Technical Corps for Special Projects
Techcorp
Ministry of Industry Building
Al Nidhal Street, Baghdad, Iraq
The military procurement system of Iraq was managed by the Ministry of Industry and Military Industrialization [MIMI] used an organization known as the Technical Corps for Special Projects [TECO or Techcorp or TCSP], for its sophisticated missile and nuclear development efforts. Techcorp was in charge of Iraq's highest priority weapons projects like the Condor II ballistic missile, the Big Gun and elements of Iraq's clandestine nuclear weapons program. Through TECO, Iraq was able to obtain important United States help in these programs, including the Condor II, which in Iraq code was referred to as project 395.
The Badr 2000 project (Project 395) was conducted under the general management of the Technical Corps for Special Projects through the Belat Al Shuhada Factory network. This project involved an ambitious missile development program based on the Argentinean CONDOR-II technology. The program was supposed to be realized in close cooperation with the special organization, the Arab League Industrial Development Organization (ALIDO), with its headquarters in Baghdad. The Condor II [Project 395] had at least three sites in Iraq, each of which had a different function and its own project number. These three production sites for project 395 had been under construction southwest of Baghdad since late 1987-early 1988.
- Taj Al Marik site - Production of Badr 2000 missiles (solid propellants) -- A total of 9 buildings were destroyed by UNSCOM and the remaining infrastructure was under UNSCOM monitoring, having been converted to a facility for non-proscribed missile activities.
- Thu Al Fiqar site - Production of Badr 2000 missiles (motor cases) - No action was taken by UNSCOM to destroy the infrastructure, which was under UNSCOM monitoring having been converted to a facility for non-proscribed missile activities.
- Yawm Al Azim site - Production of Badr 2000 missiles (final assembly and testing) - 2 buildings were destroyed by UNSCOM and others were under UNSCOM monitoring having been converted to a facility for non-proscribed missile activities.
In addition, a missile R&D site was erected in northern Iraq, and TECO maintained a test stand at Zaafaraniyah.
Sources and Resources
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iraq/agency/techcorp.htm
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Updated Monday, October 09, 2000 7:47:23 PM
