The main firing element of the SAMP / T anti-aircraft missile system is the Arabel multifunctional radar. Passive HEADLIGHTS, as well as the drive of the antenna post, allow scanning the airspace in azimuth at a speed of 360 deg / s (60 rpm), scanning in the elevation plane is carried out by electronic transfer of the PFAR beam. "Arabel" has a fairly high computing capacity, providing a throughput of 130 VTS in the tracking mode on the passage, and 10 air targets in the capture (target designation) mode. But this radar has serious disadvantages over such radars as our 30N6E / 92N6E or the American AN / MPQ-53. To provide all-aspect air defense at the level of one SAMP / T battery, the specialists of the French Thomson-CSF were forced to rotate the X-band Arabel antenna post, which does not allow for continuous target illumination, and forces them to rely only on an active radar seeker SAM family "Aster". During 10 airborne missiles, when some of the missiles intercept targets in one direction, and the Arabel pattern is temporarily directed in a different direction, the failure of the ARGSN Aster-30 target lock at the moment of approaching the target can lead to a miss, which is MRLS at this moment may not correct. Due to the use of active radar homing missiles, the width of the main beam of the DND is 2 degrees, which is more than that of the "Three hundredth" and "Patriots" RPNs, the accuracy of the latter is much higher. But the Arabel radar also has a serious advantage: the viewing sector in the elevation plane is from -5 to 90 degrees. This allows you to: detect and attack low-altitude targets, even with a decrease in relation to the radar (if the battery is deployed on a small hill), as well as intercept air attack weapons attacking from vertical directions. For example, RPN 30N6E has a field of view from 5 to 64 degrees, which has serious consequences in the fight against the ALARM PRLR and other WTO approaching from above
In numerous Russian media, you can find a lot of information regarding the deployment in Eastern European NATO member states, as well as in the Far Eastern allies of the United States of American anti-aircraft missile systems of the territorial missile defense "Patriot PAC-2/3", as well as exclusively anti-missile systems of the regional missile defense "THAAD ", But there is practically no information about the plans to pull the SAMP / T air defense system to our western borders. The first example of the use of SAMP / T to counter the Russian Aerospace Forces is the dispatch of the Italian SAMP / T to the Syrian-Turkish border, where, within the framework of the Turkish military support program, a fairly large NATO military group is deployed, represented by Patriot complexes, electronic warfare systems as well as their logistic support. The version officially voiced by the French magazine Air & Cosmos says that the deployment of air defense systems in southern Turkey is necessary to repel possible missile attacks from ISIS, however, the transfer of the complexes began precisely after the deployment of the Russian contingent in the SAR, and in particular the Iskander OTRK "And super-maneuverable multipurpose fighters of the" 4 ++ "generation Su-35S, and just think about why Ankara would ask to form a missile defense system from a terrorist organization, which it also sponsors.
Complexes "Patriot PAC-2/3" and SAMP / T can intercept a decent range of ultra-small maneuvering means of air attack, which is facilitated by the gas-dynamic control system and ARGSN missiles "ERINT" and "Aster-30", but OTBR 9M723-1 complex "Iskander- M "is clearly too tough for the American and European air defense systems, since anti-aircraft maneuvers with overloads of 30 units. do not allow either American or European interceptor missiles to reliably target a Russian ballistic missile in a hit-to-kill mode. To effectively intercept a maneuvering target, the anti-missile must have 2, 5 - 3 times greater overloads than the attacking air attack. The Aster-30 has overloads of up to 65 units, which is higher than that of the ERINT (45 units), but all Asters are armed with another drawback that affects the accuracy and capabilities of the SAMP / T complex in fight against stealth objects.
The ERINT interceptor missile is equipped with an ARGSN of the millimeter part of the Ka-band (more than 30 GHz), which makes it possible to more accurately aim at small, inconspicuous targets, the Aster-30, with its best maneuverability, has an ARGSN Ku-band of centimeter waves, which slightly reduces hit-to-kill accuracy. For this reason, the French and Italian divisions of the Eurosam consortium will soon be involved in a deep modernization of the Aster-30 guidance system.
An agreement on the joint development of a new active radar homing head was signed between the defense ministers of France and Italy on June 14, 2016. A complete update of the electronic filling of the new anti-aircraft guided missile "Aster block 1 New Technology" is envisaged: the missile will receive an ARGSN of the millimeter Ka-range, which will bring the "Aster-30" to a more advanced level in comparison with the "ERINT" level. Possessing a greater target destruction range (120 km compared to 80 km), the new Aster block 1 NT will be able to intercept any ballistic targets at ranges of more than 50 km, because the missile has an ARGSN and can be launched on target designation towards the enemy's air defense systems in anticipation (more before its entry into the affected area of the "SAMP / T" complex or its ship analogue "PAAMS"). The SAMP / T ground infrastructure is also planned to be upgraded. Apparently, it is planned to modernize the processor units, as well as the data exchange buses between the new Aster missile defense system, the Arabel radar, as well as the command and control center of the complex. All modernization measures will help not only to more clearly capture the small-sized hypersonic elements of the WTO, but also to expand the maximum speed of the targeted target.
Over the next 10-15 years, it is planned to gradually develop several new versions of the Aster-30, capable of intercepting even more modern and long-range ballistic missiles. So, if "Aster block 1 NT" is capable of intercepting OTBR with a range of up to 1000 km, the version of "Aster block 2" will be able to hit medium-range ballistic missiles (up to 3000 km). Both the first and second modifications will already pose a threat to the Iskander-M OTBR family; the modernization of the block of gas-dynamic engines of transverse control (DPU), as well as reinforcement of the rocket body with the use of new high-strength materials, is not excluded, which can increase the overload of the "Aster" to 70-80 units. Deployment of SAMP / T complexes equipped with these missiles in the Baltic States, Poland, Georgia, Sweden or Finland can create serious inconveniences for Iskander, Polonaise and other missile systems on duty in the Western and Southern military districts.
And again the anti-ship "Caliber" comes to the aid of the Russian Aerospace Forces. In addition to a promising stealthy operational-tactical ballistic missile with an integral warhead, 533-mm anti-ship missiles of the Caliber-A / NK versions in versions 3M-51 "Alpha" and 3M54A. Three-stage anti-ship missiles have a range of up to 250 km and a supersonic combat stage 3P52, which develops a speed at the ground / water level of up to 3050 km / h. Like all promising Caliber missiles, including the strategic 3M14T, Alpha and 3M54AE have most of the structural units represented by composite materials, and the combat stage has several times smaller physical dimensions than the Iskander-M missiles, respectively, EPR 3 - the flight stage does not exceed 0.05 m2 and it is very difficult to intercept it in low-altitude mode, given that today the Arabel radar is not being erected on universal towers. The development of an air-to-surface / surface-to-surface missile can be similar to the land-based modification of the BrahMos tactical missile, which is being tested in the Indian Armed Forces.
To counter the upgraded SAMP / T will require the development of an even more modern hypersonic OTBR, the characteristics of which will move forward in comparison with the Iskander. The radar signature of the new missile should be several times less than that of the 9M723. For this, a two-stage design of an OTBR with a detachable warhead should be considered, equipped with a gas-dynamic maneuvering system and a module of a complex of means of overcoming missile defense BB of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The RCS of the BB separated from the 2nd or 1st stage is much smaller than the radar signature of a single-stage missile with an inseparable warhead: even with the maximum use of radio-absorbing composite materials, a large number of units and assemblies of the 9X820 engine compartment of the 9M723 Iskander solid-propellant rocket engine made and various metal alloys, which at different angles of approach to the interceptor missile can have a certain radio contrast, especially for millimeter ARGSN. However, for a seeker with similar radiation-receiving frequencies, any metal element on the target's body or even inside it can become a completely visible target, which once again makes one think about a detachable warhead and new types of radio-absorbing materials.
At the moment, the specialists of the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau have several more years to illuminate the sky over Kapustin Yar with the frightening West power of the promising OTBR, which does not leave the new Aster-30 units a single chance.
