Description:
Nida comprises some 20 plus buildings, including machine workshops, as well as welding, molding, and heat treatment facilities. The factory was commissioned in 1989; following expansion at the site, the entire facility was re-named the Nida State Establishment for Dies and Moulds, which included three factories: Rabiyah, Faruk, and Noman. After some additional reorganization, the establishment re-named the factories as Al-Shumouk, Al-Firas, and General Production. It is sometimes referred to by the US military as the Za'afraniyah Fabrication Facility

The Iraqis declared that Nida had not been substantially involved in the missile program prior to the war. However, Nida did participate in mechanical production for the calutron/EMIS project. As such, it contained a wealth of high-precision machine tools, plasma spraying machines, vacuum furnace, and other capable equipment, though much of this equipment was often out of operation, due to technical, spare parts or materials shortages. The Rabiyah Factory did plasma coat Al-Hussein jet vanes on behalf of Project 144. Some of the equipment on site had been transferred from Project 1728 after Desert Storm.

The site was attacked in January 1993 by US cruise missiles in response to an inspection crisis; inspectors reported that the facility was completely destroyed, although equipment had been removed to escape damage (thereafter, workers constructed a statue at the site "commemorating" the attack). The site was struck once again during the four-day Desert Fox campaign in December 1998.

The factory produced dies and parts for many customers, both civilian and military. As for the latter, production was directed towards conventional military projects (such as T-72 tanks) as well as missile-related items.

With specific reference to missile production, Al-Nida made graphite jet vanes and a base for the Ababil-100 (Fateh); moulds for the Ababil-100 warhead; dies, moulds, and parts for the Ababil-50; dies and moulds for the Al-Samoud; engine piece parts for the Al-Samoud; graphite vanes for the Al-Samoud; equipment for the planned indigenous AP plant (to be located at Ma'moun); production of composite propellant mixing bowls; and attempts to produce the gimbal, housing, cover and rotor for the Samoud gyro. UNMOVIC inspections confirmed that Nida was successful in mixing bowl production.

Nida employed some 1,500 workers, including approximately 100 engineers. Overall, UN teams found the site to be exceptionally (perhaps uniquely) well run, busy, and efficient, owing in part to the clear professionalism of the Director General.

Key Sources: UN Inspection data; US Department of Defense, Defense Link, <http://www.defenselink.mil/photos/Dec1998/981220-O-0000M-003.jpg>.

	Updated October 2003