Iraq declared that the first work on a missile delivery system for a nuclear warhead began in 1988. At that time, a meeting was held between the Military Industrialization Commission (MIC) and the Iraq Atomic Energy Agency (IAEC) to work out the design and status of the nuclear device. MIC experts determined that the diameter and weight of the device were too great to be carried on the existing Al-Hussein. It was, therefore, determined that while IAEC would attempt to reduce size and weight, MIC, through Project 144, would seek to develop a more suitable ballistic missile: the system would include a larger diameter airframe and use more energetic propellants. Project 144/2 was directed with the former task and Project 144/3 (Project 1728) with the latter.

In August 1990, and with the onset of an accelerated nuclear weapon program, Hussein Kamil ordered Project 144 to study the use of the Al-Hussein or Al-Abbas as the carrier system. At the time, the weight and diameter of the device had been significantly reduced. Initial work was done on adaptation studies, but Iraq declared that they were never able to complete the effort due to the onset of the war.

	Updated October 2003