World's Best Missile Defence

What is the best missile defence system in the world?

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D

Destroyer

New Member
ARROW 2 THEATRE BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEM, ISRAEL
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/arrow2/images/Arrow_1.jpg
The Arrow 2 theatre ballistic missile defence system has been developed by the MLM Division of Israel Aircraft Industries and is in operation with the Israeli Defence Forces. The system, carrying the codename Homa or Fence, is to be deployed in three batteries including one battery near Tel Aviv and one to the south of Haifa. The first battery became operational in 2000.

The demonstrator phase of the program began in 1988 when the US Department of Defense Strategic Defence Initiative placed a contract on the Electronics Division of Israel Aircraft Industries to build and test the Chetz-1 (Hebrew name for Arrow 1) Anti Tactical Ballistic Missile (ATBM) system. Following the successful completion of the demonstrator tests, the system entered full-scale development and production. The weight of the Arrow 1 was 2,000kg. A new missile was developed, the Arrow 2, with a launch weight of 1,300kg, which was first tested in 1995. Arrow 2 has successfully acquired, tracked and destroyed TM-91 Arrow missile targets from ranges of 60km and 100km. Further Arrow Weapon System developments have been planned and will be funded by Israel and the USA.

In February 2003, IAI signed an agreement with Boeing to establish the production infrastructure to manufacture components of the Arrow missile in the US. Boeing will be responsible for the production of approximately 50% of the missile components in the US. Boeing will produce various missile components and co-ordinate the production of existing Arrow missile components already being manufactured by more than 150 American companies. IAI will be responsible for integration and final assembly of the missile in Israel.

An Arrow Weapon System battery is equipped with typically four or eight launch trailers, each with six launch tubes and ready-to-fire missiles, a truck mounted Hazelnut Tree Launch Control Centre, a truck mounted communications centre, a trailer mounted Citron Tree fire control centre and the units of a mobile Green Pine radar system.
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/arrow2/images/Arrow_2.jpg
ARROW 2 MISSILE LAUNCH PLATOON
The missile launch platoon consists of the Hazelnut Tree truck-mounted Launch Control Centre (LCC) with four or eight missile launch trailers. The entire launch platoon is mobile and able to relocate to a new site. After firing the launchers can be reloaded in an hour.

There are microwave and radio data and voice communications links between the launch centre and the radar command and control centre. The launch system can be located up to 300km from the site selected for the radar command and control centre.

ARROW 2 ATBM MISSILE
The two-stage missile is equipped with solid propellant booster and sustainer rocket motors. The missile uses an initial burn to carry out a vertical hot launch from the container and a secondary burn to sustain the missile's trajectory towards the target at a maximum speed of Mach 9, or 2.5km/s. Thrust vector control is used in the boost and sustainer phases of flight. At the ignition of the second stage sustainer motor, the first stage assembly separates.

The Arrow missile is launched before the threat missile's trajectory and intercept point are accurately known. As more trajectory data becomes available, the optimum intercept point is more precisely defined and the missile is guided towards the optimum intercept point.

The kill vehicle section of the missile, containing the warhead, fusing and the terminal seeker, is equipped with four aerodynamically controlled moving fins to give low altitude interception capability. The warhead is a high explosive directed blast fragmentation warhead developed by Rafael, which is capable of destroying a target within a 50m radius. The dual mode missile seeker has a passive infrared seeker for the acquisition and tracking of tactical ballistic missiles and an active radar seeker used to home on air breathing targets at low altitudes. The infrared seeker is an indium antimonide focal plane array developed by Raytheon (formerly Amber Engineering).

The intercept altitudes are from a minimum of 10km up to a maximum of 50km. The maximum intercept range is approx. 90km.

GREEN PINE EARLY WARNING FIRE CONTROL AND MISSILE GUIDANCE RADAR
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/arrow2/images/Arrow_3.jpg
The Elta Electronic Industries subsidiary of IAI Electronic Group developed the Green Pine early warning and fire control radar for the Arrow system. The radar carries the designation EL/M-2090 and includes the trailer mounted radar and antenna array, the power generator, a cooling system and a radar control centre.

Green Pine is an electronically scanned, solid state, phased array radar operating at L-band in the range 500MHz to 1,000MHz, and was developed from the Elta Music phased array radar. The radar operates in search, detection, tracking and missile guidance modes simultaneously.

The radar can detect targets at ranges up to about 500km and is able to track targets up to speeds over 3,000m/s. The radar illuminates the target and guides the Arrow missile to within 4m of the target.

India has placed an order for the supply of two Elta Green Pine for use with India's air defence system against ballistic missiles. The first was delivered in 2001.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/arrow2/images/Arrow_5.jpg
CITRON TREE FIRE CONTROL CENTRE
Tadiran Electronics Limited is the prime contractor for the Citron Tree battle management / fire control centre. Citron Tree, which is trailer mounted, downloads the radar data along with data from other sources and uses powerful signal processing tools to manage the threat interceptions fully automatically, including against single and multiple threats. The system has man-in-the-loop intervention capability at every stage.

The fire control and battle management centre has computer workstations for the Sky Situation Co-ordinator, Intelligence Officer, Post Mission Analysis Officer, Resource Officer and Senior Engagement Officer as well as the Commander's station. The workstations display a large electronic map showing the area of battle. Predicted and confirmed launch sites are colour coded to show priority sites.

When a missile launch is detected, the launch site, the missile's position and trajectory and the predicted impact point are displayed on the electronic map. The predicted impact point is displayed as an ellipse on the map. The size of the impact ellipse shrinks as the missile's trajectory stabilises and the trajectory data becomes available. The trajectory image is colour matched to the image of its launch site. The optimum intercept point is also displayed. The centre can control up to 14 intercepts simultaneously.

Link 16, Tadil J, communications is being developed to allow interoperability with Patriot fire control units. Assigned targets can be handed over to the Patriot's N/MPQ fire control radar. Tests carried out by the US and Israel have successfully linked the Arrow and US Patriot and also the Arrow and Israeli Defence Force Patriot version.




http://www.army-technology.com/projects/patriot/images/pat10.jpg
PATRIOT MISSILE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM, USA
Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defence system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. Patriot (MIM-104) is produced by Raytheon in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Florida.

As well as the USA, Patriot is in service with Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. It has been cleared for sale to Egypt.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/patriot/images/pat6.jpg
MISSILE
The Patriot missile is equipped with a track-via-missile (TVM) guidance system. Midcourse correction commands are transmitted to the guidance system from the mobile Engagement Control Centre. The target acquisition system in the missile acquires the target in the terminal phase of flight and transmits the data using the TVM downlink via the ground radar to the Engagement Control Station for final course correction calculations. The course correction commands are transmitted to the missile via the Missile Track Command Uplink. The high explosive 90kg warhead is situated behind the terminal guidance section.

The range of the missile is 70km and maximum altitude is greater than 24km. The minimum flight time is the time to arm the missile, which is less than 9s, and the maximum flight time is less than 3½mins.

PAC-2 GEM+ UPGRADE

Raytheon has developed the Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile Plus (GEM+), an upgrade to the PAC-2 missile. The upgrade involves a new fuze and the insertion of a new low noise front end which increases the seeker's sensitivity to low radar cross-section targets. The first upgrade forebodies were delivered to the US Army in November 2002. 148 missiles are to be upgraded under the first production contract.

PATRIOT ADVANCED CAPABILITY (PAC-3)
A new Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile has increased effectiveness against tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, through the use of advanced hit-to-kill technology. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor with Raytheon the systems integrator. The PAC-3 has a Ka-band millimetre wave seeker developed by Boeing. The missile guidance system enables target destruction through the kinetic energy released by hitting the target head-on. 16 PAC-3 missiles can be loaded on a launcher, compared to four PAC-2 missiles.

PAC-3 entered low rate initial production in late 1999 and first LRIP production missiles of a total of 92 were delivered in September 2001. A contract for 88 missiles was placed in December 2002 and a total of 208 missiles are planned for procurement by 2004, when a decision on full-rate production is expected. The Netherlands and South Korea have requested sales of PAC-3 missiles and Lockheed Martin and EADS (formerly DaimlerChrysler Aerospace) have established a joint venture company for the production of the system for the German Air Force.

http://www.danshistory.com/patriot.jpg
M901 LAUNCHING STATION
The M901 Launching Station transports, points and launches the Patriot missile. Each launcher has four missiles. The launcher is remotely operated via a VHF or fibre optic data link from the Engagement Control Station, which provides both the missile prelaunch data and the fire command signal.

ENGAGEMENT CONTROL STATION
The AN/MSQ-104 Engagement Control Station is the only manned station in a Patriot Fire Unit. The Control Station communicates with the M901 Launching Stations, with other Patriot batteries and the higher command headquarters.

The Control Station is manned by three operators, who have two consoles and a communications station with three radio relay terminals. The digital Weapon Control Computer is located next to the VHF Data Link Terminals.

RADAR
The AN//MPQ-53 phased array radar carries out search, target detection, track and identification, missile tracking and guidance and electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) functions. The radar is mounted on a trailer and is automatically controlled by the digital weapons control computer in the Engagement Control Station, via a cable link. The radar system has a range of up to 100km, capacity to track up to 100 targets and can provide missile guidance data for up to nine missiles.

The US Army Patriot radars are being upgraded by Raytheon. The upgrade kits provide greater power for the radar and the addition of a wideband capability for improved target discrimination.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/patriot/images/pat5.jpg
TARGET ENGAGEMENT
A target engagement can be carried out in manual, semi-automatic or automatic mode. When the decision has been made to engage the target, the Engagement Control Station selects the Launch Station or Stations and pre-launch data is transmitted to the selected missile. After launch, the Patriot missile is acquired by the radar. The command uplink and the TVM downlink allow the missile's flight to be monitored and provide missile guidance commands from the weapon control computer. As the missile approaches the target, the TVM guidance system is activated and the missile is steered towards the target. A proximity fuse detonates the high explosive warhead.
 
O

orange_hawk

New Member
both patriot and arrow are very capable anti-ballastic deterant

the best system will be the combination of this 2 systems,

since arrow is designed to intercept the incoming missile at higher altitude than that of patriot.

israle's doctrine guided the design of arrow such that the missile is intercepted at high altitude and thus avoiding any accidents near ground.

so if the 2 systems are combined that will be great, arrow misses and patriot takes care, the intercept probabilty almost doubles,

i don't have any numbers but it sounds logical to me.
 
D

Destroyer

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5
yeah

Yeah that makes sense and the Arrow 2 also consists of a very powerful radar: The GreenPine , which India has been able to get their hands on.
 
webmaster

webmaster

Troll Hunter
Staff member
orange_hawk said:
regarding the other anti-missile systems,

read this article in poular science



it is regarding the airborne laser to intercept missiles like scud.

very interesting and informative, may be in future, satellites will do similar job and take care of incoming aggressor missiles

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviation/article/0,12543,424266,00.html
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Excellent!

As world realizes that US air power is TOO much for them to handle... major players will concentrate on airdefence. It should be nice to see Russia, China coming up with something new in the coming years!
 
M

mmalam

New Member
how can we say which one is better. both havent been tested in real combat ( hey, iraqi looser scuds were a no match so dont count them)..

BTW, the Patriot 1 was very much promoted , as these are being done now, but as we know it, it wasnt able to intercept many scuds.
 
H

Hamza_K

New Member
There is no confirmed missile defence. Patriot is just crap, its hit were 0 to 6 scuds at most in the first gulf war, and there is a very big chance it was 0.
 
A

AK_PAK

New Member
Hamza_K said:
There is no confirmed missile defence. Patriot is just crap, its hit rate was 0 to 6 scuds at most in the first gulf war, and there is a very big chance it was 0.
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And though it did well against Iraqi scuds and other missiles, those missiles launched sucked anyway.
 
B

Bharat_R

New Member
In hit and kill capability, the Arrow-2 is the best, they even tested it hitting a missile unlike the Patriot, so the patriot shouldn't even be compared to it. Also the Russians have a very good ATBM missiles, like the S-300PMU, or S-400, and remember Russia has long experience of ATBM. They are the masters of this field, American propaganda just can't admit it.
 
I

iceman_f15

New Member
T think Arrow-2 is more advance...just read this whichh might indirectly prove this:

Source:
http://www.cndyorks.gn.apc.org/yspace/articles/bmd/india_ditches_arrow.htm

U.S. officials said India was told by the Bush administration that the United States would not permit the sale of the Arrow-2, developed with Washington in a joint project over the last 15 years. The officials said the range of the Arrow-2 medium-tier system would affect the balance of power with neighboring Pakistan.

Instead, the Defense Department has offered India the Patriot Advanced Capability, or PAC-3 system for New Dehli's missile defense requirements. Officials said India relayed a formal request for the PAC-3 in September as part of a proposal that New Dehli join a U.S.-led missile defense umbrella.

Officials said the sale of the PAC-3 system to India is probable but not certain. They said the State Department and Congress want firm assurances that India will not transfer U.S. missile technology to any third country, particularly Iran.
 
A

ajay_ijn

New Member
If we are talking about Ballitic Missile in specific then US developed Ground Based Interceptor I think will be the best Missile Defence.
GBI is itself a small ballistic Missile which is designed to intercept Missile in space rather than in atmosphere i.e when Missile is in Mid-course Stage.
It has Advanced Exoatmosphere Kill Vechile(EKV).
The systems which would come close to its capability will be Arrow-2,S-400 and SM-3 to some extent.

If we are talking about General Missile Defence i.e defence against Aircraft,Cruise and Ballistic Missiles ,my vote goes for S-300PMU-2 and S-400.
They have very cover long ranges of 200km and 400km respectively and also can intercept Ballistic Missile of range 3000km.
 
H

hovercraft

New Member
what about this?

THAAD THEATRE HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENSE MISSILE SYSTEM, USA

The THAAD (Theatre High Altitude Area Defense) missile system is an easily transportable defensive weapon system to protect against hostile incoming threats such as tactical and theatre ballistic missiles at ranges of 200km and at altitudes up to 150km.

The THAAD system provides the upper tier of a "layered defensive shield" to protect high value strategic or tactical sites such as airfields or populations centers. The THAAD missile intercepts exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric threats. The sites would also be protected with lower and medium tier defensive shield systems such as the Patriot PAC-3 which intercepts hostile incoming missiles at 20 to 100 times lower altitudes.

THAAD PROGRAM

The US Army is expected to acquire 80 to 99 THAAD launchers, 18 ground based radars and a total of 1,422 THAAD missiles. Two THAAD battalions are planned, each with four batteries.

In 1992 Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space and other industrial team partners were awarded a $689 million contract to develop the THAAD system. Raytheon was selected as sub-contractor to develop the ground based radar. Raytheon is responsible for the solid-state receiver/transmitter modules. TRW is responsible for software development. The other main contractors are Raytheon for the traveling wave tubes, Datatape for the data recorders and EBCO for radar turrets.

The THAAD program entered the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase in 2000. In May 2004, production of 16 flight test missiles began at Lockheed Martin's new production facilities in Pike County, Alabama. Flight testing of the EMD system is scheduled to begin in early 2005 and continue till 2009. The system is expected to enter low-rate production, to support initial operating capability (IOC) in 2007.

THAAD BATTERY

The THAAD battery will typically operate nine launch vehicles each carrying eight missiles, with two mobile tactical operations centers (TOCs) and a ground-based radar (GBR).

THAAD MISSILE INFORMATION

The target object data and the predicted intercept point are downloaded to the missile prior to launch. The updated target and intercept data are also transmitted to the missile in flight.

The missile is 6.17m in length and is equipped with a single stage solid fuel rocket motor with thrust vectoring. The rocket motor is supplied by Chemical Systems Division of Pratt & Whitney. The launch weight is 900kg.

A separation motor is installed at the interstage at the forward end of the booster section. The separation motor assists in the separation of the kinetic kill vehicle (KKV) and the spent boost motor.

The shroud separates from the KV before impact. The KV is equipped with a liquid-fuelled Divert and Attitude Control System, DACS, developed by Boeing, formerly the Rocketdyne division of Rockwell International, for the terminal maneuvering towards the target intercept point. A gimbal-mounted infrared seeker module in the nose section provides terminal homing to close in on the target missile in the terminal phase of approach.

During the initial fly-out phase of flight, the seeker window is covered with a two-piece clamshell protection shroud. Metal bladders installed in the shroud are inflated to eject the protective shroud before the seeker initiates target acquisition. The infrared seeker head, developed by BAe Systems, is an indium antimonide (InSb) staring focal plane array operating in the mid infrared 3 to 5 micron wavelength band.

M1075 TRUCK MOUNTED LAUNCHER

There are nine M1075 truck mounted launchers in a typical THAAD battery. Launch vehicle is a modified Oshkosh Truck Corporation Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck with Load Handling System (HEMTT-LHS). The 12m long by 3.25m wide launch vehicle carries ten missile launch containers. While on the launcher, lead acid batteries provide the primary power. The batteries are recharged with a low noise generator.

After firing, reloading the launch vehicle takes 30 minutes.

GROUND BASED RADAR

The cueing for the THAAD system is provided by the Raytheon Systems Ground Based Radar (GBR) for surveillance, threat classification and threat identification. THAAD can also be cued by military surveillance satellites such as Brilliant Eyes.

The ground based radar units are C-130 air transportable. The radar uses a 9.2m² aperture full field of view antenna phased array operating at I and J bands (X-band) and containing 25,344 solid state microwave transmit and receive modules. The radar has the capability to acquire missile threats at ranges up to 1,000km. The first production radar is being tested at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. In September 2004, the THAAD radar tracked a tactical ballistic missile, cueing a successful intercept by a Patriot PAC-3 missile.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS CENTER

Each THAAD battery has two tactical operations centers (TOC). The TOC has been developed by Northrop Grumman, formerly Litton Data Systems Division. The TOC accommodates two operator stations and is equipped with three Hewlett-Packard HP-735 data processors.

MOBILE BMC3I UNITS

The THAAD system is able to "hand over" targets to other defense systems and can cue the targets to other weapons. THAAD is able to interface to other US or allied air defense data information networks and to the battle management and command control and communications center.

Northrop Grumman has been contracted to develop the THAAD BMC3I. The Battle Management and Command, Control, Computers and Intelligence (BMC3I) units are installed in hardened shelters mounted on High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs).

The THAAD communications system can use JTIDS, Mobile Subscriber Equipment, SINCGARS and the Joint Tactical Terminal for voice and data communications and for intelligence data transfer.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/thaad/
 
H

highsea

New Member
armage said:
Did you guys here about the new Russian SAM they made I think it's called "Samoderzhets (Emperor)"?
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It's a combination of the S-300VM missile and S-400 electronics. Nothing really new. It sounds like it is a product of a merger of two defence companies in Russia. Here is a translation from a Russian article, it's a little hard to understand, but you can get the drift...
Recently Russian oboronshchiki gave the sensational statement about the completion of scientific research works on the project with the loud and promising name "autocrat". It is asserted, that the new Russian miracle- weapon with the 100-percent guarantee will tightly shut the air and outer space of Russia. It would seem, it is possible only to be been glad to this communication from the depths of defense- industrial complex.

However, in experts number of the puzzled questions appears. Judging by the advertising publications, "autocrat" - fundamentally new rocket- zenith weapon, designed on the ultramodern technological principles. It is the natural continuation of Russian antiaircraft-missile systems S-300. Experts are assigned by the question: and as to be then with the complex S-400 "triumph", by recently accepted for the armament? That, about it they did forget? "triumph" they await in the troops, but in no way they can wait for. This well, then experts discuss, refusal of the complex S-400 "triumph"? Acknowledgement of its certain insolvency?

From other side, bringing "autocrat" to the mind will require not one yr. It means, will be as before used the same systems S-300? I.e., the obsolete systems. As it was possible to explain "NVO", "autocrat" - this is unique technical and scientific hybrid from the already existing complex S-300VM and newly-made S-400. The first complex is mastered by the concern Of "antey", by the second all in no way can razrodit'sya NPO "diamond" for the series production.

These firms two ago merged into the united concern OF "PVO - AIR DEFENSE". Here at that time in this newly formed holding arose the brilliant idea - to in exactly the same manner pour off together S -300VM and S-400. By that time in "four-hundredth" was already finished almost entire guidance equipment and control of rockets. However, in the launch cannisters there were ready for action only light AA guided missiles, capable of striking ballistic targets, flying approximately at a rate of 1700 m/s.

However, by heavy rocket in the "four-hundredth", having speed 2500 m/s, was occupied BAR "torch" in Khimkakh. But rocket in no way was obtained because of the chronic pennilessness and different organizational reasons. Was found brilliant output - take heavy rocket from the complex S-300VM, developed in KB "innovator" (Ekaterinburg) and to place it into the launch cannister on the system S-400. This rocket is capable of destroying operational-tactical, of medium distance is ballistic missiles, aircraft and helicopters in a radius to 200 kilometers.

It is obtained, that the hybrid "autocrat" does not acquire new technical characteristics, and already especially it is deprived of the ability "to guard the aerospace space of Russia". Officer, served not one decades in the space defense, it explained, that if the speed of the ballistic missile of enemy exceeds boundary in 1000 m/s, that to complex S-300 it will be simply not on the teeth. Any of the present Russian antiaircraft-missile systems will not in the state intercept it because of the heavy overloads.

Created for two decades S-400 "triumph", as it is assumed, in the future it will intercept rockets, flying at a rate of 2500 m/s in a radius to 1000 km. It is obtained, that the "autocrat" several times loses on the combat capabilities to complex S-400 "triumph". By the way, it will be capable is capable to intercept only medium-range rockets, and "autocrat" cannot make this. It is maximal, on that he is capable, - to intercept the rockets of tactical level.

There is and one additional zakavyka, experts note. It is incomprehensible, as povedet itself long-range rocket KB "innovator", which was made for the launcher mounted on tracks, and now to it it is necessary to shoot from he "autocrat", starting of which are placed on the running landing gears. Such combinations now and then create the insurmountable technical problems. There is to that an example, when one firm, in spite of the protests of scientist- developers, it moved the surface-to-air missiles of the obsolete complex from the specially designed launcher, which in the troops for simplicity and reliability the zenith missilemen amorous called gun, to the armored car.

This "novelty" of proreklamirovali on all possible exhibitions, and then several years scientists could not force rocket normally to start with the new starting. Even the heavy armored car in this case hardly was not turned over. It will not come out such, also, with the "autocrat"?

And finally, during this distribution in the indeterminate situation occurs BAR the "torch" with the almost finished long-range rocket for S -400. But indeed to it are spent billions of rubles. On the whole it is obtained, as in children's schitalke "on to stake bast - begin first". So no money Of gosoboronzakaza will be sufficient never.
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Here is the original article in Russian:

http://nvo.ng.ru/armament/2004-09-03/1_c300.html
 
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