SDI - not so silly now, eh Europe?

Iran now has its hands on something all you old Cold Warriors will remember.

Iran has received a first shipment of missiles fromNorth Korea that are capable of reaching Europe, Israel's military intelligence chief was quoted on Thursday as saying.

Known in the West as BM-25s, the Russian-designed missiles have a range of around 1,500 miles, giving them a longer reach than the Iranian-made Shihab-4 missiles which are capable of hitting Israel.

The intelligence chief, Major-General Amos Yadlin, was quoted by Israel's Haaretz newspaper as saying in a lecture on Wednesday that some BM-25s had arrived in Iran.

The BM-25 was originally manufactured in the Soviet Union, where it was known as the SSN6, a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, Haaretz reported.

Can you say "Yankee Box?" Yes my friends, it is that SS-N-6 that was carried on the Yankee class SSBN. Here are all the yummy stats - but here is the one to think about if you assume they get the Mod 3: range 3,200km. Spending a little time on my Garmin software, I have roughed out a map.

As you will see, the 'ole Serb isn't quite the ICBM, but if I were an Iranian planner, I would look at a few launch sites in the mountains SE of Tabriz around Soleyman Darreshi to cover as much of Europe as I can, and perhaps another site in the mountains of NE Iran near Siah Kuh.

This is Iran's start. This is mostly about Israel, but they can handle themselves. Iran can't quite threaten London or Paris right now, but they have most of the rest covered. Happy with this? You know Germany, the US doesn't cover you with nukes anymore. France, the U.K.? Hello? We are still taking partners. The Japanese are on board. The Poles are on board.....