When developing the RBS-70 MANPADS, the Swedish Armed Forces put forward the following requirements: a long range of interception on a collision course; high probability and accuracy of defeat; resistance to known natural and artificial interference; line of sight command control; the ability to work on targets to the surface of the earth; the possibility of further development of the complex for its use at night. Saab Bofors Dynamic's opted for a laser-guided missile. The RBS-70 became the world's first portable anti-aircraft missile system with a similar guidance system. The complex was developed from the very beginning with the prospect of being installed on a tracked and wheeled chassis.
Work on the complex began in 1967. The first samples were received for testing seven years later. In parallel with the firing unit, the development of a radio technical, in particular, a radar station for detection and target designation PS-70 / R, was carried out. The RBS-70 MANPADS was put into service in 1977. The complex occupied a niche between the 40 mm L70 artillery mounts and the Hawk medium-range anti-aircraft missile system. The RBS-70 in the Swedish Army was intended to provide protection for battalion-company units.
In 1981, the first mobile version of this complex was developed based on the Land Rover, a cross-country vehicle. In the future, the RBS-70 complex was installed on various tracked and wheeled armored personnel carriers.
Work on the modernization of the RBS-70 complex began almost from the moment the complex was created. In 1990, the Rb-70 rocket was modernized, which as a result received the designation Mk1. The next modification of the anti-aircraft guided missile - Mk2 - was put into service in 1993. In early 2001, they announced the completion of the development of a rocket under the designation Bolide.
Since 1998, all elements of MANPADS have been modernized with the introduction of a new information transfer standard to create a single information space for the air defense system.
During the existence of MANPADS, about 1, 5 thousand launchers and more than 15 thousand missiles of all modifications were fired. Today, the RBS-70 portable anti-aircraft missile system is in service with the armies of Australia, Argentina, Bahrain, Venezuela, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Tunisia, Sweden and some other countries. Used in both the Army and the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
According to the company "Saab Bofors Dynamic's", at the end of 2000, the total number of missile launches was 1468, more than 90% of them hit their targets.
Calculation of MANPADS RBS-70
At the London International Arms Exhibition DSEi-2011, a modernized MANPADS was demonstrated, which received the designation RBS-70NG. A new complex with the latest generation Bolide multipurpose missile, it can withstand a wide range of ground and air threats, including helicopters, aircraft, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and armored vehicles. The night vision sight and the integrated thermal imager allow you to hit enemy targets at night and during the day in difficult climatic and meteorological conditions. Automatic target detection and three-dimensional target designation reduce the reaction time, and the auto-tracking system makes it easier for the operator to lock on to the target and increases the likelihood of being hit at all ranges of the missile defense.
The composition of MANPADS RBS-70
When launched, the Rb-70 rocket is ejected from the container at a speed of 50 meters per second. Then the sustainer solid-propellant rocket engine is turned on, operating for 6 seconds and accelerating the rocket to supersonic speed (M = 1, 6). At this time, the operator must keep the target in the field of view of the stabilized sight. The laser beam emitted by the guidance unit forms a "corridor" in the center of which the rocket moves. The low power used by the complex and the lack of radiation before the launch of the rocket make it difficult to detect the RBS-70 MANPADS. Command guidance by the operator increases the missile immunity and allows you to hit vigorously maneuvering targets.
Although each launcher can be used independently, the main use case is the use of RBS-70 MANPADS with the PS-70 "Giraffe" pulse-Doppler radar station, which operates in the range of 5, 4-5, 9 GHz and provides a detection range of air targets up to 40 thousand m, tracking range - 20 thousand m. The antenna of the radar station rises on the mast to a height of 12 meters. Radar PS-70 "Giraffe" can be installed on various chassis, including the all-wheel drive three-axle truck Tgb-40, tracked transporter Bv-206, etc. The deployment time of the radar station is no more than 5 minutes. The calculation of the station consists of 5 people, providing manual tracking of 3 targets, serving up to 9 fire crews.
Target data are sent to the combat control panel, from where they are sent to specific launchers. In this case, the operator of the missile complex receives information about the target in the form of a sound signal in the headphones. The tone of the signal depends on the position of the target relative to the installation. The response time of MANPADS is 4-5 seconds.
A typical operator training course using a simulator takes 15 to 20 hours, spread over 10-13 days.
Rocket Rb-70
The anti-aircraft guided missile is carried out according to the normal aerodynamic scheme and is equipped with a two-stage solid-propellant propulsion engine, which is located in its middle part. In the bow compartment there is a warhead, which can be detonated by shock or laser proximity fuses. The target is struck by a shaped charge (armor penetration - up to 200 millimeters) and ready-made spherical elements made of tungsten. The receivers of laser radiation are located in the tail section of the guided missile.
The last serial version of the anti-aircraft guided missile is the Rb-70 Mk2. The field of view of the laser radiation receiver increased to 70 degrees made it possible to expand the capture area by 30-40 percent. Despite the fact that the rocket was equipped with a large-sized main engine, as well as a more efficient warhead (the number of tungsten balls increased from 2 to 3 thousand, the mass of the explosive increased), thanks to the miniaturization of electronic elements, the mass and dimensions of the guided missile remained the same. The range of destruction of air targets is up to 7 thousand meters, the average and maximum flight speeds of the missile defense system have increased. The probability of the Rb-70 Mk2 missile hitting subsonic targets on a collision course is from 0.7 to 0.9, on a catch-up course - 0.4-0.5.
For 2002, the serial production of the new Bolide anti-aircraft missile system was planned for the RBS-70 portable anti-aircraft complex. Bolide is a deep modification of the Rb-70 Mk0, Mk1 and Mk2 missiles. The rocket is designed for use from existing installations. The purpose of creating this missile was to increase the ability of the missile system to deal with vigorously maneuvering and stealthy targets, such as the CD. New components were installed on the rocket: a fiber optic gyroscope, reprogrammable electronics, an improved solid-propellant rocket engine. Improved remote fuse (introduced two modes - for large and small targets) and warhead. The shelf life of an anti-aircraft guided missile in a transport-launch container reaches 15 years. A new power fuse is not required and meets the MIL-STD-1316E standard.
Bolide rocket diagram
laser receiver;
steering wheels;
wings;
solid fuel engine;
safety-executive mechanism;
warhead;
contact fuse;
remote fuse;
electronics unit and gyroscope;
nozzle;
battery and electronics unit.
Launcher
The RBS-70 launcher includes:
- anti-aircraft guided missile in a transport and launch container (total weight 24kg);
- guidance unit (weight 35 kg), consists of an optical sight (with a field of view of 9 degrees and 7x magnification) and a device for forming a laser beam (there was an adjustable focus);
- equipment for identification "friend or foe" (weight 11 kg), - power supply and tripod (weight 24kg).
The principle of guidance MANPADS RBS-70
It is possible to connect the Clip-on Night Device (COND) thermal imager, which is attached to the launcher, ensuring the use of the missile system without reducing performance in the dark. The wavelength range of the thermal imager is 8-12 microns. The thermal imager is equipped with a closed circuit cooling system.
RBS-70 elements are placed on a tripod. In its upper part there is a container with a guided missile and an attachment point for the guidance unit, and in the lower part there is an operator's seat. It takes 10 minutes to deploy the launcher with a 30 second reload time. To carry the RBS-70 MANPADS, 3 people are enough.
Self-propelled versions of MANPADS RBS-70
In many cases, in order to increase the mobility of the RBS-70 complex, it was installed on tracked or wheeled chassis. For example, in Iran, a Land Rover all-terrain vehicle was used as a chassis, in Singapore - a V-200 Commando wheeled armored vehicle, in Pakistan - an M113A2 tracked armored personnel carrier. Installed on a particular chassis, the RBS-70 complex was removed in a short time for use as a portable anti-aircraft missile system.
The Swedish Armed Forces use a self-propelled version of the RBS-70 - Lvrbv 701 (Type 701). The elements of the complex are mounted on the chassis of the Pbv302 tracked armored personnel carrier. The transfer time from traveling to combat position is no more than 1 minute. Complexes RBS-70 are also used as a means of shipborne air defense. In the Swedish naval forces, for example, the RBS-70 is part of the armament of the Stirso-class patrol boats and the M-80 minesweepers. The launcher is the same tripod as for the ground version.
Pros and cons of RBS-70
In comparison with modern portable anti-aircraft missile systems with ultraviolet and infrared homing heads ("Mistral", "Igla", "Stinger"), the RBS-70 complex significantly wins in firing range, especially on a collision course. The ability to engage targets outside 4-5 km makes it possible for the RBS-70 to provide air defense in cases where this cannot be done by other MANPADS. The main disadvantage of the complex is its large mass (a launcher and two anti-aircraft guided missiles in transport-launch containers "pull" by 120 kg). To deliver such a "portable" complex to the required point, it is necessary to use vehicles, or mount it on a chassis. RBS-70 cannot be applied from the shoulder, applied or carried in the field by one person, which is also not always acceptable (one of the reasons why this MANPADS lost the tender in South Africa).
The command method of guiding the anti-aircraft guided missile gives the RBS-70 specific features, including the ability to effectively deal with targets flying at low altitudes, better noise immunity, but at the same time the vulnerability of the calculation, as well as high requirements for the preparation of the calculation. The operator needs to quickly assess the distance to the target, its height, direction and speed, in order to make a decision on the launch of the rocket. Target tracking takes from 10 to 15 seconds, requiring precise and quick action in conditions of significant psychological stress.
The advantages of the complex also include its relatively low cost - about half the cost of the Stinger portable anti-aircraft missile system.
Testing and operation
RBS-70 in real combat was used only in the Iranian-Iraqi military conflict in 1980-1988. In the Iranian armed forces, the complex has occupied a niche between the Chinese copy of the Soviet Strela-2 MANPADS and the American-made Hawk medium-range anti-aircraft missile system. The RBS-70 appeared on the battlefields in January-February 1987. The high mobility of these systems made it possible to organize ambushes on the likely routes of the Iraqi Air Force combat aircraft. It is believed that it was the RBS-70 MANPADS that destroyed most of the 42 (according to other sources - 45) aircraft lost by Iraq.
The performance characteristics of the RBS-70 MANPADS:
Type of anti-aircraft guided missile - Rb-70Mk0 / Rb-70 Mk1 / Rb-70Mk2 / "Bolide";
Year of adoption for service - 1977/1990/1993/2001;
Maximum range - 5000 m / 5000 m / 7000 m / 8000 m;
The minimum range is 200 m / 200 m / 200 m / 250 m;
Ceiling - 3000 m / 3000 m / 4000 m / 5000 m;
Maximum speed - 525 m / s / 550 m / s / 580 m / s / 680 m / s;
Guided missile length - 1, 32 m (for all types);
Guided missile diameter - 105 mm (for all types);
Guided missile mass - 15 kg / 17 kg / 17 kg / -;
Warhead weight (type) - 1 kg (O) / - / 1, 1 kg (KO) / 1, 1 kg (KO)
