After the Tigerkat short-range air defense system entered service with the air force and ground forces, the British military were disappointed with the capabilities of this complex. Repeated firing at radio-controlled targets at the range demonstrated the very limited capabilities of the anti-aircraft missiles of this complex to protect troops and objects from missile and bomb strikes of modern jet aircraft.
Just as on ships in the case of the Sea Cat complex, the launch of the Tigercat missile defense system had more of a "deterrent" effect. Noticing the launch of an anti-aircraft missile, the pilot of an attack aircraft or front-line bomber often stopped attacking the target and performed an energetic anti-missile maneuver. It is quite natural that the military wanted to have not only a "scarecrow", but also a really effective low-altitude air defense system.
In the early 60s, Matra BAe Dynamics, which was a subsidiary of the British Aerospace Dynamics concern, began designing an anti-aircraft complex, which was supposed to replace the Tigercat air defense system and compete with the MIM-46 Mauler air defense system created in the USA.
The new short-range air defense system, named "Rapier" (English Rapier), was intended for direct cover of military units and objects in the front-line zone from air attack weapons operating at low altitudes.
The complex began to enter the British air defense units of the ground forces in 1972, and two years later it was adopted by the Air Force. There it was used to provide air defense for airfields.
The main element of the complex, which is transported in the form of trailers by off-road vehicles, is a launcher for four missiles, which also has a detection and target designation system. Three more Land Rover vehicles are used to transport the guidance post, the crew of five and spare ammunition.
PU SAM "Rapira"
The surveillance radar of the complex, combined with the launcher, is capable of detecting low-altitude targets at a distance of more than 15 km. The aiming of the missile defense system is carried out using radio commands, which, after capturing the target, is fully automated.
The operator only keeps the air target in the field of view of the optical device, while the infrared direction finder accompanies the missile defense system along the tracer, and the calculating device generates guidance commands for the anti-aircraft missile. The electro-optical tracking and guidance device, which is a separate device, is connected by cable lines with the launcher and is carried out up to 45 m from the launcher.
SAM complex "Rapira" is made according to the normal aerodynamic configuration, it carries a warhead weighing 1400 grams. The first versions of missiles were equipped only with contact fuses.
Radar tracking DN 181 Blindfire
In the late 80s - early 90s, the complex underwent a series of successive upgrades. The missiles and ground hardware of the air defense missile system have undergone improvements. To ensure the possibility of all-weather and all-day use, an optical television system and a tracking radar DN 181 Blindfire were introduced into the equipment.
TTX SAM "Rapira"
Since 1989, the production of the Mk.lE rocket began. In this rocket, a proximity fuse and a directional fragmentation warhead were used. These innovations have significantly increased the likelihood of hitting a target. There are several variants of the Rapier air defense system: FSA, FSB1, FSB2, which differ from each other in the composition of the equipment and the electronic element base.
The complex is air-transportable, its individual elements can be transported on the external sling of CH-47 Chinook and SA 330 Puma helicopters. SAM "Rapira" with radar escort DN 181 Blindfire is placed in the cargo compartment of the military transport aircraft C-130.
In the mid-90s, the deeply modernized Rapier-2000 (FSC) complex began to enter service with British anti-aircraft units.
Thanks to the use of more efficient Mk.2 missiles, with an increased firing range of up to 8000 m, non-contact infrared fuses, and new optoelectronic guidance stations and tracking radars, the characteristics of the complex have increased significantly. In addition, the number of missiles on the launcher has doubled - up to eight units.
SAM "Rapira-2000"
The Dagger radar has been added to the Rapira-2000 complex. Its capabilities allow you to simultaneously detect and track up to 75 targets. A computer coupled to the radar makes it possible to distribute targets and fire at them, depending on the degree of danger. The aiming of missiles at the target is carried out by the Blindfire-2000 radar. This station differs from the radar DN 181 Blindfire, used in the early version of the air defense system, better noise immunity and reliability.
Radar Dagger
In a difficult jamming environment or with the threat of being hit by anti-radar missiles, an optoelectronic station comes into play. It includes a thermal imager and a high-sensitivity TV camera. The optoelectronic station accompanies the rocket along the tracer and gives the coordinates to the computer. With the use of tracking radar and optical means, simultaneous shelling of two air targets is possible.
For greater secrecy and noise immunity, even at the design stage, the developers refused to use radio channels to exchange information between individual elements of the complex. When the air defense system is deployed into a combat position, all of its elements are connected by fiber optic cables.
The Rapira and Rapira 2000 complexes have become the most commercially successful British air defense systems. They have been shipped to Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Oman, Singapore, Zambia, Turkey, UAE and Switzerland. To protect American air bases in Europe, several complexes were purchased by the US Department of Defense.
Despite its wide distribution, the Rapier's combat use was limited. It was first used by the Iranians during the Iran-Iraq war. Data on the results of the use of the Rapier air defense system during this war are very contradictory. According to Iranian representatives, they managed to hit eight combat aircraft with Rapier anti-aircraft missiles, among which there was allegedly even an Iraqi Tu-22 bomber.
During the Falklands War, the British deployed 12 Rapier complexes there without Blindfire radar to cover the landing. Most of the researchers agree that they shot down two Argentine combat aircraft - the Dagger fighter and the A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft.
In 1983, British ground air defense units began to receive the Tracked Rapier mobile complex, which was intended to escort tank and mechanized units.
Self-propelled air defense system Tracked Rapier
Initially, this complex was designed and manufactured by order of the Shah's Iran. But by the time this air defense system was ready, the shah had already lost power, and there was no talk of supplies to Iran. The Tracked Rapier air defense system entered the 22nd Air Defense Regiment, where they served until the early 90s.
The basis for the tracked "Rapier" was the American tracked carrier M548, the design of which, in turn, was based on the M113 armored personnel carrier.
All elements of the Rapier complex were installed on the M548 except for the Blindfire escort radar. There was simply no free space on the car for her. This worsened the capabilities of the air defense missile system to combat air targets at night and in poor visibility conditions, but on the other hand, the time for transferring the complex from a traveling to a combat position was significantly reduced.
Currently tracked "Rapiers" have been replaced in the British air defense units of the ground forces with self-propelled anti-aircraft complexes Starstreak SP, which can be translated from English as "Star trail".
SAM Starstreak SP
This short-range anti-aircraft system, installed on armored chassis or off-road vehicles, is created by analogy with the American M1097 Avenger air defense system based on MANPADS. But, unlike the FIM-92 Stinger, the Starstreak anti-aircraft missile uses laser guidance (command semi-active laser guidance, the so-called "saddled beam" or "laser trail").
In this case, the British, represented by the developer Shorts Missile Systems, were once again original. In addition to the laser guidance system, the high-speed missile system uses three tungsten alloy warheads in the form of a dart. The firing range of the Starstreak SAM is up to 7000 m, the height of the defeat is up to 5000 m. The length of the rocket is 1369 mm, the weight of the rocket is 14 kg.
The first and second stages accelerate the rocket to a speed of 4M, after which three arrow-shaped combat elements are separated, which continue to fly by inertia. After separation, each of them acts independently and is guided to the target individually, which increases the likelihood of being hit.
After hitting the target and breaking through the body of the aircraft or helicopter, a proximity fuse is triggered with some delay, activating the warhead. Thus, the maximum possible damage is inflicted on the target.
The British Army uses the Stormer tracked armored vehicle as a base for the self-propelled anti-aircraft system. On its roof is a passive infrared search and tracking system for air targets ADAD (Air Defense Alerting Device) manufactured by Thales Optronics.
The detection range of the "fighter" type targets by ADAD equipment is about 15 km, of the "combat helicopter" type - about 8 km. The reaction time of the complex from the moment of target detection is less than 5 s.
The control and maintenance of the Starstreak SP self-propelled air defense system is carried out by three people: the commander, the driver and the guidance operator. In addition to eight missiles, in the TPK ready for use, there are twelve more spare in the combat stowage.
The Starstreak air defense system has been in service with the British army since 1997, initially the complex entered the anti-aircraft units of the 12th regiment. 8 air defense systems of this type have been delivered to South Africa. Also, contracts have been signed with Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Starstreak has been successfully tested in the USA.
The advantages of Starstreak missiles include their insensitivity to the widely used means of countering MANPADS - heat traps, high flight speed and the presence of three independent warheads. The disadvantages are the need to track the target with a laser beam along the entire flight path of the missile defense system and the sensitivity of the laser guidance system to the state of the atmosphere and interference in the form of a smoke or aerosol curtain.
The armament of the British destroyers URO Type 45 includes the long-range air defense missile system PAAMS, which uses the Aster-15/30 missile defense system with an active radar homing head (GOS). Anti-aircraft missiles of the Aster series, differing only in the first acceleration stage, got their name from the mythical Greek archer Asterion.
These anti-aircraft missiles are also used in SAMP-T (Surface-to-Air Missile Platform Terrain) air defense systems. Which can be translated as "Medium-range ground anti-aircraft and anti-missile system." SAMP-T air defense system was created by the international consortium Eurosam, which includes the British firm BAE Systems.
SAMP-T SAM composition
The air defense system includes: a universal Thompson-CSF Arabel radar with a phased array, a command post, self-propelled vertical launch launchers with eight ready-to-use missiles in transport and launch containers. All SAMP-T elements are placed on the chassis of 8x8 all-wheel drive trucks.
The first successful tests using all components of the SAMP-T air defense system took place in the summer of 2005. After a series of tests in 2008, SAMP-T was put into trial operation in the armed forces of France and Italy. In 2010, the first successful interception of a ballistic target took place at the French Bicaruss test site.
We can already say that the European British-French-Italian consortium Eurosam has managed to create a universal anti-missile and anti-aircraft anti-aircraft missile system, which today may well compete with the American MIM-104 Patriot.
TTX SAMP-T SAM
SAMP-T air defense missile systems can conduct a circular bombardment of air and ballistic targets in a 360-degree sector. It possesses highly maneuverable long-range missiles, modular design, a high degree of automation, high fire performance, and terrain mobility. SAMP-T can fight aerodynamic targets at a range of 3-100 km, at an altitude of 25 km and intercept ballistic missiles at a range of 3-35 km. The system can track up to 100 targets simultaneously and fire at 10 air targets, 8 Aster-30 missiles can be launched in just 10 seconds.
At the initial stage of the rocket's flight, its trajectory is built according to the data loaded into the microprocessor that controls the autopilot. In the middle section of the trajectory, the course is corrected using radio commands according to data from a multipurpose radar. In the final phase of the flight, targeting is carried out using an active homing head.
Recently, SAMP-T air defense missile systems have been participating in international exhibitions and tenders. It is actively lobbied by the governments of the developing countries. As it became known, during the visit of French President Francois Hollande to Azerbaijan in May 2014, the latter persistently persuaded President Aliyev to purchase this anti-aircraft system.
Often in the domestic media, the European SAMP-T air defense system is compared with the newest Russian anti-aircraft system S-400. At the same time, "analysts" point to the superiority of the Russian system in terms of range. However, this comparison is not entirely correct. The S-400 air defense missile system uses heavier missiles, whose launch weight is almost four times greater than the Aster-30. The closest Russian analogue of the SAMP-T system in terms of firing range and fire performance is the promising S-350 Vityaz medium-range air defense system, which is currently completing tests.
Taking into account the rather high characteristics of the SAMP-T air defense system and the fact that the Aster family missiles are already in service with the warships of the Royal Navy, the British government is considering adopting the land version of the anti-aircraft system for service. We can assume with a high degree of probability that this will happen in the near future.
