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What Is Khorramshahr-4 (Kheibar)?

Discover detailed insights into Iran’s Khorramshahr-4 (Kheibar) ballistic missile — capabilities, technology, range, guidance systems, and strategic i
A Khorramshahr-4 missile is launched at an undisclosed location in Iran on Thursday, May 25, 2023
In this picture released by the Iranian Defense Ministry on Thursday, May 25, 2023, a Khorramshahr-4 missile is launched at an undisclosed location in Iran. (Iranian Defense Ministry via AP)

The Khorramshahr-4, also known as Kheibar, is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed and deployed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. It belongs to the fourth generation of the Khorramshahr missile family and represents one of Tehran’s most advanced long-range strike systems.

In simple terms, this missile combines long range capability, high speed, heavy destructive power, improved accuracy, and advanced guidance systems, making it a central element of Iran’s strategic deterrent force. 

Technical Specifications and Capabilities

Here are the key specifications of the Khorramshahr-4 (Kheibar) missile, based on open-source intelligence and military reporting:

  • Type: Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM)
  • Range: Approximately 2,000 kilometers (~1,240 miles) — potentially enough to reach most of the Middle Eastern theater, including Israel and other regional countries.
  • Warhead (Payload): Approximately 1,500–1,800 kg, which is among the heaviest in Iran’s missile inventory.
  • Speed: Reported flight speeds of up to Mach 16 outside the atmosphere and around Mach 8 upon re-entry, greatly reducing the reaction time available to defence systems.
  • Fuel and Propulsion: Uses hypergolic liquid fuel (Arvand engine) — self-igniting propellant that allows rapid launch preparation (potentially <15 minutes).
  • Guidance and Accuracy: Equipped with mid-flight guidance systems and potentially a maneuverable re-entry vehicle (MaRV) that enhances accuracy and complicates interception. Estimated circular error probable (CEP) could be as low as 10–30 meters under ideal conditions.
  • Launch Platform: Can be deployed from underground silos (“missile cities”) and mobile transporters — increasing survivability and complicating enemy targeting. voiceofemirates

Advanced Features of Khorramshahr-4

Heavy-Payload Capacity

With a warhead around 1,500 kg, the missile can carry:
  • Conventional high explosive payloads
  • Potential precision-guided munitions (PGMs)
  • Possible adaptability for clustered submunitions
This heavy payload capability makes Kheibar a serious threat to fixed strategic targets. armyrecognition

High Speed and Reduced Engagement Window

The extreme flight velocity (up to Mach 16) means:
  • Very short flight duration (~10–12 minutes to reach regional targets)
  • Reduced time for radar detection and tracking
  • Limited reaction time for missile defence systems
This directly challenges layered defence architectures like Israel’s Arrow and Patriot systems.

Maneuverable Re-Entry and Guidance Systems

Unlike older ballistic missiles that follow predictable ballistic arcs, Khorramshahr-4’s design reportedly features:
  • Mid-course corrections
  • Maneuverable re-entry vehicle (MaRV)
  • Reduced vulnerability to electronic warfare and jamming
These systems allow the warhead to adjust its path during descent, complicating interception and increasing strike precision.

Strategic Implications of Khorramshahr-4

Deterrence and Regional Power Projection

Khorramshahr-4 plays a key role in Iran’s strategic deterrence doctrine:
  • It can reach deep into hostile airspace before defence systems can react.
  • Its heavy payload and improved accuracy enhance its role in credible retaliation.
  • Its deployment in fortified underground facilities signifies operational readiness.
In conflict scenarios such as escalations with Israel or U.S. forces, Khorramshahr-4 changes how strategic planners assess missile defense and retaliation calculus. middleeastmonitor

Cost-Exchange Ratio and Defence Economics

The presence of highly destructive missiles like Khorramshahr-4 alters the economics of conflict:
  • Defender air defence systems (e.g., Arrow, Patriot, THAAD) are extremely expensive per interceptor relative to a missile launch.
  • Even a partially successful missile salvo forces defenders to expend multiple interceptors for each threat.
  • This increases logistical demand and stresses defence budgets over prolonged engagements.

This ties into modern warfare theory, where the “cost-exchange ratio” becomes a strategic factor beyond battlefield destructiveness itself.