The best MANPADS in the world - from “arrow” to “willow” and beyond. Russian air defense systems: modern types, photo Comparison of MANPADS

Man-portable anti-aircraft missile system (MANPADS) is an anti-aircraft missile system designed to be transported and fired by one person. Due to their small size, MANPADS are easily camouflaged and mobile.

The first samples of MANPADS with guided missiles entered service in the late 1960s, having received widespread use during the fighting of the Arab-Israeli “War of Attrition” in 1969 - the first complexes tested in a combat situation were the Soviet MANPADS “Strela- 2". Since the 1970s, MANPADS have been actively used in wars and military conflicts around the world by various partisan and rebel formations as a fairly cheap and effective means of combating aviation.

Background

The immediate predecessors of MANPADS were anti-aircraft grenade launchers, developed primarily as a means of covering troops and designed to destroy low-flying aircraft in takeoff/landing, dive or hover modes. The striking elements of this kind of weapon were feathered or unfinned unguided rockets, and the required probability of destruction was achieved by a phased (with an interval of 0.1 to 0.8 seconds - German MANPADS "Luftfaust" model 1944-1945) or a one-time salvo launch ( MANPADS "Kolos", 1966-1968).

Story

The development of MANPADS in the modern sense of the term began in the 1950s, simultaneously with experiments on grenade launchers and rocket launchers with unguided anti-aircraft missiles, as well as work to improve, modernize and extend the service life of anti-aircraft machine guns. For the first time, the idea of ​​​​creating an individual air defense system with starting device recoilless type (like the most serial American grenade launcher of the Second World War "bazooka"), allowing firing guided missiles at air targets from the shoulder to equip infantrymen with it, arose in 1950 along with the beginning of the Korean War from rocket engineers of the Californian company Convair led by Karel Bossart. But then, a group of scientists had reasonable doubts about the prospects for the instrumental implementation of their plan on the existing production and technical base, with the existing rocket technology and the existing level of development of guided missile weapons guidance systems. In 1955, taking into account the accumulated experience and developments gained, they returned to their idea, they initiated internal corporate research work with a feasibility study for the fundamental possibility of creating and organizing serial production of a light man-portable anti-aircraft missile system, providing the ability to destroy low-flying air targets with a probability higher than specified for existing tactical anti-aircraft weapons(otherwise the idea would be impractical) and unpretentious enough to use for use by infantrymen in a combat zone. The research work they carried out with a feasibility study confirmed the fundamental feasibility of the plan (therefore, the winter of 1955-56 can be conditionally considered the date of birth of the modern MANPADS) and already in January 1956, the engineering and technical staff of the company were given a tactical and technical task for the development and creation of a functional dimensional mock-up missiles called "Redai" (" Red eye" or " red-eyed"for the infrared homing head of a characteristic shape in the head of the rocket). The first mention of the Redeye MANPADS in the open press dates back to mid-May 1957, when representatives of the management of the Convair missile division issued a press statement announcing the development of a new type of infantry weapon with a homing missile, light enough for operation by one person. In May 1958, USMC military personnel launched unguided mass-dimensional light-noise simulators of missiles to establish risk factors during their launch for humans and the negative impact on the tactical situation as a whole (unmasking factors, fire hazard due to the spread of the jet stream, smoke and dust from the firing position, loss of target visibility, etc.) and a month later, at the end of June, test launches of missiles with an infrared seeker began. The complex was presented to the press in mid-November 1958, and in August 1959 it was presented in the exhibition pavilion at the annual symposium of the Association of the US Army, where, in addition to important officials, foreign guests were invited.

The placement of federal orders in the United States, including orders for R&D in the field of weapons and military equipment, is carried out on a competitive basis, the winner is determined in the competition, therefore in 1957, before the start of the field testing stage, Redeye MANPADS competed with similar complexes from rocket manufacturing companies “Sperry-Gyroscope” and “North American Aviation”, a sample of the first was called “Lancer”, the second was called “Slam” (a backronym for “ shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missile"). The main requirements that the army command imposed on the control samples of the three competing companies were as follows:

• The combat weight of the complex should ensure its normal transportability on foot.
• The overall dimensions of the complex must correspond to the volume of internal space of existing serial vehicles and armored vehicles (the NAR Mk 4 was taken as a model).
• The complex's guidance system must ensure reliable engagement of low-flying targets, both manned and unmanned fixed-wing aerial vehicles (airplanes) and rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters).
• The missile in a sealed launch tube must be unitary ammunition, supplied loaded in factory configuration and ready for combat use.
• No need for routine maintenance and minimum requirements to inspect launch tubes with missiles stored in caps in warehouses.
• Extremely short course anti-aircraft gunner training.
• Safety for the shooter at the time of launch.
• Easy to use.

SAM "Lancer" ( Lancer) was carried disassembled by a crew of two people, further operation after deployment to the firing position and installation of the launch tube with the missile on the guide could be carried out by the shooter alone, the missile was launched from a machine installed on the ground or mounted on a vehicle. It corresponded to the definition of a limited-portable air defense system; as a means of ensuring mobility, it required a unit of motor transport, such as a standard light army all-terrain vehicle such as a half-ton jeep. Based on the results of the assessment, it was recognized as not meeting the requirements of an individual weapon (since it could not be properly transported and serviced alone) and many times exceeding the requirements for the maximum permissible combat weight of weapons (subsequently, in December 1958, the Sperry would again compete with the Convair , when he brings to the attention of the army command an improved version of the Lancer against the self-propelled modification of the Redeye, which will be presented among other models of self-propelled air defense systems as part of the Mohler project). MANPADS "Slam" ( SLAM) was carried and maintained by one soldier, the rocket was launched from the shoulder and in its design it was in many ways identical to the Redeye. When assembled, the complex with the rocket weighed about 23 kg (that is, 2.5 times more than the control sample of the main competitor). Further development was rejected by the military command due to exceeding the maximum permissible combat weight of the weapon. Comparative analysis and evaluation of functional models and accompanying technical documentation of the three above-mentioned complexes were carried out by an expert commission of officers of the US Army Missile Command chaired by Francis Duval until January 17, 1958, when Redeye was recognized as the winner of the competition. After representatives of the top management of North American Aviation appealed this decision to higher authorities (because they considered the advantages of the latter to be not so obvious), specialists from the US Army Ordnance and Technical Committee were tasked with conducting an in-depth comparative analysis of the technical qualities of Slam and “Redai”, which was carried out until April 1958 and confirmed the commission’s conclusions regarding the superiority of the latter.

A little after the publication of data on the Redeye MANPADS in the press, several more portable anti-aircraft weapons were proposed (“Harpy” and “Thunderstick”), which, however, did not reach military testing. Work on the creation of rocket launchers with unguided missiles with hypersonic flight speed, which were a by-product of the Sprint anti-missile development program (all of them, to one degree or another, copied it in their form), one of the results of which was the synthesis of high-calorie grades of rocket fuel with a combustion intensity significantly superior to those already available, which predetermined them use for specified rocket launchers. Most of them were intended to combat armored vehicles and ground targets, but some were universal and made it possible to simultaneously fight against high-speed air attack weapons. Almost all missiles of this type had a “carrying cone” type layout and were thin elongated cone-like projectiles. None of the MANPADS (as well as ATGMs) with unguided missiles were ultimately adopted for service. First half of the 1960s is characterized by the simultaneous intensification of work on the creation of MANPADS in various NATO countries (mainly in the USA and Great Britain, individual experiments were undertaken by German and French rocket scientists). The American-British included a mutual exchange of technologies between military-industrial companies (the main counterparties in which were Northrop and General Dynamics on the American side; Shorts and Elliotts on the British side) - this exchange owes its appearance projects to create MANPADS with command guidance in the USA and complexes with an automatic guidance system with missiles equipped with homing heads in the UK, none of which ultimately reached military testing, since the American military leadership demanded extreme simplicity for all types of weapons of this type operation (according to the “shoot and throw” principle), and the British side, on the contrary, pressed for the training of qualified operators, as a result of which the “British Stinger”, like the “American Blowpipe”, did not materialize as serial weapons. The development of such MANPADS as the Redeye in the USA, the Blowpipe and the Dagger in the UK dates back to this period. Meanwhile, the baton in the creation of MANPADS was picked up by the Soviet Union and enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the USSR, using the method of reverse engineering, the Strela-2 complex was created, tested in a combat situation (ironically, on American planes and helicopters) and put into service even earlier than its American source is "Redeye".

By the end of the 1960s. MANPADS with anti-aircraft guided missiles of traditional aerodynamic designs (normal and “duck”) finally defeated alternative projects, which subsequently arose only sporadically, during the next round of the international arms race, as a cheap alternative to expensive homing missiles. However, the first samples of MANPADS with an infrared homing head (IR seeker) missiles suffered from low noise immunity and high weather dependence; they were at all effective only in conditions of clear visibility, in cloudless weather and in the absence of infrared countermeasures (heat traps) from the enemy. and MANPADS with manual radio command control of the missile did not provide the required guidance accuracy, which led to the creation of new MANPADS with infrared seeker “Redai-2”, and then “Stinger”, as well as MANPADS with laser beam command guidance - “Blowpipe” and “Oltenit” in the USA, and "Rayrider" in Sweden (of which only "Stinger" and "Rayrider" reached the stage of mass production).

As more and more countries around the world mastered the production of MANPADS, their military industries produced hundreds of thousands of missiles, put them into service with their own troops and exported abroad. The popularity of MANPADS on the international arms market (including the black market) as a relatively cheap and effective air defense weapon, coupled with support Soviet Union, China, the United States and Great Britain, various national liberation movements and rebel groups in the world, as well as as a result of the independently implemented policies of the leaders of socialist-oriented countries (primarily, such as Muammar Gaddafi in Libya and Fidel Castro in Cuba, under whose leadership their countries carried out intensive international military-technical cooperation), which had at their disposal impressive arsenals of Soviet weapons, led to the fact that various complexes (mainly Soviet made or Soviet bloc countries) fell into the hands of terrorist organizations and began to pose a serious threat to civil aviation. The particular popularity of specifically Soviet MANPADS was due to 1) the scale of their production (many times higher than the production of similar foreign models); 2) low cost (the average cost of the Strela-2 PRZK and one missile for it abroad in 1988 prices was about $7 thousand compared to $100 thousand for the Stinger) and availability, especially with the start of withdrawal Soviet troops from Germany and the disintegration of the USSR, when weapons and military equipment poured out en masse from storage warehouses in an unknown direction; 3) ease of operation, which did not require. MANPADS of NATO countries were often more difficult to operate, requiring the dispatch of instructors or training courses for operators, and obtaining them was much more problematic, so there were an order of magnitude fewer of them in the hands of various dubious organizations. Since the end of the Cold War, under the auspices of the UN and other international organizations, various events and programs have been carried out to disarm and dispose of MANPADS arsenals in order to prevent their illegal acquisition by attackers.

List of MANPADS by country

Is there a resurgence of interest in shoulder-launched and tripod-launched surface-to-air missiles due to advancements in capability-enhancing technologies and the financially compelling need to do more for less? Opinions of Western experts in this field.

Recent advances in microprocessor and propulsion technology have greatly expanded the range and accuracy of modern man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), allowing them to neutralize a vastly expanded range of airborne targets at longer ranges with unprecedented efficiency.

Shoulder-launched missiles offer defensive and offensive capabilities disproportionate to their size, allowing a single MANPADS-equipped soldier to shoot down virtually any aircraft that comes within range of the system. In addition, the new complexes are capable of knocking down air targets smaller ones, such as drones and ballistic missiles.

The fire-and-forget missile of the Mistral MANPADS, according to MBDA, has advantages over a laser-guided missile

The advanced capabilities offered by next-generation MANPADS are attracting increased interest from major militaries seeking to optimize the combat effectiveness of smaller combat units and find ways to mitigate the negative impact of shrinking budgets.

The British can

Thales UK has been continuously improving its Starstreak short-range surface-to-air missile system since it entered service with the British Army in 1997. Starstreak, which replaced the Javelin MANPADS from the same company, was created to provide short-range air defense against threats such as fighter jets and attack helicopters.

The newest modification, designated Starstreak II HVM (High Velocity Missile), is a development existing model, which had a significantly increased range and increased accuracy, as well as improved characteristics, allowing it to work on targets at much higher altitudes.

Chief technologist for missile systems At Thales UK, Paddy Mallon said that Starstreak II pushes the boundaries regarding the range of very short range air defense systems (VSHORADS).

“The Starstreak II is arguably the most advanced anti-aircraft missile in the VSHORADS world, as it has been constantly refined, with regular mid-life upgrades carried out jointly with the Ministry of Defense. Now the missile’s range has reached approximately 7 km, that is, it is a very effective weapon both against short-range high-speed targets that cross the line of sight, and against long-range targets.”

“The rocket has a very high acceleration, which means about Mach 3.5 per second; that is, you have a super-high-speed rocket, which, moreover, due to its high speed provides high lateral acceleration. This way, you are able to intercept high-speed targets crossing the line of sight, and you can also fire the missile over a longer range.”

The missile consists of three arrow-shaped kinetic tungsten submunitions, which have their own own system guidance and control; warhead with a fuse with delay; two-stage solid propellant rocket engine; expelling charge, operating at the moment of launch; and the second stage propulsion engine.

“The key element at the heart of the warhead itself is obviously the impact effect, that is, the entire mass of the warhead, the entire mass of the missile, hits the target. Due to the high flight speed (over the entire flight range, the submunitions have sufficient maneuverability to destroy targets flying with an overload of up to 9g), the striking arrow-shaped submunition of the Starstreak missile pierces the target’s body and then explodes inside it, causing maximum damage. Whereas with many other anti-aircraft missiles, you lose most of the fragments in the air around the aircraft, not inside the target itself,” Mallon explained.

Beam guidance

“Starstreak MANPADS are a means of hitting targets within line of sight. The complex is not illuminated by a laser in the literal sense; when people talk about laser targeting, they are really talking about high power semi-active laser targeting systems. Thales has developed a laser emitter that is much lower in power and therefore undetectable,” Mallon continued.

“Our laser is scanning, imagine a laser diode scanning from left to right and a second laser diode scanning from bottom to top, and this happens hundreds of times per second. Essentially the laser beam creates a coded information field, we call it a laser information field, meaning that no matter where you are within that field, the striking submunition knows where it is. All he’s trying to do is get into the middle of that field.”

According to the developer, the system is difficult, if not impossible, to jam because the MANPADS transmitter is not activated until the operator pulls the trigger, so the target does not know that it has already become a target until the missile leaves the launch tube and is aimed towards a target at more than three times the speed of sound.

“When you pull the trigger, the transmitter turns on. You essentially keep the crosshair on the target, and if the crosshair is on the target, then the center of the laser information field is also on the target and then the projectile is guaranteed to hit the target.”

“At the rear of the submunition there is a small laser receiver window that looks at the launcher. The receiver receives the transmitted information and we use it to keep the submunition in the center of the field.”

The crew of the complex, as a rule, consists of two people: an operator and a commander. All Thales MANPADS currently on the market use the LML (Lightweight Multiple Launcher) tripod, which is available in several versions.

“The LML has a launch control unit that includes optics, a thermal imager and a trigger mechanism. We also install it on some lightweight platforms for several overseas customers. Our LML tripod with tracking and fire control unit can accommodate up to three missiles,” Mallon said.

Update

The Swedish defense company Saab also presented a modernized version of the RBS 70 MANPADS, which has been in service with many countries since the late 60s. New complex received the designation RBS 70 NG. Despite the same designation, the new version is a completely different system.

The RBS 70 NG is a Command Line of Sight (CLOS) system with laser-guided missiles. The launcher consists of a transport and launch container with a missile, a tripod and a sight. Although the complex is based on the previous model in order to simplify upgrades, it has a more advanced integrated guidance system and a fourth-generation Bolide missile capable of combating targets maneuvering with accelerations greater than 20 g (!).

“What's new in the RBS 70 NG guidance system? Integrated thermal imaging sight with very long range detection of all types of targets, more than 20 km. We have integrated a target tracking machine into the complex, which minimizes the number of control commands sent to the missile on its way to the target. In the previous system, operators controlled the rocket using a joystick.”

“Here we have left the same capabilities, the operator can still shoot manually, but with a tracking machine everything is much more pleasant. Compared to a human operator, it generates significantly less interference that degrades the characteristics of the missile control system during flight, and as a result we get greater accuracy... We have automatic video recording of the entire firing process, so you can then see how everything happened, what was done , whether the target was captured correctly, and the like.”

Forsberg explained that the system provides a three-dimensional visual image of the target, which allows the operator to more confidently engage the target and reduces total time reactions up to one second. One more key feature The RBS 70 NG MANPADS is its noise immunity.

“We also have the ability to interrupt the firing process at any second, right up to the moment the target is intercepted. We have laser-guided receivers at the back of the missile and a communications link directly from the sight to the missile. So in order to jam that signal, you have to get between the sight and the missile, which is unlikely or even impossible,” Forsberg said.

“We have a remote fuse that is optimized to deal with small attack targets, such as ballistic missiles. Our complex can really fight almost all targets, we can shoot at everything, from ground targets at zero altitude to helicopters and fighter jets at an altitude of 5,000 meters, and these are unique characteristics.”

Forsberg said the missile could also penetrate any existing armored personnel carrier, hinting that the MANPADS could be used both for self-defense on the ground and against attack helicopters with improved crew protection.

Saab's "jam-resistant" RBS 70 NG missile can be used on a variety of platforms, including vehicles and portable systems

"There are no others anti-aircraft systems, which are capable of fighting ground targets, and we can shoot at everything that is at a distance from 220 to 8 km,” he said. – The interception range of our complex is 8 km. When our competitors talk about firing range, they mean the maximum range, but then we talk about ours maximum range, which is up to 15.7 km."

Forsberg continued: “Most customers keep their systems in either a platoon or battalion configuration, which is a battalion with multiple platoons. A platoon usually consists of three or four fire crews. Three calculations can cover an area of ​​460 square kilometers. Compared to any infrared homing system, a platoon with such systems will cover only about 50 square kilometers.”

Autonomous weapons

European missile manufacturer MBDA is offering the latest version of its Mistral MANPADS with improved target designation and noise immunity.

The Mistral fire-and-forget homing missile has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 3 kg, which contains ready-made tungsten spherical striking elements (1500 pieces). The warhead itself is equipped with a laser non-contact (remote) fuse and a contact fuse, as well as a self-destruct timer.

The infrared homing head is placed inside a pyramidal fairing. This shape has an advantage over the usual spherical one, as it reduces drag. The homing head (GOS) uses a mosaic-type receiving device made on indium arsenide and operating in the range of 3-5 microns, which significantly increases the ability to detect and capture targets with reduced IR radiation, and also allows you to distinguish a useful signal from a false one (sun, brightly lit clouds, IR traps, etc.); the stated probability of defeat is 93%.

"Currently in the divisions French army“We are modernizing the Mistral MANPADS, installing a new homing head in the missiles,” said a representative of the MBDA company. “We now have the ability to engage targets with weak thermal signatures, such as missiles and UAVs, which was a requirement of the French army and navy.”

“We have achieved significant improvements in resistance to countermeasures in the IR region of the spectrum, which typically consist of decoys and radiated jammers, we can handle them all. Of course, this increases the detection range of targets with a low infrared signature, such as an aircraft in a frontal projection, when you cannot see the engines.”

Currently, the actual range of the system is 6.5 km. As a rule, the complex is deployed by two operators, a commander and a gunner. Although it can be deployed by one person, a two-person team is preferable for ease of carrying, interaction and psychological support.

“We have also improved other parts of the rocket, such as the electronics. The protection block has been improved because when you integrate more compact modern electronics, you free up some space. In addition, we have improved the MANPADS sight, as well as the coordinate system; Based on our experience, we have simplified logistics, and we have maintained compatibility between previous versions of MANPADS and new generations,” said an MBDA representative.

Different types

Manufacturers of MANPADS produce two types of these systems: with missiles with an infrared seeker and with missiles with laser beam guidance. An MBDA representative noted that most of the anti-aircraft missiles with infrared seekers produced by MBDA's Russian and American competitors are shoulder-launched systems and, as a result, have less effective on-board electronics and warheads.

“Shoulder-launched missiles are, of course, smaller in size, their seeker is weaker and less effective. “We have directly assessed the systems of different countries and demonstrated that the effectiveness of the Mistral missile is significantly better than the effectiveness of shoulder-mounted competitors with a smaller warhead, without a remote fuse,” he said.

“As for beam-guided missiles, this is not at all like fire-and-forget or homing. This guidance is less accurate and the longer the range, the worse the accuracy, since your aiming block is on the ground and therefore the range directly affects the accuracy.”

“Beam-guided missiles require more training, they require a heavier and more complex guidance unit, the only advantage is their low susceptibility to countermeasures. But with the implementation of the latest improvements for Mistral MANPADS, the advantages of IR guidance are reduced to zero.”

Mallon argued that infrared missiles with a seeker and a remote fuse are prohibitively expensive and have their own disadvantages.

“Since you have decided to install a remote fuse and a warhead standard size, then prepare for increased aerodynamic drag and reduced flight time. Take the Starstreak MANPADS, you won’t find anything like this in it, since our most important requirement when creating it was to destroy high-speed targets or helicopters with a low approach to the target and a subsequent sharp climb,” he explained.

Starstreak MANPADS, in accordance with the contract signed in September 2015, was sold to Thailand

“Systems such as Mistral and Stinger have a remote fuse and warhead, but they are limited in range, they are quite expensive, since they have a seeker. Whereas we try to reduce the cost of our systems as much as possible.”

"The Starstreak rocket has a very a short time flight and this, first of all, is facilitated by high acceleration, and secondly, this is facilitated by the small diameter and low aerodynamic drag of the submunitions themselves. Clearly there are benefits remote fuses, but a critical requirement for Starstreak was to hit such targets at high speed in minimum time,” Mallon continued.

Air superiority

Western armies have long enjoyed air superiority and have therefore kept their needs for low-cost air defense systems to a minimum. In contrast, the MANPADS market was dominated by the armies of developing countries, seeking increased combat capabilities at a minimal price.

"IN Western world For many years, MANPADS were not such an important weapon due to air superiority. But in other parts of the world they are definitely becoming more dominant,” Mallon said.

“If you look at the Asia-Pacific region, militaries there are continuously updating their systems amid healthy economic growth. It is clear that they have now gained access to modern weapons platforms and countries in this region are expected to increase their defense spending."

He continued: “Countries like China are increasing their spending, and countries around it are watching this process with alarm and are starting to think about increasing their military spending. “We are therefore seeing an increase in interest in MANPADS, but this is still just the beginning.”

Forsberg suggested that the need for MANPADS will increase worldwide, however, noting that the recent drop in sales was most likely the result of depressed trends in the global economy.

“Many countries have programs under which they either buy new weapons systems, or modernize those they already have, or exchange these systems for something else. But, based on the economic situation, they postponed their investments and programs for the future, maybe for one, or maybe for several years,” he said.

“That is, as far as I understand, the market, at least in 2016-2017, will feel better. For the most part these will be customers who want to replace the legacy systems they have.”

An MBDA spokesman expressed his view, saying that the need for man-portable air defense systems is not directed towards MANPADS, as the military wants more integrated solutions. “More and more armies are choosing more comfortable solutions for their air defense systems. Simple MANPADS have these negative traits, like the fatigue and openness of the shooter, who must stand and wait for hours for his moment.”

“In the cold, in the winter, it’s very difficult to stand in position for more than two hours and that’s why you need to put a rocket in the system, put the guy in a container or in an air-conditioned car where he can stay for a long time. I think for this reason MANPADS cannot yet occupy the niche that is due to them.”

The MBDA representative also noted that the market for MANPADS is not growing in real terms. It's just that previous generation systems are reaching the end of their useful life and, as a result, new purchases are made only because armies are replacing existing systems with what is currently available on the market.

“But we are seeing growth in Eastern Europe, where the armies switch to Western MANPADS as part of the process of leaving Russian weapons. Among these countries we can note Hungary and Estonia and some others. This is proof that these countries are turning to the West to obtain their weapons and in particular MANPADS,” he said.

Modernization potential

Regarding future upgrades to the RBS 70 NG complex, Forsberg said that Saab is always striving to improve its systems and is working to integrate this system with vehicles and ships.

“Of course, we have a “friend or foe” interrogator for this system, both in the MANPADS configuration and for the complex installed on a vehicle. So it could be an integrated sighting system on top of an off-road vehicle,” he said.

“We are looking at rockets weighing more than 100 kg, I think they are not that heavy. We also offer our clients who need mobile systems a MANPADS on a tripod, which can be used in two ways. For example, you arrived at the intended position, but you are limited there by buildings and trees, then you take the tripod and the complex and place it on the ground where you need it, and use the same sight that you used in the car, simply disconnecting it and installing it on the MANPADS. So, you buy a machine-integrated platform and you get two capabilities in one.”

Mallon explained that Thales is seeking to better understand and define the short-range air defense requirements of different countries, including the UK. She is considering several options for expanding the capabilities of the Starstreak HVM MANPADS, not only the missiles, but also the launcher.

“The progress of automatic target tracking systems and the like is obvious, so we are striving to develop smaller systems. Compared to previous complexes, this will make it possible to obtain a truly integrated system,” he continued.

“As for the missile itself, we want to improve the characteristics of the submunition guidance system. We also want to increase the missile’s range beyond 8 km and for this range make it more effective in terms of guidance accuracy.”

The Verba MANPADS is the latest Russian man-portable anti-aircraft missile system, adopted for service in 2014. This weapon has just begun to arrive in combat units; the first to receive this MANPADS were the anti-aircraft gunners of the 98th Guards Airborne Division (Ivanovo).

The anti-aircraft complex was presented to potential foreign customers at the Defexpo India exhibition in 2019. Rosoboronexport expects that not only the Indian military, but also the defense departments of Algeria, Egypt and a number of other countries will show interest in the Verba complex.

The Verba MANPADS is designed to destroy low-flying air targets (both on a collision course and on a catch-up course) in the face of enemy opposition and the use of false thermal targets. This anti-aircraft missile system is especially effective for destroying stealth targets: unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.

The new anti-aircraft complex uses several new and original technical solutions, which allows him to hit with greater efficiency aircrafts enemy and carry out air defense. When developing the Verba, the rich experience in the development and use of domestic weapons of this class was taken into account. Very often, the Verba MANPADS are called a new generation weapon, which is superior not only to Soviet and Russian developments (Igla-1, Igla, Igla-S), but also to the best foreign analogues: the American Stinger-Block-I and Chinese QW-2.

History of creation

The first information about the Verba MANPADS appeared back in 2008. However, the messages were rather scarce and vague. It was stated that the Verba would be put into service in 2009, but these deadlines were constantly pushed back. In 2011, military tests of the new complex began, but its adoption into service was delayed until 2014.

The development of the complex was carried out by the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, one of the world leaders in the creation of such weapons.

Currently, the new MANPADS have entered service with the Ivanovo Airborne Division. It is planned that in the coming years the Verba will be delivered to other units of the Russian army and will replace outdated anti-aircraft missile systems.

Description

MANPADS "Verba" is designed to destroy low-flying air targets (airplanes, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles) on catch-up and oncoming courses. The firing range of MANPADS is 6 km, and the target engagement height is 4 km. The complex includes a missile with an infrared homing head (GOS), the guidance of which is carried out in three ranges at once, which significantly increases its characteristics and efficiency of use. A similar principle is implemented in most modern MANPADS(for example, the seeker of the Igla MANPADS has two channels), but only the Verba uses three separate photodetectors, each of which operates in its own range. In this regard, it can truly be said that “Verba” is truly a new generation MANPADS.

In addition, the missile seeker is protected from laser jamming systems that are installed on modern combat aircraft and helicopters.

Another feature of the complex is the presence of an automated control system (ACS), which detects airborne objects, determines their flight parameters, and also distributes targets between anti-aircraft gunners in one unit.

A common problem when using MANPADS is the late detection of flying objects. Previously, MANPADS crews tried to visually detect a target, but this is not always an easy task.

To make the work of anti-aircraft gunners even more difficult, pilots often fly at low or ultra-low altitudes. In this case, the enemy aircraft suddenly appears in the field of view, moves at high speed, so it is difficult for the fighter to react in time and prepare for shooting.

The Verba MANPADS automated control system includes a small and noise-proof radar station, which can detect air targets at distances of up to 80 km. After this, the anti-aircraft gunners are given a sound signal about the presence of the enemy, and the automated control system, using the GLONASS system, determines the location of the shooter and gives him the azimuth for shooting.

The Verba anti-aircraft complex is part of the Barnaul-T tactical air defense complex; it is integrated into common system Air defense and can receive information about air targets from higher-level detection systems.

The Verba MANPADS includes the following components:

• trigger 9P521;
• surveillance radar 1L122 with a target detection range of 40-80 km;
• guided missile 9M336;
• system for determining “friend or foe”;
• mobile control point 9V861;
• reconnaissance and control, planning and fire control module;
• installation kit 9С933−1 (for division);
• anti-aircraft gunner automation kit 9S935;
• means for education and training of personnel.

The 9M336 rocket has a new solid propellant engine with more high performance compared to MANPADS currently in service with the Russian army. The missile has an enlarged warhead and is also equipped with an adaptive contact-proximity fuse. The complex also includes a Mowgli-2M night vision sight, which allows firing at night and in conditions of limited visibility.

Another undoubted advantage of “Verba” is its simplification Maintenance. Now the homing head does not need to be regularly cooled with liquid nitrogen. This allows you to avoid additional equipment, refrigerant containers, and save time and effort.

The commander of the anti-aircraft regiment of the 98th Airborne Division, which has already received Verba MANPADS, said that the new systems can significantly reduce the deployment time of crews. Previously, it could take up to five minutes from detecting a target to opening fire, but now this period has decreased by almost ten times.

Man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems have long and firmly taken their place in the system of mobile air defense systems of the ground forces of many countries. New Russian MANPADS have unique capabilities that the military had never dreamed of before.
In all ranges
First, about the uniqueness of “Verba”. Despite the external similarity of this MANPADS with its predecessors - the same “pipe” as the “Igla”, the same sighting mechanism that helps the anti-aircraft gunner identify the target and fire a shot - this is a completely different weapon, with different characteristics. And they are that the missile is capable of hitting not only traditional aircraft - airplanes and helicopters, but also cruise missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, that is, the so-called “low-emitting targets.”
The missile of this complex is equipped with a unique three-spectral homing head operating in the ultraviolet, near-infrared and mid-infrared ranges. It is this difference in spectra that allows us to obtain more information about the target, which makes MANPADS a “selective” weapon. In addition, the Verba head also has significantly greater sensitivity compared to the Igla-S MANPADS. This increases the range of capture of airborne objects. Also, the homing head automatically selects false thermal targets (thermal interference) and focuses on the object with the strongest thermal radiation.
As the representative of the company that developed this weapon, the general designer of the Research and Production Corporation, emphasized, “ Design department mechanical engineering" (JSC "NPK "KBM") Valery Kashin, in terms of the totality of characteristics of the Verba MANPADS, it surpasses all world analogues. And this is not some kind of bragging of the designer for his brainchild. The complex has actually significantly improved its performance in overcoming pyrotechnic interference (including the already mentioned heat traps), increased shooting accuracy, and optimized other indicators. For example, an automated control system detects air targets, including group targets, determines their flight parameters, and even distributes the detected objects among gunners in an anti-aircraft unit, taking into account the location of personnel on the ground.
"Stinger" nervously smokes on the side...
It’s not for nothing that MANPADS stands for “complex”. In addition to the missile in the guide tube, the Verba also includes a launcher, a ground-based radar interrogator “friend or foe” (to prevent unauthorized use on friendly aircraft), as well as a mobile control point, a small-sized radar detector, planning, reconnaissance and management. There is also a portable fire control module, which is supplied to troops in a brigade kit, and a built-in installation kit - for use as part of a divisional kit.
The missile's characteristics are more than optimal for portable anti-aircraft weapons on the battlefield. The new solid-fuel engine makes it possible to carry out a successful shot at an object located at a distance of over six kilometers from the shooter and flying at a speed of 500 meters per second. The mass of the missile is only one and a half kilograms, but the height of the attack varies from ten (!) to 4.5 thousand meters. The closest foreign competitor to the Russian MANPADS, the American FIM-92 Stinger complex, can only be used against air targets located at an altitude of 180 meters. That is, an enemy helicopter will be able to calmly shoot at American infantry positions from a height below this mark: it will simply be impossible to hit a hovering rotorcraft from a Stinger. The US MANPADS do not have the best performance in terms of other characteristics either. Thus, the target height that the Stinger missile can reach cannot exceed 3.8 thousand meters, and the distance from the shooter’s location is 4.8 thousand.
Economical "Verba"
A new Russian MANPADS was presented within the framework of the International Military-Technical Forum ARMY-2015. As the manufacturers note, important feature Another advantage of the product is that the complex allows you to destroy air targets with fewer missiles, which saves the missiles of large anti-aircraft missile systems - very expensive weapons.
According to Valery Kashin, General Designer of JSC NPK KBM, today the Russian Ministry of Defense entered into contracts for the supply of Verba complexes to the troops in a complete version, that is, for weapons immediately anti-aircraft units brigades and divisions. Prior to this, the product passed the stage of practical testing in connections Airborne troops and in the brigades of the Eastern Military District. According to the military, the use of new MANPADS will provide reliable cover for military units from air attacks using modern means of countering air defense systems, protect against massive attacks by cruise missiles, and create an effective close line of defense.
The chief designer of the scientific and technical direction of JSC NPK KBM for MANPADS, Alexander Smirnov, is confident that the adoption of the Verba into service will make it possible to achieve a gigantic gap from competitors and consolidate Russian leadership in this area for many years. The principle of complete delivery, when troops immediately receive all the components necessary to carry out a combat mission, operation, inspection, maintenance, education and training, makes it possible to ensure full combat readiness of units, to develop and maintain among personnel the skills of using missile systems.
Arctic test
Verba has simplified maintenance: now there is no need to carry out periodic checks with cooling of the homing head with nitrogen. This makes it possible to abandon additional equipment, nitrogen storage facilities, and save human resources. The commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment of the 98th Airborne Division, Colonel Andrei Musienko (as part of this formation, the Verba MANPADS were also tested) emphasizes that with the arrival of the new complex, the process of controlling air combat in airborne units accelerated more than 10 times. Previously, more than three to five minutes passed from the moment the senior commander discovered the target to the launch of the missile by the anti-aircraft gunner; now it takes just a few seconds. Such parameters, according to military officers, fully correspond to the needs of modern anti-aircraft combat - highly mobile and dynamic countermeasures of air attack, requiring the use modern weapons and operational management of it.
By the way, the Verba MANPADS, which includes elements of an automated control system, are fully compatible with the Andromeda-D automated control system used in the Airborne Forces. “Verba” performed well during one of the paratroopers’ exercises in Arctic zone. Even in abnormal conditions low temperatures There were no failures or failures in the use of these weapons and their control systems. As Valery Kashin, general designer of JSC NPK KBM, noted, sea and helicopter versions of the Verba are currently in development.

MANPADS "Verba" is the latest Russian portable anti-aircraft missile system, which was developed by specialists from the Mashinostroeniya Design Bureau (Kolomna) and put into service in 2014. Its main task is to combat low-flying air targets, including enemy cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Currently, “Verba” is just beginning to enter service with the troops; it is known that soldiers of the 98th Airborne Division have already received this complex. Serial production of MANPADS is carried out by the Kovrov plant named after. Degtyarev, it started back in 2012.

According to their own tactical and technical characteristics(TTX) Russian MANPADS "Verba" significantly surpasses existing foreign analogues, so it can safely be called a new generation anti-aircraft complex. The range of altitudes and distances at which Verba is capable of operating is quite comparable to the characteristics of more serious army air defense systems. The complex confidently covers the main altitude ranges of operation army aviation, in addition, the missile's homing head is capable of distinguishing real targets from heat traps and confidently hitting them. And this moment is called the main “highlight” of “Verba”.

The complex was first demonstrated to the general public at the international exhibition Defexpo India, which took place in 2016. After this, the American publication Business Insider called Verba “the most terrible portable anti-aircraft system in history.”

The complex, in addition to the launcher itself and the anti-aircraft missile, also includes a mobile small-sized radar and an automated fire control system (AFS), which is capable of not only determining target parameters, but also giving target designations to the launchers. It was also developed by specialists from KB Mashinostroeniya.

India has already become interested in the new Russian complex; negotiations are currently underway with Algeria, Egypt and a number of other countries. It is known that the Verba MANPADS have already been delivered to the Armenian armed forces. There is information that this complex is now being tested in Syria; moreover, information has appeared in the media about the successful use of MANPADS against Islamist drones.

History of creation

The emergence of powerful and long-range anti-aircraft missile systems forced combat aviation pilots to descend from sky-high heights and seek protection in close proximity to the ground. However, already in the early 60s, ground forces began to receive portable air defense systems, which very soon became one of the main enemies of the pilots. Mobile, simple, almost invisible from the air, man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems have proven to be very effective weapons. A fighter armed with a MANPADS could easily destroy a large and expensive fighter or attack aircraft with one missile. For the first time, MANPADS were used en masse in the Arab-Israeli war of 1969. These were the Soviet Strela-2 complexes. The effectiveness of their use amazed specialists.

Around the same time, American portable Red Eye systems were adopted. And in the early 80s, the American army received the famous FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS, which spoiled a lot of blood for our pilots in Afghanistan. At the time of its creation, it was an excellent MANPADS, in many ways superior foreign analogues, including Soviet complexes. But if we talk about today, we must admit that the Stinger is already obsolete. In terms of its main characteristics, it is inferior not only to the newest Verba, but also to many later modifications of the Needle.

Portable anti-aircraft systems quickly found their place after the end of the Cold War; these weapons remain in great demand in our era of hybrid wars and local conflicts.

It should be noted that the USSR always paid special attention to this type of weapon; domestic designers managed to achieve significant success in the field of developing MANPADS. "Strela-2" was replaced by the more advanced "Strela-3", and in the early 80s the Igla complex was adopted by the Soviet army, which is still in use Russian army. It is believed that Soviet and then Russian MANPADS have shot down about 700 different aircraft throughout their history. The main center for the development of domestic MANPADS is the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, which is rightfully considered the world leader in the creation of these weapons.

MANPADS "Verba", in fact, became further development complex "Igla-S", which was put into service at the beginning of the 2000s. The first information about Verba appeared around 2008, but for obvious reasons it was very vague and fragmentary. True, it was stated that the new MANPADS would be ready by 2009. However, this did not happen; the completion date of the complex was constantly postponed. Only in 2011 did military trials begin, which lasted for several years. The Verba MANPADS was put into service in 2014. The units of the Airborne Forces were the first to receive it.

You can shoot from the Verba not only from the shoulder, but also install this complex on warships, helicopters or various ground platforms. The Russian military believes that the new complex will allow them not only to more effectively counter the already familiar threats - enemy planes and helicopters - but also to successfully combat enemy cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Last year, information appeared in a number of domestic media about the destruction of an unmanned aerial vehicle near the Syrian capital using Verba MANPADS. With its help, the rebels adjusted artillery fire. However, information about this incident has not been officially confirmed.

Description of "Willow"

Externally, the Verba MANPADS is not too different from its famous predecessors - anti-aircraft systems"Needle" and "Arrow". However, in fact, this is a weapon with completely different characteristics and capabilities. The new complex is capable of hitting targets at altitudes up to 4.5 km and at a distance of up to 6 km, both on oncoming and catch-up courses. This the most important characteristics for any MANPADS and for them, the Verba is superior to the French Mistral, the American Stinger, and even the more modern British Starstreak. The designers managed to achieve an increase in the range and altitude of hitting targets by using more efficient rocket fuel.

U Russian complex there is one more advantage - this is the lower limit of the affected area, which is only 10 meters. For comparison, the Stinger can lock onto targets flying at an altitude of at least 180 meters.

The Verba portable anti-aircraft system (index 9K333) includes the following elements:

• launcher 9P521;
• anti-aircraft guided missile;
• 1L122 surveillance radar, which is capable of detecting targets at ranges from 40 to 80 km;
• “friend or foe” recognition system;
• fire control system;
• mobile gearbox 9V861;
• installation kit 9С933−1;
• automation kit 9С935;
• means intended for training and education of personnel.

The most important part of any MANPADS is the anti-aircraft missile. The combat capabilities of the complex largely depend on its characteristics. The 9M336 missile is equipped with a homing head that operates in three different ranges at once, including ultraviolet. She also received a new instrument compartment. Thanks to this tri-band design, the missile homing head is capable of distinguishing real air targets from heat traps - usual means self-defense of modern combat aircraft and helicopters from MANPADS. The missile’s three sensors constantly complement each other’s data, which makes attempts to mislead it and “slip” a false target instead of a combat one practically futile.

In addition, it should be noted the highest sensitivity of the missile seeker, compared to existing analogues she grew eightfold. Thanks to this, the probability of MANPADS hitting so-called low-emitting targets - drones and cruise missiles - has significantly increased, as well as the effectiveness of using MANPADS at long distances.

We can also add that the creators of the complex took care of the proper level of protection of the missile's seeker from laser jamming systems, which are only just being adopted by the leading military powers. That is, in this case, the creators of “Verba” worked proactively.

It should be noted that the use of several photodetectors for different spectral ranges is not some kind of special “know-how”; a similar principle is used on most seekers of modern portable anti-aircraft systems. But only Verba has three independent channels for receiving information.

According to the developers, the 9M336 missile is completely digital, it is insensitive to aggressive environments and is completely sealed.

The weight of the missile warhead is 1.5 kg. It is equipped with a proximity fuse that initiates detonation at a certain distance from the object. This scheme is considered more effective, and it does not require a direct missile hit on the object.

Another advantage of the Verba MANPADS compared to its competitors is the presence of a radar and fire control system in the complex. Untimely target detection is one of the main disadvantages of portable anti-aircraft systems. As a rule, a fighter begins to prepare to fire only after visually detecting an enemy aircraft or helicopter. To make life even more difficult for air defense crews, pilots typically use low or high altitudes.

The radar, which is part of the Verba complex, can detect enemy aircraft at distances of up to 80 km, and the fire control system through the GLONASS system determines the exact location of the crews and gives a warning to those who are most effectively able to hit the target. Soldiers receive a sound signal, as well as information about the main characteristics of approaching objects.

The Verba MANPADS is part of the Barnaul-T tactical air defense system, so anti-aircraft crews can also receive information about targets from higher-level detection systems.

The total weight of the launcher with the missile and power supplies is 17.25 kg. “Verba” is equipped with a “Mowgli-2” night sight, which allows it to be used at any time of the day.

Another advantage of the new complex is its ease of maintenance. Unlike previous generations of MANPADS, the missile's homing system does not require regular cooling with liquid nitrogen. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of its operation.

As mentioned above, the Verba MANPADS can be used not only for shooting from the shoulder. "Needles" are part of the ship's Gibka air defense systems, and are also used on combat helicopters in the Strelets complexes. They plan to use Verba in a similar way.