IISS reports that after Houthi forces took control of large parts of northern Yemen in 2014-15, they began receiving Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles and deployed them on a limited scale against the Saudi-led coalition; the same assessment identifies Al-Mandab 2 as closely resembling Iran's Ghader.
Role detailsMunitions
Ghader anti-ship cruise missile
Also known as
- Qader
The Ghader, also reported as Qader, is an Iranian C-802/Noor-derived anti-ship cruise missile with source-dependent range reporting around 200-300 km. Iranian and specialist sources describe low-altitude, active-radar-guided land, ship, and aircraft launch options, while IISS later tied Ghader-like C-802 derivatives to Houthi anti-shipping weapons in Yemen and the Red Sea campaign.
Role in Conflicts
- Side
- Houthi movement
IISS assesses that Iranian-made C-802 derivatives, including Noor/Ghader-type missiles, were among the anti-ship cruise missiles used by Houthi forces in the Red Sea shipping campaign, with Al-Mandab 2 closely resembling Iran's Ghader.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Iran
- Built by
- Iranian defense industry
- Type
- Anti-ship cruise missile
- Service note
- 2010s-present
- Designer
- Iranian defense industry
- Designed
- 2011
- Produced
- 2011-present
- Developed from
- C-802/Noor anti-ship cruise missile
Specifications
- Launch modes
- Land, sea, and air.
- Range
- Reported about 200 km in Iran Watch milestone reporting; a later Iran Press profile lists about 300 km.
- Launch profile
- Low-altitude sea-skimming cruise flight.
- Guidance
- Active radar seeker with reported electronic-warfare resistance.
- Warhead
- High-explosive, about 200 kg in the Iran Press profile.
- Speed
- Mach 0.9 in the Iran Press profile.
- Dimensions
- About 7.4 m long and 0.36 m in diameter in the Iran Press profile.
- Flight altitude
- Iran Press lists 20-30 m above sea level in cruise and 3-5 m over water in the terminal approach.
Variants
Public sources use Ghader and Qader spellings for the same Iranian C-802-derived missile family and distinguish sea-based and airborne presentations.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sea-based Qader | Naval/coastal anti-ship form | Iran Press says the sea-based Qader was first unveiled on September 22, 2011, during Army strategic naval drills. Sources: Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boats |
| Qader Air Cruise Missile | Air-launched form | Iran Press says Hossein Dehqan unveiled Qader Air Cruise Missiles on September 25, 2013, and also names Mil 17 helicopters and F4 Phantom fighters as carrier aircraft. Sources: Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boats |
Carrier Platforms
Iranian reporting and reference coverage describe the Ghader/Qader family as mountable on aircraft, helicopters, and missile boats.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Fighter-bomber | Iran Press says the Qader anti-ship cruise missile can be installed on aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom fighter. Sources: Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boats |
 | Transport helicopter | Iran Press says the Qader anti-ship cruise missile can be installed on aircraft such as the Mil 17 helicopter. Sources: Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boats |
 | Missile boat | Iran Watch says each Thondor/Houdong missile boat is equipped with four C802-family ASCMs, including the Iranian-made Ghader variant. |
Related Systems
Ghader/Qader sits in Iran's C-802/Noor line, with sources describing the missile as a longer-range successor rather than a clean-sheet design.
| System | Connection | Note |
|---|---|---|
 | Family predecessor | Iran Press says Qader shares Noor's body shape, warhead, and launch boosters; Iran Watch describes Ghader as a C-802 development. |
 | Catalog family | The missile belongs in Iran's wider anti-ship inventory and coastal-strike ecosystem. |
Timeline
Ghader anti-ship cruise missile Key Events
Sea-based Qader unveiled
Iran Press says the sea-based Qader anti-ship cruise missile was first unveiled during the Army's Strategic Naval drills.
Sources: Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boats
Air-launched Qader unveiled
Iran Press says Hossein Dehqan unveiled the Qader Air Cruise Missiles as the airborne version of the family.
Sources: Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boats
Design Notes
Iranian reporting presents Qader as a low-altitude coastal-attack and anti-ship missile that moved from a sea-based unveiling to a named airborne form.
Unveiling sequence
Iran Press places the sea-based Qader unveiling on September 22, 2011, and the Qader Air Cruise Missile unveiling on September 25, 2013.
Noor lineage
Iran Press says Qader shares Noor's body shape, warhead, and initial launch boosters; Iran Watch describes Ghader as a C-802 development.
Range reporting
Iran Watch milestone reporting gives Qader a 200 km range, while the later Iran Press profile lists about 300 km.
Media
Ghader anti-ship cruise missile Videos
Ghader anti-ship cruise missile Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Iran Watch anti-ship cruise missiles articlePublisher: Iran Watch | Note: Supports Ghader background and specs as an Iranian C-802-derived anti-ship cruise missile with a reported 200 km range and radar-seeker guidance. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Iran Watch Ghader C-802 development briefPublisher: Iran Watch | Note: Supports Ghader/Qader identity as a C-802 development and the established Iranian surface-, ship-, and air-launched C-802/Noor production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13CTC Houthi war effort articlePublisher: Combating Terrorism Center at West Point | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War context for Houthi missile supply and anti-shipping operations. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Wikimedia Commons Ghader parade photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for Ghader missile in 2013 parade.jpg, a Fars News image licensed CC BY 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Wikimedia Commons ONI coastal-defense mapPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for Iranian coastal defense cruise missile ranges in 2017.png, an ONI map in the public domain. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Wikimedia Commons Qader launcher photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for Firing Qader Missile from a truck launcher (1).jpg, a YPA photo licensed CC BY 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Qader anti-ship missile capable against coastal targets, boatsPublisher: Iran Press | Note: Supports the September 22, 2011 unveiling of the sea-based Qader, the September 25, 2013 unveiling of the air-launched Qader, the missile's low-altitude, high-accuracy, land-sea-air launch profile, active radar guidance, reported dimensions, speed, flight altitude, warhead weight, and the F4 Phantom and Mil 17 carrier references. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Iran's Missile MilestonesPublisher: Iran Watch | Note: Supports the September 2011 delivery of Qader to the Navy and IRGC Naval Force, the 200 km range, and the December 2011-January 2012 Velayat-90 test-firing as an upgrade of Noor. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Houthi anti-ship missile systems: getting better all the timePublisher: International Institute for Strategic Studies | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War conflict-use context by identifying Ghader-like missiles among the Iranian-made C-802 derivatives used by the Houthis against shipping. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Navigating Troubled Waters: The Houthis' Campaign in the Red Sea and the Gulf of AdenPublisher: International Institute for Strategic Studies | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War and 2023 Red Sea Crisis conflict-use context by describing Houthi receipt and limited use of Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles after 2014-15, later Red Sea use of Iranian-made C-802 derivatives, and Al-Mandab 2's close resemblance to Iran's Ghader. | Accessed: 2026-07-13