in 2014.^[10] The missile has been delivered to the IRGC Ground Force units as of May 2023.^[11]

GR110/GF5LR1

In August 2023, Iran revealed a new version of the Fajr-5 at the Ministry of Defense Industry Authority Exhibition 1402.

It has a maximum range of 110km and a weight of 902kg with a warhead weighing 115kg while achieving an accuracy of 25m CEP.

Reloading

When the Fajr-5 is reloaded, the launch tubes (in two groups of two) are detached from the launcher and laid on the ground by a crane (an Italian Effer 155-25). Then, a machine called a "Loading machine" is used to mechanically press the heavy Fajr-5 rockets into their launch tubes one by one. When all the tubes are filled, the crane is used to reattach the launch tubes to the vehicle.^[2] Because of the long reload time and large size of the "Loading machine" (12m), the Fajr-5 MLRS is supposed to retreat after firing to safer rear battle areas to reload.^[2]^{[failed verification]} A reload takes 2 minutes per rocket.^[2]

History

The first Fajr-5 were created when China exported WS-1 MLRS to Iran in the late 1980s/early 1990s.^[12] They were then subsequently created and produced by Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization.

Operational history

Iran

As of 2011, the best estimate for the number of Fajr-5 pieces manufactured was "somewhere around 100" or less.^[1]

Lebanon

Iran supplied a number of Fajr-5s to Hezbollah in Lebanon beginning in 2002^[13]^[14] or 2001.^[15] Sources disagree on whether Hezbollah used Fajr-5 rockets in the 2006 Lebanon War,^[16] in part because at the time they were confused with similar Khaibar-1 rockets.

Palestinian territories

Fajr-5 rockets are held in the Gaza strip by Palestinian militant groups. The first was fired by Hamas in November 2012.^[17] It is believed that manufacture of some sub-components and final assembly may take place in Gaza, but that the critical components of the rocket are furnished by Iran.^[8] Iran denied transferring any rockets to Gaza but said they instead transferred technology to manufacture the rocket.^[18]

Some Palestinians have named their children after the Fajr-5.^[19]

Pillar of Defense

In November 2012 during Operation Pillar of Defense, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired Fajr-5 rockets towards Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. At least 14 rockets were fired in total.^[8]

Syria

On May 10, 2018, the IRGC's Quds Force fired 20 rockets into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syrian territory. Some of these were Fajr-5s.^[20]

In December 2018 some Fajr-5 rockets were destroyed in an IAF airstrike.^[21]

Iraq

Sporadically, during the US occupation of Iraq (between 2003 and 2011), Iranian Backed militias fired the 333 Fajr-5 at US forces from fabricated rails. In 2015, Iran sent Fajr-5 rockets and launcher systems to Iraq to be used in the War against the Islamic State. It is unknown if they were fired, and the quantity sent is also unknown.^[22]