Other Names: Al-Milad Center at Al-Furat
Location: Yosifiya, Babil governate, approximately 25km south of Baghdad
Subordinate to: Military Industrialization Corporation
Primary Function: Military research; development of guidance and control system for Al-Fateh solid-propellant missile

Description:
The Military Research and Development Center (MRDC) was established prior to the first Gulf War by General Amir Al-Rashid—former head of the Military Industrialization Commission and later Minister of Oil—to serve as a "center of excellence" for military research in Iraq. Through late 1995, the MRDC was located on the grounds of the Space Research Center; thereafter, it was moved to the location in Furat, where it became known as the Milad Center.

MRDC's primary missile activity before Desert Storm was the attempt to develop an Iraqi anti-ballistic missile capability. As part of that effort, 14 flight/interception tests were conducted from March 1988 to November 1988.

After the war, MRDC engaged in a variety of military research activities, including work on electronic counter-measures, night vision devices, laser guided bombs, etc.

Its missile work in the mid-1990s involved research and development on the Mutasadi missile, an air-to-air system based on the Brazilian Piranha, a service life extension program for the Roland, and ad hoc assistance to Karama on guidance issues. Considerable work on these projects was done by the Guided Projectile System Research Department (GPSRD), a new section comprised of guidance and related specialists opened in late 1994.

In July 1997, the Ababil-100 solid-propellant project was re-initiated, and the GPRSD was tasked with developing the system's guidance and control, as well as work on the airframe and calculations related to flight dynamics. In addition, MRDC contributed to the L-29 RPV project (Al-Bai'aa) through its control of the Ibn Fernas Center (formerly known as Al-Faris Factory).

Key Sources: UN Inspection data; CNS UNMOVIC Inspection Database, <http://cns.miis.edu/Iraq-Inspections>; CNS interviews.

	Updated October 2003