The "Crotale" -NG complex is intended for monitoring the airspace at short ranges, assessing the level of outgoing threats and making decisions using its own weapons. It has the ability to track several air targets and fire at them in any weather, day or night.
The main tasks of the "Crotale-NG" air defense system:
- cover for offensive operations using heavy armored vehicles;
- protection of ward objects and territory from air attacks;
- mobile air defense of a specific object.
History of the "Crotale-NG" air defense system:
The history of the creation of an anti-aircraft missile system begins with the creation of the Crotale complex in 1964 by the French company Thomson-CSF / Matra.
At the moment, there are the following modifications of this complex:
- Crotale - is the base model;
- Naval Crotale - is a ship modification, used in the French Navy;
- Cactus - is a special modification made by order of the South African Armed Forces in 1969, also supplied to Chile. The main use is the air defense of air bases;
- Shahine - is a special modification, commissioned by the Government of Saudi Arabia, created in 1979, the beginning of deliveries to the customer in 1982. Used in the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia.
- Crotale-NG is a modern modification of the Crotale air defense system.
Serial production of the Crotale-NG air defense system begins in 1990. The first batch of French complexes in the amount of 20 units is purchased by Finland.
The approximate cost of a finished (not mobile) complex is eight million euros.
In 1998, Greece signed a contract worth one billion francs for the supply of 11 systems for its armed forces (two air defense systems for the Navy and nine air defense systems for the Air Force).
At the moment, the Crotale-NG air defense system is actively produced and manufactured by the Thomson-CSF / Matra company.
The composition of the air defense system
The air defense system tower weighing 4.8 tons, powered by an electric drive, is equipped with the following solutions:
- surveillance radar TRS2630 (E band) with built-in friend or foe request functions. The horizontal detection range is up to 20 kilometers, the height detection range is up to 5 kilometers. Has the ability to automatically track up to 8 targets;
- tracking radar (J band), target identification range (flying at speeds up to 2500 km / h) horizontally up to 30 kilometers. Has improved noise immunity;
- optoelectronic equipment:
Thermal imager "Castrol Thermal" with a detection range of 10 to 19 kilometers, depending on weather conditions;
Infrared rangefinder;
Daytime TV camera "; Mascot CCD TV camera" with a detection range of up to 15 kilometers.
- 2 launchers with 4 VT-1 missiles each.
SAM is installed on a wheeled or tracked platform. Mainly used chassis from the M113 armored personnel carrier, the AMX-30V tank, the "KIFV" and "Bradley" infantry fighting vehicles.
SAM "Crotale-NG" is completely autonomous, from detection to destruction of air targets. The crew only needs to make the identification twice. The reaction time of the complex is five seconds. The time spent on detecting, tracking and destroying an air target (flying at a speed of 1000 km / h) at a distance of about 13,000 meters is 15 seconds.
Re-acquisition of the target occurs within 1-2 seconds. Theoretically, you can hit 2 different groups of air targets with a total of up to 8 units.
The time taken to recharge the starting devices is 10 minutes.
For loading, a transport-loading vehicle is used on the chassis of the Finnish company "SISU".
Anti-aircraft missile systems, combined into a battery, can interact in a coordinated manner. An automated data exchange process is performed to make decisions on the optimal distribution of goals.
Armament of the complex:
SAM "Crotale-NG" is armed with missiles Vought-Thomson "VT-1", created by LTV, according to the contract, for the company "Thomson-CSF". Rocket design started in 1986. Electron-optical guidance system. Guided guidance range of 10,000 km, speed up to 3.5 M.
The main performance characteristics of the complex:
- range of destruction of 500-10000 meters;
- the height of the defeat is 15-6000 meters;
- strikes targets flying at speeds up to 1800 km / h;
- the total number of missiles - 8 units;
- rocket weight 73 kilograms;
- type of fragmentation warhead, with directional action;
- warhead weight 14 kilograms;
- missile guidance - radio command or optical.
Additional Information
At the beginning of 2008, successful tests of a new modification, the Crotale Mk.3 air defense system, were carried out. During the tests, the VT1 rocket hit the target twice - at an altitude of about 1000 meters and a range of 8 kilometers in 11 seconds and at an altitude of 0.5 kilometers and a range of 15 kilometers in 35 seconds.
