Tel Aviv: Another result of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia has introduced modernised variants of the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile system, with recent reports highlighting an extended-range version dubbed Iskander-1000 or 9M723-2. These upgrades address range limitations from past treaties and enhance combat effectiveness in ongoing conflicts.
The upgraded Iskander-1000 increases the conventional 500 km range to 900–1,000 km thanks to a more efficient engine, a 15% increase in fuel capacity, and a smaller warhead load, according to Israeli analysts based on accessible data and images. With a CEP of 5-7 metres, it can achieve hypersonic speeds of Mach 6-7, full-flight mobility for escape, and precision guidance that combines satellite correction, optical/TERCOM homing, and inertial navigation.
The 9M723-1F4 (increased fragmentation warhead), 9M723-1K5 (cluster warhead), and the Iskander-1000 in serial production are examples of recent variations. Russia intends to produce more than 750 Iskander missiles by 2025; the first 800-kilometre launches are scheduled for December 2025 and may be influenced by North Korea’s KN-23.
Upgrades enable assaults throughout most of Europe from Kaliningrad, aid in the suppression of air defence, and enable terminal manoeuvres to evade systems like Patriot. With 9P78 TELs, deployment is still transportable with fast reloads in extreme situation.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
