Originally Posted by
Thruster763
Well the pictured head is certainly consistent with a TOR -M1 missile and is not from a ballistic missile (too small). There is no reason why the seeker head of the missile would be distroyed in the detonation. It is ahead of the charge and from the photo has a fairly substantial looking domed structure at the rear. It is surprising what close to the charge will survive a detonation. Lots of forensics from detonations have led to convictions in the past. I have personally seen an optical seeker head thar survived detonation remarkably well.
I might be wrong..(gosh, we could all be) but I think the design of these munitions is like shaped charge ie that are very directional. This particular missile system is for killing small fast maneuvering targets (read other rockets) in a defense role. As such it is unlikely to ever be able to actually hit the target directly. It would rely on proximity fusing and a concentrated fragmentation field that is designed to kill a target it may be flying past (crossing paths with) rather than one directly ahead of it. So yeah, the head may have simply been separated at time of charge ignition without actually being hit by the charge. All spec of course but the image gives some clues. 1. the seek head has been separated from the charge without being destroyed by the charge. 2.The seek head appears to have suffered little impact damage suggesting it wasn't attached to the missile body when it hit hit ground.
The assumptions from this seem to suggest this particular round wasn't a dud ie the charge ignited and that since it is a missile defense system, it is not a ballistic missile and is therefore very unlikely to be an image from 'dud' rockets launched by Iran on American bases in Baghdad.
So this seeker head had a starring role in something. But until we can determine where and when it was found, there remains no connection to this 'accident'.