Harrison Kass
Modern surface-to-air missiles give poorer nations the ability to shoot down advanced fighter jets over their territory for a fraction of their cost.
The surface-to-air missile is a ground (or ship) launched missile designed to destroy airborne targets like planes, helicopters, drones, and other missiles. The SAM sounds simple enough—and it is in certain respects. But SAM operations follow a surprisingly complicated process—a launch sequence that moves from detection to detonation in seconds.
How Surface-to-Air Missiles Work
The SAM’s process begins with detection. Long-range surveillance radars, shipborne arrays, airborne early warning platforms, and optical sensors are all capable of tracking a target and offering a track to the SAM’s fire control system. The track consists of range, bearing, velocity, and predicted intercept point. The quality of a specific track dictates whether a SAM system can engage, and which missile will be chosen.
Launch phase: The SAM missile’s launch begins the kinetic portion of its sequence. Short-range MANPADS (like the Stinger missile) are often fired from shoulder tubes or light vehicle canisters, while medium and long-range systems use canister, rail, or vertical launch cells. Propulsion methods vary, with significant implications. Solid-rocket motors dominate the field because they are simple, reliable, and provide a quick boost. But advanced systems use dual-pulse motors or ramjet/ducted-rocket designs to sustain speed and maneuverability over long midcourse flights.
Boost phase: Following the launch of the SAM, it enters the boost phase, which is short but energetic; the motor accelerates the missile to cruise speed, clearing the launch infrastructure. In long-range missiles, the boost is followed by a sustained cruise (ramjet) or a throttle-able solid-rocket profile that conserves fuel for terminal maneuvers. Propulsion profile affects time-to-target and the energy available for last-second turns against evasive aircraft or incoming missiles.
Midcourse guidance systems are varied. Simpler missiles rely on command guidance, which features ground radar tracking both target and missile and sending steering commands. More advanced SAM systems combine inertial navigation with datalink updates, in which ground or airborne radars transmit revised target locations so the missile corrects its course.
No comments:
Post a Comment