Surface-to-air missile
A
surface-to-air missile (
SAM) is a
missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy
aircraft. It is a type of
anti-aircraft system.
Land-based SAMs can be deployed from fixed installations or mobile launchers. The smallest SAMs, developed by the
Soviet Union, are capable of being carried and launched by a single person. These types of SAM are also referred to as Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (
MANPADS). Soviet MANPADS have been exported around the world and can still be found in many of their former client states. Other nations have developed their own MANPADS (see list below).
Land-based SAMs are deployed on mobile launchers, either wheeled or tracked. The tracked vehicles are usually armoured vehicles specifically designed to carry SAMs. Larger SAMs may be deployed in fixed launchers, but can be towed/re-deployed at will.
Ship-based SAMs are in widespread use. Virtually all surface
warships can be armed with SAMs (see list below).In fact, naval SAMs are a necessity for all front-line surface warships. Some warship types specialise in anti-air warfare e.g.
Ticonderoga class cruisers eqipped with the
Aegis combat system.
Targets for non-MANPAD SAMs will usually be acquired by air-search
radar, then tracked before/while a SAM is "locked-on" and then fired. Potential targets, if they are military aircraft will be identified as friend of foe by identification friend or foe (
IFF) systems before "lock-on".
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Bendix Rim-8 Talos surface to air missile of the US Navy |
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Akash Missile - India
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Arrow - Israel
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Aster - United Kingdom/France/Italy
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Bloodhound - United Kingdom
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Ground launched AMRAAM - NASAMS (
AIM-120 AMRAAM AAM) - Norway
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Ground launched AMRAAM - CLAWS (
AIM-120 AMRAAM AAM) - United States
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Ground launched AMRAAM - SLAMRAAM (
AIM-120 AMRAAM AAM) - United States
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HQ-9 - People's Republic of China
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MEADS - US/Germany/Italy
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MIM-3 Nike Ajax - United States
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MIM-14 Nike Hercules - United States
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MIM-23 Hawk - United States
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MIM-72 Chaparral FAADS
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MIM-104 Patriot - United States
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MIM-146 ADATS - Canada
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Nike Zeus - United States
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BAe Blindfire Rapier - United Kingdom
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RIM-2 Terrier - United States Navy
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RIM-7 Sparrow - United States Navy
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RIM-24 Tartar - United States Navy
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RIM-66 Standard Missile-1 - United States Navy
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RIM-67 Standard Missile-2 - United States Navy
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RIM-156 Standard Missile-2ER - United States Navy
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RIM-161 Standard Missile-3 - United States Navy
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RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile - United States Navy
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Roland - France / Germany
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SA-1 'Guild' - USSR
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SA-2 'Guideline' - USSR
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SA-3 'Goa' - USSR
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SA-4 'Ganef' - USSR
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SA-5 'Gammon' - USSR
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SA-6 'Gainful' - USSR
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SA-8 'Gecko - USSR
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SA-10 'Grumble' - USSR
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SA-11 'Gadfly' - USSR
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SA-12A 'Gladiator'/
SA-12B 'Giant' - USSR
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SA-15 'Gauntlet' - USSR
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SA-17 'Grizzly' - USSR
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SA-19 'Grisom' - USSR
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SA-20 'Triumf' - Russia
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Sea Cat - United Kingdom
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Sea Dart - United Kingdom
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Sea Slug - United Kingdom
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Sea Wolf - United Kingdom
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Thunderbird - United Kingdom
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Trishul missile - IndiaThere are different types of radar guidance:
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Patriot,
SA-10,
SA-12 and
SA-20 utilise
track-via-missile radar guidance.
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SA-1,
SA-2,
SA-3,
SA-6 and
SA-15 utilise radar
command guidance.
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SA-5 utilises radar command guidance with terminal
active radar homing.
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SA-4,
SA-11 and
SA-17 utilise radar command guidance with terminal
semi-active radar homing.
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SA-8 utilises semi-autonomous command line-of-sight guidance (
SACLOS).
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Anza mkII Manportable SAM system |
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Mistral - France
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Crotale - France
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Type 91 - Japan
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Anza (missile) MKI - Pakistan
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Anza (missile) MKII - Pakistan
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Anza (missile) MKIII - Pakistan
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HQ-7 - People's Republic of China
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CA 94 - Romania
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CA 95 - Romania
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Umkhonto-IR - South Africa
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Chaparral - United States (this is a ground-launched version of the
AIM-9 Sidewinder AAM)
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Enzian - Germany (WW2)
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FIM-43 Redeye - United States
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FIM-92 Stinger - United States
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RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile - United States/Germany, has also initial passive radar (ESM) guidance
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SA-7 'Grail' - USSR
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SA-9 'Gaskin - USSR
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SA-13 'Gopher' - USSR
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SA-14 'Gremlin' - USSR
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SA-16 'Gimlet' - USSR
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SA-18 'Grouse' - USSR
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MANPAD*
RBS-70 - Sweden
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Starstreak/laser Close Air Defence Missile - United Kingdom
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ERYX - France
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Blowpipe - United Kingdom
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Javelin - United Kingdom
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Rapier - United Kingdom
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Wasserfall - Germany (WW2)
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Missile guidance*
List of NATO reporting names for surface-to-air missiles*
Anti-aircraft warfare*
MANPADS*
Rest-of-World Missile Systems from the
Federation of American Scientists website
