France Farmand MF.20 The aviation company of the brothers Maurice and Henri Farmand in Bilancourt, Seine department, was one of the oldest in France. It was founded in 1908, and from the very beginning the company produced aircraft designed by its creators. The brothers worked both together and

LFG Roland D.II Luftfarzeug Gesellschaft mbH (LFG) has been operating in Berlin since 1908. Initially, the company's management intended to produce American Wright aircraft under license, but thanks to a good design team, they decided to create

France The first country to adopt the DB-7 aircraft was France. The French Air Force was the first to use aircraft of this type in combat. The first aircraft were received by the French in Santa Monica on October 31, 1939. In accordance with what was then accepted in the States

France The French Air Force has become second in the world after the US Air Force in terms of the number of A-26/B-26 Invader aircraft it operates. When France became thoroughly bogged down in Indochina, the United States began to provide it with military assistance. Part of this assistance included Invader aircraft of the A-26B and A-26C modifications. Behind

By order of the Belgian Ministry of Defense, the French company Aerospatial, based on the Roland 2 anti-aircraft missile system, developed a new version of the Roland 2C air defense system. The main requirements for it were the following: high efficiency in repelling massive air raids, the ability to operate in difficult weather conditions, as well as in the event of the enemy using electronic warfare systems, low cost of development and production of air defense systems.

"Roland" 2C is intended primarily for air defense of stationary objects located on the theater of operations (airfields, bridges, warehouses, etc.). Judging by reports in the foreign press, it ensures the destruction of air targets at ranges of 0.5-6.3 km and altitudes from 15 m to 5.5 km. The response time of the complex during the first launch of a missile defense system is 6 - 8 s, and subsequent launches are 2-6 s. The probability of hitting the target is 50-80 percent. (depending on the type of air target, the speed and altitude of its flight, heading parameter and level of interference).

Unlike the Roland 2 air defense system, in which all equipment is located on one tracked chassis, new complex comprises command post And launcher, placed on the chassis of a Berliet vehicle (6X6), which has high cross-country ability. The use of this base, in the opinion of foreign military experts, allows the rapid transfer of air defense systems over long distances using an equipped theater of operations.

The command post is equipped with a target detection radar, a “friend or foe” identification system, computer equipment, an air situation display device and equipment for issuing target designation data to the launcher (PU). An interference-proof pulse-Doppler radar from the French company Thomson - CSF is used as a detection radar. The station is capable of detecting up to 30-40 air targets simultaneously, analyzing the data necessary to assess the air situation, and issuing target designations to the launcher for 12 targets simultaneously. The equipment allows you to detect enemy air targets at a distance of 18 km. Range accuracy ±150 m, azimuth and elevation ±2°. Along with determining the coordinates of targets and the order of their firing from the complex’s command post, the state of the launcher is monitored. In addition, it is determined from which launcher it is advisable to launch a missile defense system, and the firing results are also evaluated.

The electronic equipment of the Roland 2C air defense system, as noted in the Western press, meets NATO standards. This allows the use of other types of radars at the complex’s command post if there is a need to attract several launchers for the defense of a given facility. For example, if stations developed by Siemens (Germany) or HLA (Netherlands) are used as detection radars, the number of launchers controlled from one control panel can be increased to eight. On the launcher, located on a vehicle chassis, a target tracking and missile guidance radar is mounted, a frame with four guides on which transport and launch containers with missiles are mounted (length 2.6 m, diameter 0.28 m, weight 85 kg). Inside the launcher there are two revolver-type magazines with missiles, control equipment, test and launch equipment and a power supply system.

The missile used in the Roland 2C air defense system is similar to the missile used in the Roland 2. Its length is 2.4 m, diameter 0.16 m and launch weight 62.5 kg. The solid propellant engine gives the rocket a speed of M=1.5. The weight of the warhead of the cumulative action missile is 6.5 kg, and the explosive is 3.5 kg. In addition to the contact fuse, there is also a radio fuse that ensures the warhead is triggered at a distance of up to 4 m from the target.

The parabolic antenna of the target and missile tracking radar forms a narrow radiation pattern (2° in azimuth and 1° in elevation). The station's range resolution is 60 cm.

The combat crew of the launcher includes: the commander and the missile guidance operator. Control commands are transmitted via cable or radio communication channels. The distance between the control center and the control center when using radio communication lines is 5 km, cable lines up to 1 km. The Roland 2C air defense missile system is air transportable. It can be airlifted by C-130 and C-141 aircraft, as well as heavy helicopters.

The ammunition carried on one launcher consists of 12 missiles (four missiles in transport and launch containers on the frame and eight missiles in stores). Reloading of the two inner guides is carried out automatically, and the two outer ones - manually.

Before launching the missile defense system, the launcher body is raised to a horizontal position with the help of four hydraulic jacks with an accuracy of 0.5°. Its leveling is done automatically and lasts less than 1 minute. In addition, at the firing position, the bodies can be removed from the vehicles and camouflaged. Foreign military experts believe that when creating the Roland 2C air defense system, there was no longer a need to place an air target detection radar at each launcher, as is provided for the Roland 2 air defense system (it is available at the command post). As a result, the cost of the launcher decreased by about 10 percent. At the same time, the foreign press notes that from the point of view of increasing the noise immunity of the complex and its survivability in the event of a control gear failure, it would be advisable to retain the detection radar on some launchers.

The organizational and staffing basis of the air defense missile systems will be a battery, including a command post and two or three launchers. When deployed on the ground, its battle formation will usually be a triangle with sides up to 3 km with a command post in the center. According to calculations by foreign experts, for example, when defending an airfield, a battery can repel a raid by up to 24 enemy aircraft and destroy about 50 percent. air targets.

The foreign press notes that Belgium’s needs for the Roland 2C air defense system will amount to over 20 launchers and up to ten command posts. Currently, prototypes of the air defense system are being tested and refined. During test firing, the Roland 2C showed fairly good results. All this confirms that, to please the demands of the United States and NATO, small countries participating in the aggressive North Atlantic bloc also continue the arms race.

Lieutenant colonel F. VIKTOROV,

"Foreign Military Review", ?? ????

The all-weather self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system "Roland-2" with a radar target tracking system was developed by Messerchmitt-Bolkow-Blohm (Germany) together with Aerospatiale-Matra (France) and is capable of destroying targets flying at speeds up to M= 1.2 at altitudes from 15 m to 5.5 km and at ranges from 500 m to 6.3 km. Initially, the complex was created for the needs of the Bundeswehr, however, due to the clear advantage of the new complex over the previously released Roland-1 air defense system, the command of the French army decided to convert part of its Roland-1 complexes into the Roland-2 version. This possibility was provided for by the developers at the stage of creating the complex.
The Roland-2 air defense system can be placed on various chassis: in the French Armed Forces - the chassis of the AMX-30 medium tank, in the Bundeswehr - the chassis of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle. The combat crew of the air defense system consists of three people: driver, commander and operator.

The layout of the Roland-2 air defense system is, in general, similar to the layout of the Roland-1 air defense system. The following are installed on a unified rotating turret: beams for placing missiles, a detection radar antenna, a target and missile tracking radar antenna, an optical and infrared tracking system and a command transmitter antenna. Transmitters and receivers for target detection radar and target and missile tracking radar, a computer, a control panel, two revolver-type magazines with eight missiles in transport and launch containers, a radio station, instrumentation and a power supply are mounted inside the launcher body. Guidance of the holding beams with containers in the elevation plane is carried out automatically along the target tracking line, in the azimuthal plane - by turning the turret.

The Roland-2 air defense system differs from its prototype in the presence of a target tracking radar and a missile, which ensures the functioning of the complex at any time of the day, regardless of weather conditions.
The Roland-2 air defense system fires the same missiles as the Roland-1 air defense system. The solid propellant missile has its own weight of 62.5 kg, the weight of the fragmentation-cumulative warhead is 6.5 kg, including 3.3 kg of explosive. In addition to the contact fuse, the warhead also has a radio fuse, which ensures operation at a distance of up to 4 m from the target. The scattering radius of 65 fragments is about 6 m. The missile is located in a sealed transport and launch container (TPC) and does not require inspections or checks. The weight of the equipped TPK is 85 kg, length - 2.6 m, diameter - 0.27 m. The duration of operation of the solid-fuel starting rocket engine of the SNPE Roubaix type with a thrust of 1600 kg is 1.7 s, it accelerates the rocket to a speed of 500 m/s. The SNPE Lampyre type propulsion rocket engine has an operating duration of 13.2 s. Maximum speed The rocket is reached when the engine stops running. The minimum flight time required to launch the rocket onto its trajectory is 2.2 s. Flight time at maximum range is 13-15 s.

A missile can be aimed at a target using an infrared optical sight, while deviations of the missile defense system from a given course are entered into a computer, and guidance commands are automatically transmitted aboard the missile by a command transmitter. It is also possible to target and missile tracking using a two-channel monopulse radar. The transmitter of this radar is assembled on a magnetron. To reduce the influence of reflections from local objects, the station uses Doppler filtering of reflected signals. The parabolic antenna is gyro-stabilized in azimuth and elevation and has a radiation pattern of 2° in azimuth and 1° in elevation. The range resolution of the station is 0.6 m. During combat operations, it is possible to quickly switch guidance modes, which significantly increases the noise immunity of the Roland-2 complex.

The tracking radar is mounted on the front side of the chassis; it is a two-channel monopulse Doppler station of the Thomson-CSF Domino 30 type. One channel tracks the target, and the second captures the microwave source (transmitter) on the missile for tracking. After launch, the IR range finder located on the tracking radar antenna is used to capture the missile at ranges of 500-700 m, since the narrow beam of the tracking radar is just being formed at these ranges. Information about the missile's deviation from the line of sight (antenna-target) is converted by the computer into commands to deflect the missile's rudders in the same way as when working in optical mode.
In both modes, initial automatic target detection occurs using a Siemens MPDR-16 D-band pulse Doppler surveillance radar, the antenna of which rotates at a speed of 60 rpm. The surveillance radar also has the ability to detect hovering helicopters. When a target is detected, it is identified using the Siemens MSR-40015 interrogator (on a German chassis) or the LMT NRAI-6A type (French chassis), and then, at the command of the air defense system commander, it is captured for escort.

To check the combat assets of the complex (except for missiles), test equipment is used, which detects malfunctions within 10 seconds.
The operating time of the complex (from the alarm signal to the launch of the missile defense system) when firing at the first target is 8-12 seconds. The processes of preparing for launch and launching the missile defense system, which take about 1 second, are automated. Taking into account the time for reloading and preparing to launch the subsequent missile, the rate of fire is 2 rounds/min.
In Germany anti-aircraft systems Roland-2 is armed with corps-controlled anti-aircraft missile regiments. Each regiment has six firing batteries with six launchers each. In the French army, anti-aircraft missile regiments of divisional and corps subordination are equipped with Roland-2 complexes (the regiment has eight Roland-1 and eight Roland-2 air defense systems). It is believed that each such regiment is capable of providing reliable air defense for an area of ​​up to 100 km2 or along a movement route of up to 20 km.

Performance characteristics SAM "Roland-2":
Firing range, m: minimum – 500, maximum – 6200-6300;
Target engagement height, m: minimum - 15, maximum - 5500;

Roland rocket:
Starting weight, kg: 66.5;
Length, mm: 2400;
Wingspan, mm: 500;
Maximum case diameter, mm: 160;
Maximum flight speed, m/s: 560;

Launcher on the Marder chassis:
Launcher weight, kg: 32500;
Crew, people: 3;
Ground pressure, kg/cm2: 0.93;
Length, m: 6.915;
Width, m: 3.24;
Height in stowed position (antenna folded), m: 2.92;
Ground clearance, m: 0.44;
Maximum speed on the highway, km/h: 70;
Power reserve, km: 520;
Height of the obstacle to be overcome, m; 1.5

By the mid-60s, the USSR had successfully solved the problem of creating medium- and short-range air defense systems, but taking into account the vast territory of the country, the formation of defense lines on the likely flight paths of a potential enemy’s aircraft to the most populated and industrialized areas of the USSR using these complexes turned into an extremely expensive idea. It would be especially difficult to create such lines in the most dangerous northern direction, which was located on the shortest approach route for American strategic bombers.

The northern regions, even the European part of our country, were distinguished by a sparse network of roads, low density of settlements, separated by vast areas of almost impassable forests and swamps. A new mobile anti-aircraft gun was needed missile system, with a greater range and height of target interception.

In 1967, the country's air defense missile forces received a “long arm” - the S-200A air defense system () with a firing range of 180 km and an altitude reach of 20 km. Subsequently, in more “advanced” modifications of this complex, S-200V and S-200D, the target range was increased to 240 and 300 km, and the reach was 35 and 40 km. Such range and height of destruction inspire respect even today.

S-200V missile defense system on a launcher

The anti-aircraft guided missile of the S-200 system is two-stage, made according to a normal aerodynamic design, with four triangular wings of high aspect ratio. The first stage consists of four solid rocket boosters mounted on the sustainer stage between the wings. The sustainer stage is equipped with a liquid two-component rocket engine with a pump system for supplying fuel components to the engine. Structurally, the sustainer stage consists of a number of compartments in which a semi-active radar homing head, on-board equipment units, a high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a safety-actuating mechanism, tanks with fuel components, a liquid-propellant rocket engine, and rocket steering control units are located.

ROC SAM S-200

The target illumination radar (RTI) of the 4.5-cm range included an antenna post and a control cabin and could operate in coherent continuous radiation mode, which achieved a narrow spectrum of the probing signal, ensured high noise immunity and the longest target detection range. At the same time, simplicity of execution and reliability of the seeker were achieved.

To control the missile along the entire flight path, a “missile - ROC” communication line was used to the target with an onboard low-power transmitter on the missile and a simple receiver with a wide-angle antenna on the ROC. In the S-200 air defense system, for the first time, a digital computer appeared, which was assigned the task of exchanging command and coordinate information with various command posts and before solving the launch problem.

The mobile fire complex of the S-200 system consisted of a command post, firing channels and a power supply system. The firing channel included a target illumination radar and a launch position with six launchers and 12 loading vehicles. The complex had the ability to fire sequentially at three air targets without reloading the launchers, ensuring simultaneous homing of two missiles at each target.

Layout of the S-200 air defense system

As a rule, S-200s were deployed in prepared positions with permanent concrete structures and earthen bulk shelter. This made it possible to protect equipment (except for antennas) from ammunition fragments, small and medium caliber bombs, and aircraft cannon shells during an enemy air raid directly on a combat position.

To increase the combat stability of the S-200 long-range anti-aircraft missile systems, it was considered advisable to unite them under a single command with the low-altitude systems of the S-125 system. Mixed anti-aircraft missile brigades began to form, including S-200 with six launchers and two or three S-125 anti-aircraft missile divisions.

Already from the beginning of the deployment of the S-200, the very fact of its existence became a compelling argument that determined the transition of potential enemy aviation to operations at low altitudes, where they were exposed to fire from more massive anti-aircraft missiles and artillery weapons. The S-200 air defense system has significantly devalued long-range bombers carrying cruise missiles. In addition, the undeniable advantage of the complex was the use of missile homing. At the same time, even without realizing its range capabilities, the S-200 complemented the S-75 and S-125 complexes with radio command guidance, significantly complicating for the enemy the tasks of conducting both electronic warfare and high-altitude reconnaissance. The advantages of the S-200 over these systems could be especially obvious when firing at active jammers, which served as an almost ideal target for the S-200 homing missiles. As a result, for many years, reconnaissance aircraft of the United States and NATO countries were forced to make reconnaissance flights only along the borders of the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries. The presence of S-200 long-range anti-aircraft missile systems of various modifications in the USSR air defense system made it possible to reliably block the airspace on the near and far approaches to the country’s air border, including from the famous SR-71 “Black Bird” reconnaissance aircraft. Currently, the S-200 air defense systems of all modifications, despite the high modernization potential and unsurpassed firing range before the advent of the S-400 air defense system, have been removed from the Russian air defense system.

The S-200V air defense system in export version was supplied to Bulgaria, Hungary, the GDR, Poland and Czechoslovakia. In addition to the Warsaw Pact countries, Syria and Libya, the S-200VE system was delivered to Iran (in 1992) and North Korea.

One of the first buyers of the S-200VE was the leader of the Libyan revolution, Muammar Gaddafi. Having received such a “long arm” in 1984, he soon extended it over the Gulf of Sirte, declaring the territorial waters of Libya an area slightly less than Greece. With the gloomy poetry characteristic of the leaders of developing countries, Gaddafi declared the 32nd parallel, which bordered the bay, to be the “line of death.” In March 1986, in order to exercise their declared rights, the Libyans fired S-200VE missiles at three aircraft from the American aircraft carrier Saratoga, which were “defiantly” patrolling traditionally international waters.

What happened in the Gulf of Sirte was the reason for Operation Eldorado Canyon, during which on the night of April 15, 1986, several dozen American aircraft attacked Libya, and primarily the residences of the leader of the Libyan revolution, as well as the positions of the S-200VE and S-75M. It should be noted that when organizing the supply of the S-200VE system to Libya, Muammar Gaddafi proposed organizing the maintenance of technical positions by Soviet military personnel. During latest events in Libya, all S-200 air defense systems available in that country were destroyed.

Unlike the USA, in European countries NATO members in the 60-70s paid great attention to the creation of mobile short-range air defense systems capable of operating in the front line and accompanying troops on the march. This primarily applies to the UK, Germany and France.

In the early 1960s, the UK began developing a transportable short-range air defense system called Rapier, which was considered as an alternative to the American MIM-46 Mauler, the declared characteristics of which raised great doubts among US NATO allies.

It was supposed to create a relatively simple and inexpensive complex with a short reaction time, the ability quick lesson combat position, with compact placement of equipment, small weight and size characteristics, high rate of fire and the probability of hitting a target with one missile. To guide the missile to the target, it was decided to use a well-developed radio command system, previously used in the Seacat naval complex with a firing range of 5 km, and its not very successful land version, Tigercat.

PU SAM "Tigercat"

The radar of the "Rapira" complex scans the area of ​​space where the target is expected to be located and captures it for tracking. The radar method of target tracking occurs automatically and is the main one; in case of interference or for other reasons, manual tracking by the SAM operator using an optical system is possible.

SAM "Rapier"

The optical tracking and guidance device for the Rapira air defense system is a separate unit, which is mounted on an external tripod, at a distance of up to 45 m from the launcher. Target tracking by the optical system is not automated and is carried out manually by the operator of the complex using a joystick. The missile guidance is fully automated, the infrared tracking system locks onto the missile after launch in a wide field of view of 11°, and then automatically switches to a field of view of 0.55° when the missile is aimed at the target. Tracking the target by the operator and the missile defense tracer with an infrared direction finder allows the computer to calculate missile guidance commands using the “target covering” method. These radio commands are transmitted by the command transmission station to the missile defense system. The firing range of the air defense system is 0.5-7 km. The height of the target destruction is 0.15-3 km.

Such a system for guiding a missile to a target greatly simplified and reduced the cost of missiles and air defense systems in general, but limited the capabilities of the complex in direct visibility conditions (fog, haze) and at night. Nevertheless, the Rapier air defense system was popular; from 1971 to 1997, more than 700 launchers of towed and self-propelled versions of the Rapier complex and 25,000 missiles of various modifications were produced. About 12,000 missiles were expended during the past period during tests, exercises and combat operations.

The reaction time of the complex (the time from the moment the target is detected to the missile launch) is about 6 s, which has been repeatedly confirmed by live firing. Loading four missiles by a trained combat crew takes less than 2.5 minutes. In the British Army, elements of the Rapier complex are usually towed using a Land Rover all-terrain vehicle.

The Rapier air defense system has been modernized several times and has been supplied to Australia, Oman, Qatar, Brunei, Zambia, Switzerland, Iran, and Turkey. The US Air Force purchased 32 systems for the air defense system of American air bases in the UK. As part of the 12th British Air Defense Regiment, the air defense systems took part in combat operations during the Falklands conflict of 1982. From the first day of the English landing on the Falkland Islands, 12 launchers were deployed. The British claimed that 14 Argentine aircraft were destroyed by Rapier systems. However, according to other information, the complex shot down only one Dagger aircraft and participated in the destruction of an A-4C Skyhawk aircraft.

Almost simultaneously with the British Rapier complex, the USSR adopted the Osa mobile all-weather air defense system (). Unlike the British initially towed system, the Soviet mobile air defense system, according to the technical specifications, was designed on a floating chassis and could be used in conditions of poor visibility and at night. This self-propelled air defense system was intended for air defense of troops and their facilities in the combat formations of a motorized rifle division in various forms of combat, as well as on the march.

The requirements for the Osa by the military included complete autonomy, which would be ensured by the location of the main assets of the air defense system - a detection station, a missile launcher, communications, navigation, topographical reference, control and power sources on one self-propelled wheeled floating chassis. The ability to detect in motion and defeat low-flying targets suddenly appearing from any direction from short stops.

In the original version, the complex was equipped with 4 open-mounted missiles. Work on modernizing the air defense system began almost immediately after it was put into service in 1971. Subsequent modifications, Osa-AK and Osa-AKM, have 6 missiles in transport and launch containers (TPC).

"Osa-AKM"

The main advantage of the Osa-AKM air defense system, which was put into service in 1980, was the ability to effectively destroy helicopters hovering or flying at an ultra-low altitude, as well as small-sized UAVs. The complex uses a radio command circuit to guide missiles at the target. The affected area in range is 1.5-10 km, in height - 0.025-5 km. The probability of hitting a target with one missile is 0.5-0.85.

The Osa air defense system of various modifications is in service in more than 20 countries and has taken part in many regional conflicts. The complex was built serially until 1988, during which time more than 1,200 units were delivered to customers, currently in air defense units ground forces Russian Federation and there are more than 300 air defense systems of this type in storage.

The Osa air defense system is in many ways similar to the French mobile Crotale, which also uses the radio command principle of targeting missiles at the target. But unlike the Osa, on the French complex the missile defense and detection radars are located on different combat vehicles, which of course reduces the flexibility of use and reliability of the air defense system.

In the mid-60s, representatives of Germany and France entered into an agreement on the joint development of the Roland self-propelled air defense system. It was intended for air defense of mobile units in the front line and for the defense of important stationary objects in the rear of friendly troops.

Approval of technical characteristics and fine-tuning of the complex took a long time, and the first combat vehicles began to enter the troops only in 1977. In the Bundeswehr, the Roland air defense system was placed on the chassis of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle; in France, the complex was carried on the chassis of the AMX-30 medium tank or on the chassis of the 6x6 ACMAT truck. The launch range was 6.2 km, the target engagement height was 3 km.

The main equipment of the complex is mounted on a universal rotating turret installation, which houses a radar antenna for detecting air targets, a station for transmitting radio commands on board the missile defense system, an optical sight with a heat direction finder and two TPKs with radio command missile defense systems. The total ammunition load of the air defense system on a combat vehicle can reach 10 missiles, the weight of the equipped TPK is 85 kg.

The air target detection radar is capable of detecting targets at a range of up to 18 km. Guidance of the Roland-1 air defense missile is carried out using optical sight. An infrared direction finder built into the sight serves to measure angular mismatches between the flying missile defense system and the optical axis of the sight, directed by the operator to the target. To do this, the direction finder automatically accompanies the missile tracer, transmitting the results to the guidance computer. The calculating device generates commands for aiming missiles using the “target covering” method. These commands are transmitted through the antenna of the radio command transmission station to the missile defense system.

Initially, the complex was semi-automatic and not all-weather. Over the years of service, the complex has been modernized several times. In 1981, the all-weather Roland-2 air defense system was put into service and a modernization program for some of the previously produced systems was carried out.

In order to increase the capabilities of military air defense, in 1974 the United States announced a competition to replace the Chaparrel air defense system. As a result of a competition held between the British Rapier air defense system, the French Crotal and the Franco-German Roland, the latter won.

It was supposed to be adopted and licensed production in the USA. The chassis of the M109 self-propelled howitzer and a three-axle army 5-ton truck were considered as a base. The latter option made it possible to make the air defense system air transportable on the military transport S-130.

Adaptation of the air defense system to American standards included the development of a new target designation radar with an increased range and better noise immunity, and a new missile. At the same time, unification with the missiles of European air defense systems was maintained: French and German Rolands could fire American missiles, and vice versa.

In total, they planned to produce 180 air defense systems, but due to financial restrictions, these plans were not destined to come true. The reasons for the closure of the program were excessively high costs (about $300 million for R&D alone). In total, they managed to produce 31 air defense systems (4 tracked and 27 wheeled). In 1983, the only Roland division (27 air defense systems and 595 missiles) was transferred to the National Guard, to the 5th division of the 200th regiment of the 111th air defense brigade, New Mexico. However, they didn’t stay there for long either. Already in September 1988, due to high operating costs, the Rolands were replaced by the Chaparrel air defense system.

However, starting from 1983, Roland-2 air defense systems were used to cover American bases in Europe. 27 air defense systems on a vehicle chassis from 1983 to 1989 were owned by the US Air Force, but were serviced by German crews.

In 1988, the improved automatic Roland-3 was tested and put into production. The Roland-3 air defense system provides the ability to use not only all anti-aircraft missiles of the Roland family, but also the VT1 hypersonic missile (part of the Crotale-NG air defense system), as well as the new promising Roland Mach 5 and HFK/KV missiles.

The upgraded Roland-3 missile, compared to the Roland-2 missile, has an increased flight speed (570 m/s compared to 500 m/s) and destruction range (8 km instead of 6.2 km).

The complex is mounted on various chassis. In Germany, it is installed on the chassis of a 10-ton MAN off-road truck (8x8). The air transportable version, designated Roland Carol, entered service in 1995.

SAM Roland Carol

In the French army, the Roland Carol air defense system is placed on a semi-trailer towed by an ACMAT (6x6) all-terrain vehicle, in the German Armed Forces it is installed on a MAN (6x6) automobile chassis. Currently, the Roland Carol is in service with the French army (20 air defense systems) and the German Air Force (11 air defense systems).

In 1982, Argentina used a stationary version of the Roland complex to protect Port Stanley from airstrikes by British naval aviation. From 8 to 10 missiles were fired, information about the effectiveness of the use of the complex in this conflict is quite contradictory. According to French origins, the Argentines shot down 4 and damaged 1 Harrier. However, according to other information, only one aircraft can be recorded as an asset of this complex. Iraq also used its systems in the war against Iran. In 2003, an Iraqi Rolanda missile shot down one American F-15E.

In 1976, the USSR adopted the Strela-10 complex based on the MT-LB to replace the Strela-1 regimental air defense system. The machine has a low specific pressure on the ground, which allows it to move on roads with low bearing capacity, through swamps, virgin snow, sandy terrain, and the machine can also float. In addition to 4 missiles located on the launcher, fighting machine allows you to transport an additional 4 missiles in the case.

"Strela-10"

Unlike the Strela-1 SAM, the homing head (GOS) of the Strela-10 SAM operates in a two-channel mode and provides guidance using the proportional navigation method. A photocontrast and infrared guidance channel is used, which ensures shelling of targets in conditions of interference, on oncoming and catch-up courses. This significantly increased the likelihood of hitting an air target.

In order to increase the combat capabilities of the complex, it has been modernized several times. After the modification of the guided missile with a new engine, an enlarged warhead and a seeker with three receivers in different spectral ranges, the missile system was adopted by the SA in 1989 under the name "Strela-10M3". The affected area of ​​the Strela-10M3 is from 0.8 km to 5 km in range, and from 0.025 km to 3.5 km in height. The probability of hitting a fighter with one guided missile is 0.3...0.6.

The Strela-10 family of air defense systems is available in the armed forces of more than 20 countries. It has repeatedly demonstrated its fairly high combat effectiveness at training grounds and during local conflicts. Currently, it continues to be in service with air defense units of the ground forces and Marine Corps RF in an amount of at least 300 units.

By the beginning of the 70s, through trial and error, the main classes of air defense systems were created in “metal”: stationary or semi-stationary long-range complexes, transportable or self-propelled medium range and low-altitude, as well as mobile anti-aircraft systems operating directly in the combat formations of troops. Design developments, operational and combat experience gained by the military during regional conflicts determined the ways for further improvement of the air defense system. The main areas of development were: increasing combat survivability due to mobility and reducing the time for bringing into combat position and collapsing, improving noise immunity, automating the processes of controlling air defense systems and targeting missiles. Progress in the field of semiconductor elements has made it possible to radically reduce the mass of electronic components, and the creation of energy-efficient solid fuel formulations for turbojet engines has made it possible to abandon liquid-propellant rocket engines with toxic fuel and a caustic oxidizer.

To be continued…

Based on materials:
http://www.army-technology.com
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru
http://geimint.blogspot.ru/
http://www.designation-systems.net/