
File: 971030_2660z137_ast_001.txt
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2660z136.ast
16 November 1990
SUBJECT: WEAPONIZATION
A. The Iraqis have successfully produced and weaponized large
quantities of the blister agent sulfur mustard and the nerve
agents tabun, sarin, and GF.
B. The Iraqis have adapted a number of conventional munitions
for the delivery of chemical agents. An example is the Spanish-made
250-kg white phosporous bomb used to deliver mustard and nerve agents.
The bombs were purchased without the fill and were subsequently filled
with the CW agents. The same holds true for other munitions; none
of those purchased was orignally designed for CW agents. In addition
to 250- and 500-kg aerial bombs, the Iraqis have filled and used
90-mm air-to-ground rockets; 82- and 120-mm mortar rounds; various
artillery projectiles; and 122-mm artillery rockets, which had
agent-filled plastic containers in the warheads. * * * T
he potential also exists for the filling of submunition-type warheads
and bombs.
Table 5: CHEMICAL MUNITIONS USED BY IRAQ
AERIAL BOMBS (250, 500-KG)
ARTILLERY (130, 152, 155-MM)
ROCKETS (122-MM)
AERIAL ROCKETS (90-MM)
MORTARS (82, 120-MM)
NOTE: - NONE KNOWN FOR FROGS
- NOT USED BUT NOW PROBABLE FOR SCUD-B/IMPROVED SSMs;
NUMBER UNKNOWN BUT BELIEVED LIMITED.
C. No information is available concerning markings used by Iraq
to identify chemical munitions. Chemical ammunition captured
during the Iran/Iraq war, do not have markings that can be identified
as referring to the chemical fill. One example of this is the
Spanish-made 250-kg white phosporus bomb used during the war to
deliver mustard or nerve agents. A number of such bombs, filled
with mustard agent, were reportedly found damaged but unexploded in
march 1984. They were painted light-green with a yellow band near the
nose. The band is estimated to be 2.5 inches wide. Each bomb had
two suspension lugs and bore the letters "BR-250-WP" (Bomb,
retarded, 250-kg, white phosporus). One of the bomb fuses had the
following inscription in Spanish: "For arming time less than
6 seconds, remove screw. Red dial reading means danger type
munitons Lot 83.1." The bombs were purchased from Spain without
the white phosporus filling and were subsequently filled with the
chemical agents. However, it is not known if the Iraqis altered
in any way the appearance of these bombs. The same holds true
for other types of munitions as well such as air-to-ground rockets;
mortar rounds, artillery projectiles, and artillery rockets; none
of these purchased were originally designed for chemical agents.
Table 6: IRAQI DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR
POTENTIAL CHEMICAL AGENT DELIVERY
TYPE CALIBER WEAPON MAX. RANGE (KM)
Mortar 82-mm -- 3.1
120-mm -- 5.6
Artillery 122-mm M-30 11.8
D-30 15.3
2S1 15.3
D-74 24.0
130-mm M-46 27.5
152-mm D-1 12.4
ML-20 17.2
D-20 17.4
Type 66 17.4
2A36 28.0
155-mm G-5 30.0
GHN-45 30.3
MRL 122-mm BM-21 20.5
FIROS-25 25.0
SAKR-30 28.0
Rocket 540-mm FROG-7 73.0
LAYTH 90.0
Missile 884-mm SCUD-B 300.0
? HUSAYN 600.0?
? ABBAS 735.0?
Note: base-bleed artillery projectiles would have greater ranges
with the same payload. Rocket-assisted projectiles (RAP) would
have greater ranges but with reduced payloads. Chemical munitions
of this type have not been reported in Iraq.