Abstract
Advanced ballistic and cruise missiles have become a salient feature of the Middle Eastern security landscape. More regional states are either developing indigenous production capabilities or importing missiles than ever before, and their use has also become a frequent occurrence in regional conflicts. The chapter surveys the historical and contemporary missile landscape in the Middle East charting its evolution and trajectory and identifying some key region-wide trends. The chapter argues against adopting a deterministic approach that confines the region’s missile dynamics to an inescapable arms race based on unique regional features. Instead, it explores the multiple dimensions of the region’s approach to missiles through exploring variable drivers and changing historical phases as well as the impact of global patterns of diffusion whether of missile defense or offensive systems.
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Notes
- 1.
This chapter is modified from a previous version published as [Elbahtimy, H. (2022). Ballistic and cruise missiles in the Middle East: the current landscape and options for arms control. Available at: https://www.iiss.org/blogs/research-paper/2022/01/ballistic-and-cruise-missiles-in-the-middle-east].
- 2.
There are various definitions of the Middle East. In this chapter, the Middle East will be defined to include 22 members of the Arab League in addition to Israel, Iran, and Turkey.
- 3.
Information on the Jericho III system is limited. While it is expected to have a longer range that comes close to the range of ICBMs, authoritative information on the exact range is not available.
- 4.
HALCON Systems, “HAS-250 Anti-Ship Missile,” https://media-files.edgegroup.ae/s3fs-public/2021-02/HAS-250%20ANTI-SHIP%20MISSILE%20EN.pdf
- 5.
The MTCR is a voluntary control regime that was established in 1987 to limit the spread of ballistic missiles, technologies related to them, as well as unmanned delivery vehicles that could be used to deliver weapons of mass destruction.
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Elbahtimy, H. (2023). The Evolution of Missile Politics in the Middle East. In: Eslami, M., Guedes Vieira, A.V. (eds) The Arms Race in the Middle East. Contributions to International Relations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32432-1_6
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