Protecting ships, especially those of small displacement, from modern means of attack is one of the most difficult tasks.
It is successfully solved by the "Flexible" turret of various modifications. The turret is an air defense system designed to repel attacks by enemy anti-ship missiles, aircraft and helicopters in the ultra-short-range zone in conditions of natural and artificial interference. Various modifications of the installation differ in the composition of the optoelectronic devices and the number of starting modules. The complex can be equipped with 4 or 8 Igla or Igla-S missiles.
The complex, manufactured by JSC RATEP, is equipped with effective control means and allows you to automatically receive target designation, direct the launcher to the target, search, lock, track the target and launch missiles both in manual and automatic modes. It should be noted that the creation of an automatic target tracking in the optical range is a complex technical task, but Russian designers were the first to successfully cope with it. The installation is reliably stabilized and allows you to compensate for the roll and roll of the ship. It organically fits into the carrier's air defense contour, since it continuously receives information from standard shipborne radars such as "Furke", "Fregat", "Positive" and the ship's BIUS, which expands the possibilities of using the air defense missile system.
The number of simultaneously fired targets - 1. Firing mode - sequential (from 1 to 4 missiles) or salvo (2 missiles). Detection of targets of the "aircraft" type is provided at a distance of 12-15 km. The reaction time is less than 8 seconds. "Gibka" in the minimum configuration can be installed on ships with a displacement of 200 tons. On ships of a larger displacement, several such complexes can be installed. It should be emphasized that "Flexible" can hit various types of targets, including high-speed small ones.
The complex includes a guided launcher, an operator device that controls the complex, and a power supply device. A guided launcher can contain from one to four launch modules. Each launcher is equipped with two Igla-S or Igla missiles. The installation excludes the possibility of unauthorized use of missiles. It is impossible to remove the rocket and launch it without a turret.
As part of the work on the implementation of the state contract, RATEP OJSC manufactured and delivered the Gibka R product to the Vice-Admiral Kulakov BOD project 1155 during its modernization at Severnaya Verf.
Installation "Gibka R" is of great interest to the command of the Navy in a number of foreign countries. Negotiations are underway to supply the unit to foreign customers. Since the Igla MANPADS is superior in efficiency to the American Stinger missiles of a similar purpose, and the new shipborne anti-aircraft system further expands its combat capabilities, then, of course, the Gibku will have a long life. In the export version, the complex is called Komar.
