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Updated October 2003
Missile Chronology
1975-1979
This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here.
Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation.
1975-1976
North Korea acquires "approximately 24 to 56" FROG-7B (9M21E Luna-M) artillery rockets from Egypt. Syria may have been involved in this transfer or may have separately transferred a small number of FROG-7Bs.
— Joseph S. Bermudez, Jr., "A History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK," Occasional Paper No. 2, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, November 1999, p. 6.
1975
The Arab Military Industrialization Authority is formed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.
— Associated Press, 18 May 1997; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
20 February 1975
The New York Times reports that, according to Eastern European and Lebanese sources, the Soviet Union will replace most of the weapons Egypt lost during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, including surface-to-surface missiles.
— "Information Bank Abstracts," New York Times, 20 February 1975; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
5 April 1975
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat says Egypt would fire missiles at Israel's cities only if Israel attacked Egyptian cities.
— "Information Bank Abstracts," New York Times, 5 April 1975; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
June 1975
Egyptian Vice President Hosni Mubarak meets with French officials in Paris regarding development of an aircraft and missile industry in Egypt.
— "Egyptian Arms Complex," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 16 June 1975; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
14 July 1975
Aviation Week & Space Technology publishes an interview with Egyptian General Mohamed Ali Fahmy, chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces. He says that surface-to-surface missiles are becoming more important for both tactical and strategic roles. He says both Egypt and Syria used FROG missiles during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but these were inaccurate even against such large targets as bridges and airfields. He says that when Syria and Egypt get Soviet Scud missiles in response to Israel's acquisition of Lance missiles, the region's missile capability will improve greatly.
— "Battlefield Equation Changes Seen," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 14 July 1975; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
1976
North Korea purchases two Scud-B missiles from Egypt. [Note: There is conflicting information as to whether North Korea received its first Scud-Bs from Egypt in 1976 or later, possibly in 1979, 1980 or 1981. One North Korean defector claims that North Korea received its first Scud missiles from the USSR in 1972.]
— Yonhap News Agency (Seoul), 24 June 1993, in "Defense Ministry Says Nodong-1 Test in May Successful," JPRS-TND-93-020, 28 June 1993, p. 1; ROK Ministry of Unification, Information Analysis Bureau, "Pukhan Missile Munjae Kwallyŏn Ch'amgojaryo," press release, 3 November 2000, p. 1; "Pukhan, Sajong 1 Ch'ŏn Kilometer Isang Missile Kaebalchung," Joongang Ilbo, 8 November 1991, <http://www.joins.com>.
1976
Egypt gives North Korea several Scud-B missiles as a "gesture of appreciation" for supplying arms prior to the 1973 war, thus beginning North Korea's Scud-B program.
— "North Korean corners ME missile market," Middle East Defense News, 18 May 1992; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
1976
One of Egypt's nine key military facilities in Egypt is the Sakr factory, which produces rockets and missiles. The facilities are run by the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI), established by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in 1976. The Sakr factory produces multiple-rocket launchers and the 325mm Sakr-80 artillery rocket, which replaces the FROG-7 and has a range of 80km.
— "Egypt's Winning Formula," Jane's Defense Weekly, 14 December 1991, pp. 1181-1182.
17 April 1976
The Economist reports that Egypt wants to create a domestic arms industry that includes missiles. France is willing to help, but Egypt lacks the necessary financial resources.
— "Sadat Shops," The Economist, 17 April 1976; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
7 October 1976
Egypt displays four Soviet-made Scud missiles for the first time during a military parade commemorating the third anniversary of the 1973 war with Israel.
— "Information Bank Abstracts," New York Times, 7 October 1976; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
1977-1978
As military attaché in the Argentine embassy in Spain, Argentine Air Force officer Ernesto Crespo makes eight visits to Egypt, Lebanon and Libya as part of the ambassadorial entourage. Crespo maintains that he does so solely on behalf of the ambassador and that he makes no contacts regarding the Condor program being launched at this time. [Note: Crespo becomes one of the most important officials in the Condor program, especially as chief of the Argentine Air Force in the mid-1980s.]
— "El brigadier Crespo admitió que hizo ocho viajes al Líbano," Clarín, 6 June 1998, <http://www.clarin.com.ar>, 23 August 2002.
10 January 1977
French Defense Minister Yvon Bourges ends a visit to Egypt, during which he participated in discussions with representatives of the Arab Military Industrialization Authority — a partnership that includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates— regarding the possibility of gaining French technical assistance for the creation of an Arab arms industry. Bourges discussed establishing an industry that could produce Crotale surface-to-air missiles, as well as other weapons, such as Mirage jet fighters.
— "Information Bank Abstracts," New York Times, 10 January 1977; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
14 March 1977
Columnists Jack Cloherty and Bob Owens, quoting unnamed sources, write that the Soviet Union sent nuclear weapons to the Egyptian port of Alexandria on 24 October 1973, during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The columnists report that US and Israeli intelligence believed the weapons were nuclear warheads for Scud missiles. Reports of the arrival of these weapons in October 1973 led the United States to trigger a worldwide alert, but the weapons were never unloaded after discussions between Soviet and US officials.
— Associated Press, 14 March 1977; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
18 May 1977
The Arab Military Industrialization Authority announces that it will manufacture anti-tank missiles, helicopters, and jeeps. The authority was formed in 1975 by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The arms production plants are expected to be built in Egypt.
— Associated Press, 18 May 1977; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
6 October 1977
Egypt displays the SS-1C Scud-B missile during a parade commemorating the fourth anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
— "Soviet Missiles Paraded Outside USSR," 17 October 1977; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
31 October 1977
Ashraf Marwan, chairman of the Cairo-based Arab Industrialization Organization (AMIO), says a contract will be signed within the next six months to build Swingfire anti-tank missiles for British Aircraft Corporation.
— "The Arabs diversify into the arms business," Business Week, 31 October 1977; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
12 December 1977
British Aerospace signs a deal with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (the members of the AMIO) to produce Swingfire anti-tank missiles. The missiles will be first made in Britain, but will later be built in factories outside of Cairo. Seventy percent of the project will be funded by the Arab countries.
— "British-Arab Project for manufacturing anti-tank missiles," Xinhua News Agency, 12 December 1977; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
Late-1970s
The German firm Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) designs the "Techniks" missile based on the design of the US-built Pershing 1. The Condor II design bears a striking resemblance to the German missile. According to former US Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Dr. Stephen Bryen, the Techniks is designed by MBB purely for export. [Note: A knowledgeable source contacted by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) refutes this claim and states that Techniks was a "forerunner" and a modification of the Pershing 2 first stage with terminal guidance.] The principal markets for the missile are believed to be Argentina and Egypt.
— "UN Inspectors Destroy Condor II Equipment," Middle East Defense News, 30 March 1992, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/universe>; CNS interview with missile engineer familiar with technical dimensions of Argentine missile program. Source wishes to remain anonymous.
Late 1970s
North Korea deploys indigenously produced AT-3 Sagger ATGMs and SA-7 Grail SAMs. These weapons systems were reverse-engineered after having been acquired from Egypt in 1974.
— Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., "A History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK," Occasional Paper No. 2, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, November 1999, p. 8.
13 February 1978
US News and World Report reports that Egypt's tanks, missiles, and airplanes have become either obsolete or in a state of disrepair as a result of the Soviet Union's termination of weapons deliveries to Egypt.
— "Sadat brings Mideast impasse back to Carter," US News & World Report, 13 February 1978; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
15 May 1978
Aviation Week & Space Technology reports that the first British Aerospace Swingfire anti-tank missiles will be completed at the Egyptian factories of the Arab Organization for Industrialization in September 1979.
— "Arabs seek arms sufficiency," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 15 May 1978; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
9 September 1978
The Washington Post reports that under contracts with the French firms Thmson-CcSsFf and Matra, the Arab Industrialization Organization (AMIO) will make surface-to-surface missiles at a military complex being built near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
— Thomas W. Lippman, "Arab Weapons Consortium Believed Nearing Production," The Washington Post, 9 September 1978; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
13 November 1978
Aviation Week & Space Technology reports that of the four Egyptian factories currently under the control of the AMIO, the Sakr factory is the most active. Founded in 1953, the Sakr factory has produced various unguided rockets and attempted to develop guided surface-to-surface missiles. The factory, with its 5,000 employees, makes Soviet-designed artillery rockets with ranges of 8 to 20km, including 122mm and 132mm rockets. Efforts are underway at the factory to extend the range on both of these rockets.
— Robert R. Ropelewski, "Improvisation Key to Egyptian Growth," Aviation Week & Space Technology, 13 November 1978; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
1979-80
North Korea receives a small number of Soviet-made R-17E (Scud-B) missiles, MAZ-543 transporter-erector launchers (TELs) and other equipment from Egypt. [Note: There is still a debate over the exact delivery date of the equipment.]
— Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., "A History of Ballistic Missile Development in the DPRK," Occasional Paper No. 2, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, November 1999, p. 10.
1979-1985
The German company Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) is part of the Condor missile project and assists Iraq, Egypt, Argentina and Romania in developing the missile with a 600-mile (approximately 965km) range. After 1985, MBB technicians establish a firm named the Consen Group to carry on the work in Switzerland.
— John Eisenhammer, "Crisis in the Gulf War: The merchants of death 'will be brought to book'; Reports of Germany's prominent role in building Iraq's chemical arsenal have prompted Bonn to pass tougher laws," The Independent, 31 January 1991; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
16 May 1979
It is announced that the Arab Industrialization Organization (AMIO) will be dissolved. Its factories produced a variety of weapons, including surface-to-surface missiles. [Note: See the 22 June 1979 entry.]
— "Qasimi's call for an alternative to the AMIO," BBC Summary of World Broadcasts; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
22 June 1979
General Kamal Hasan Ali, the Egyptian minister of defense and war production, says the Egyptian factories that had participated in the now-defunct AMIO will continue operations. [Note: See the 16 May 1979 entry.]
— "Egypt's Military Industries: Defense Minister's News Conference," BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 22 June 1979; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com>.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for
Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and
does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently
verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2008
by MIIS.
