Saudi Arabia Missile Overview

This page is part of the Saudi Arabia Country Profile.

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Saudi Arabia has a limited ballistic missile arsenal consisting of the Chinese Dongfeng-3 (DF-3; NATO: CSS-2), and reportedly the Dongfeng-21 (DF-21; NATO: CSS-5). ¹ Riyadh has not demonstrated an interest in developing an indigenous missile program.

Although China originally designed both the DF-3 and DF-21 to carry nuclear payloads, the DF-3s were modified to deliver conventional warheads before being transferred to Saudi Arabia. ² Similarly, Saudi Arabia’s DF-21s have reportedly been modified to carry only conventional warheads. ³ Riyadh does not possess WMD, and has pledged that it will not arm the missiles with unconventional payloads. ⁴

Ballistic Missiles

Until recently, Saudi Arabia’s ballistic missile arsenal was believed to be limited to the Chinese Dongfeng-3 (DF-3; NATO: CSS-2), purchased from China in 1987. The DF-3 is a road mobile, liquid fuelled, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). With a range of 2500km, the DF-3 has extensive regional reach. Saudi Arabia deploys the DF-3 at two confirmed sites: Al-Joffer, northwest of Riyadh, and As-Sulayyil, southwest of Riyadh. ⁵ Although not independently confirmed, analyst Sean O’Connor identified two additional DF-3 launch sites in 2009 at Rawdah, 280 km west of As-Sulayyil, in the far northwestern desert region. ⁶ In July 2013, O’Connor released a new report identifying a potential missile base at al-Watah. ⁷ O’Connor’s analysis noted two launch pads with orientation lines aimed at Israel and Iran, serving to expedite the launch process by providing parking-lines, or guidelines, for the placement of the mobile launch vehicle to target a given area. ⁸

Even so, the DF-3 is a highly inaccurate missile, and would therefore be ineffective against discrete military or tactical targets when equipped with a conventional warhead. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has never tested the DF-3, which would be critical for ensuring its reliability and training missile forces. ⁹ Riyadh is dependent upon China to maintain and operate the DF-3, which further limits the missile’s military utility. ¹⁰ In a step that could improve Saudi Arabia’s ability to hit regional targets with improved accuracy, recent reports suggest Riyadh purchased the Dongfeng-21 (DF-21; NATO: CSS-5) ballistic missile from China in 2007. ¹¹

Missile Defense

Saudi Arabia began pursuing a ballistic missile defense capability (BMD) following the Gulf War in 1990, during which Iraq used short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) and cruise missiles against the Kingdom. Currently, Riyadh fields two variations of the Hawk surface-to-air missile system (SAM) (MIM 23B I-Hawk and MIM J/K Hawk), which have limited anti-ballistic missile capabilities. Saudi Arabia also fields two variations of the more advanced and longer range Patriot SAM system, the Pac-2 (MIM 104C) and the Pac-3 (MIM 104F). The U.S. State Department approved a sale of PAC-3 associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support worth $1.75 billion. The deal will replenish Saudi Arabia’s existing PAC-3’s, which are older and have limited parts available for maintenance. ¹² Riyadh’s missile defense system is designed to defend the Kingdom against its primary adversary, Iran. Given Iran’s continued push to develop more sophisticated missile systems, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and the U.S. are seeking to integrate radar, early warning, and SAM sites into a regional missile defense system. ¹³ Media reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia is considering bolstering its missile defense capabilities with BMD-capable Aegis destroyers and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. ¹⁴ In February 2015 Mike Trotsky, the Vice President of Air and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin, announced that Saudi Arabia will order a THAAD ballistic missile defense system; however, it could take up to three years for the deal to be finalized. ¹⁵

Cruise Missiles

Saudi Arabia possesses two air-launched cruise missiles, the anti-ship (ASCM) AGM-84L Harpoon and the land attack (LACM) Storm Shadow (the United Kingdom; France: Scalp EG). The Storm Shadow is an advanced conventionally armed cruise missile that gives Riyadh precision strike capabilities in excess of 250km. While the Storm Shadow manufacturer, MBDA, lists the range as “exceeds 250 km,” many experts and organizations, including the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, list the range as being greater than 300 km. ¹⁶ While Saudi Arabia is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the United Kingdom is, and the sale of a 300 km range cruise missile is prohibited as a Category I system. ¹⁷ The sale of the missile, confirmed in April 2012, has therefore renewed debate over the capacity and utility of the MTCR to prevent the proliferation of sensitive missile technologies. ¹⁸

Saudi Arabia does not currently have the domestic capacity to develop ballistic missiles, lacking both the infrastructure and the scientific and technological capability. In January 2014, it was reported that Saudi Arabia had purchased Dongfeng-21 (DF-21; NATO: CSS-5) ballistic missiles from China in 2007. ¹⁹ Although the DF-21 has a shorter range, it is more accurate than the DF-3, leading some observers to regard the purchase as a replacement or update of the DF-3 missile purchased in 1987. ²⁰ Neither Saudi Arabia nor China is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime, so such an exchange would not violate any of their international commitments. Even so, Saudi Arabia allegedly sought and received U.S. approval of the deal, after the CIA verified the DF-21 design would be incompatible for nuclear warheads. ²¹ Jeffrey Lewis of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies predicts the missile buy will have no major strategic impact on the region, but “assesses that Saudi Arabia could modify the ballistic missile frame to carry a nuclear warhead.” ²²

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has sought to draw attention to its ballistic missile program. In July 2013, Saudi Arabia released a photo of high-ranking officials holding scale models of three different missiles, including the DF-3 and two unknown missiles. ²³ Almost a year later in April 2014, Saudi Arabia displayed its DF-3 missiles in public for the first time during a major military parade, a move which some experts viewed as an effort to signal its military strength vis-à-vis Iran and its autonomy from the United States. ²⁴