Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base

Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base
Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base
Coordinates 20°26′N 45°21′E / 20.43°N 45.35°E / 20.43; 45.35
Type Missile base
Site information
Owner Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force
Controlled by Saudi Arabia
Site history
Built 1987 (1987)

The Al Sulayyil ballistic missile base is the first Saudi ballistic missile facility built 1987-1988 near the town of Al-Sulayyil, 450 km southwest of the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh.[1] [2]

Location and layout

Al Sulayyil RSSMF base was built in low mountain terrain at coordinates: 20°43′07″N 45°35′01″E / 20.71861°N 45.58361°E / 20.71861; 45.58361. The base houses two missile garrisons (a north and a south), with a third area providing housing, maintenance, and administrative functions. The garrisons themselves are located a short distance apart within a secured complex. The administrative and support complexes are outside the security perimeter to the south.[3] The missile garrisons have parking slots for mobile launchers and two large launch pads that are identical to ones that can be seen at Chinese DF-3 (CSS-2) Dongfeng missile bases. The liquid-fueled DF-3A is an early Chinese nuclear intermediate-range ballistic missile bought by Saudi Arabia in 1987 and is believed to have a range of 2,500 - 2,800 km, with a 2,000 kg warhead.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Ronen Bergman - GlobalSecurity Org. "Al Sulayyil Missile Base" GlobalSecurity.org.
  2. ↑ Hasterya.com
  3. ↑ GlobalSecurity Org. photos "Imagery of Al Sulayyil Missile Base Launch Complex Area" GlobalSecurity.org
  4. ↑ SinoDefence "DongFeng 3 (CSS-2) Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile", sinodefence, 27 February 2009.
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