ROCKETS WITH POSSIBLE CHEMICAL WEAPONS APPLICATIONS

File: cia_64912_64911_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: ROCKETS WITH POSSIBLE CHEMICAL WEAPONS APPLICATIONS  
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 
 
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 
REQUEST. 
 
 
                       CIA 280625 
 
DIST:              1990 
 
COUNTRY: IRAQ 
 
SUBJ: MANUFACTURED ROCKETS WITH POSSIBLE CHEMICAL WEAPONS 
APPLICATIONS IN THE IRAQI INVENTORY 
 
DOI:  JANUARY 1985 - SEPTEMBER 1990 
TEXT: 1.  
                        CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE IRAQI WEAPONS 
INVENTORY, IRAQ HAS SEVERAL THOUSAND           MANUFACTURED 
SAKR 20 AND SAKR 30 SURFACE-TO-SURFACE ROCKETS IN ITS 
INVENTORY THAT CAN BE FILLED WITH AND USED TO DELIVER 
CHEMICAL WARFARE (CW) AGENTS. 
                HOWEVER, THE IRAQI TROOPS DO NOT HAVE THE 
TECHNOLOGY OR TRAINING TO SEAL THE SAKR 20 AND SAKR 30 
MISSILE TUBES SECURELY AFTER FILLING THEM WITH A CHEMICAL 
AGENT.  SHOULD IRAQI TROOPS IN THE FIELD ATTEMPT SUCH A 
PROCEDURE, THE CHEMICAL AGENT WOULD BE UNSTABLE AND 
HAZARDOUS TO THESE TROOPS.  FOR EITHER ROCKET TO BE 
EFFECTIVE WITH A CHEMICAL WARHEAD, THE IRAQI FACTORY 
TECHNICIANS WHO PERFORM THE SENSITIVE FILLING PROCEDURES 
WOULD           HAVE TO        ACCOMPANY THE TROOPS THE 
FORWARD AREA. 
 
           2. SINCE 1984, THE IRAQIS HAVE PURCHASED 
APPROXIMATELY 100,000 SAKR 20 AND SAKR 30 ROCKETS AND 
SEVERAL HUNDRED SAKR 20 AND SAKR 30 ROCKET LAUNCHERS                   
A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THESE ROCKETS WERE PURCHASED WITH EMPTY 
WARHEADS WHICH COULD LATER BE FILLED WITH A CHEMICAL AGENT. 
ABOUT 1987,          OFFERED 
        TO FILL THESE WARHEADS WITH BOMBLETS BUT THE IRAQIS 
TURNED  DOWN THE OFFER. 
 
        ACQ:                1990). 
 
 
        END OF MESSAGE 
 
 
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