"Guy Alcala" wrote in message
. ..
miso wrote:

Do you think Iraq could substitute a missile of their own?

I doubt it, but I'm open to persuasion. Can anyone comment on the
relative difficulty of solid versus liquid-fuel
production, and on whether the old missiles can be re-grained safely (safe
by Iraq under Saddam standards, that is)?

Guy

Although I lack the full details, and the people in question do not want to
talk at all, I'm meanwhile sure that the French delivered all sorts of
support equipment and technical documentation for Rolands to Iraq and then
some. At the time of the system's introduction in Iraq (late 1980, early
1981), they were doing everything possible to support the deployment of the
system and also use every little success in combat (at some point
Aerospatiale even started publishing cards depicting all the possible
engagements and the ways Rolands scored): I mean, they were really hot about
making Roland in Iraq a success and gaining as much profit from this fact as
possible. So hot that initially even missiles and equipment directly from
NATO stocks were delivered.

Together with other of their suppliers (East Germans, Brazilians etc.) the
Iraqis became pretty proficient on the field of rocket motors and
propellants too, while purchasing also the licence for prouction of several
different - mainly French - radars. By 1990 they were really able of doing
things all by themselves.

Now, the shots of the Rolands captured by the US and British troops earlier
this year in Iraq do not show them in really a "top" condition (which is
interesting and contradictive, given that the ADC was getting far more
attention by the regime than the IrAF already since years, and most of the
IrAF figthers captured were actually in excellent condition), but they were
functional.

So, I'd say it's 2+2=4 here.

Tom Cooper
Co-Author:
Iran-Iraq War in the Air, 1980-1988:
http://www.acig.org/pg1/content.php
and,
Iranian F-4 Phantom II Units in Combat:
http://www.osprey-publishing.co.uk/t...hp/title=S6585