Established in 1971, the state-owned Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) oversees Syria's facilities to develop unconventional weapons and their delivery systems. [1] Specifically with respect to the missile program, the SSRC controls the missile production facilities in Homs, Hama, Al-Safir and Aleppo. [2] Given Damscus's dependence on foreign suppliers to advance its missile program, the SSRC collaborates heavily with Iranian and North Korean entities. [3] The U.S. government has imposed extensive on the SSRC and its subsidiaries. [4]

Sources:

[1] Stephen Pollard, "A Fearsome WMD Arsenal," The Daily Telegraph, 16 April 2003; "Three Entities Targeted by Treasury for Supporting Syria's WMD Proliferation," U.S. Department of the Treasury, 4 January 2007, www.ustreas.gov.

[2] "German Daily Says Intelligence Shows U.S. Criticism of Syria Justified," BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 1 April 2003.

[3] "Test-Firing of New Scud Missiles by N. Korea, Syria, Iran Fails," Japan Economic Newswire, 14 August 2009; and "N. Korea to Mass-Produce Syria-Provided Missile," Japan Economic Newswire, 2 June 2009.

[4] "Three Entities Targeted by Treasury for Supporting Syria's WMD Proliferation," U.S. Department of the Treasury, 4 January 2007, www.ustreas.gov.