Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Antelope, set to become one of the most advanced short-range anti-air systems in the Chinese ground forces tree.
Antelope: An SPAA for China at Rank VII
At a glance:
- Anti-jam homing missiles, although only 4 in total.
- Thermal imager.
- Virtually no armor to speak of.
In1995, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) sought to develop their short range air defense arsenal, especially as their MiM-72 platforms bought from America during the 1980s were showing their age and limitations. The result of this undertaking was the Antelope Air Defense System, which incorporated IR guided SAMs and radar. The setup was able to be operated standalone or mounted on a vehicle, where ultimately a truck chassis was chosen for mass production.
Meet the Antelope!
Coming to War Thunder in the Dance of Dragons major update, the Antelope will be joining the top ranks of China’s anti-air line, offering quite a unique playstyle and allowing for a smoother transition between the PGZ04A and Tor-M1, where there was previously a sizable gap. Let’s take a closer look!
The Antelope will become the second missile-only platform to arrive to the Chinese ground forces tree. Leaving conventional weapons behind, the Antelope features an integrated missile launcher with four IR-guided SAMs on board. Unlike the missiles found on the preceding PGZ04A, the Antelope’s armament features much greater range, up to 8 km in fact! As a result of this range and the general drastic improvement of the missile itself, its ability to intercept aircraft is very impressive. However, a limitation of the Antelope is that it can only carry a max of 4 missiles with no room to store any extra. What you see is what you get, so make every launch count!
Being on a modified truck chassis, the Antelope boasts excellent mobility. Thanks to its 150 HP diesel engine, this vehicle can reach a top speed just shy of 100 km/h. This makes it very easy to reposition itself after firing — a key element to SPAA is surprise, so engaging from an unexpected position will grant a much higher chance of success, especially if the radar is kept off until the last moment. The speed can also be effectively utilized to head to friendly strategic points to replenish missiles, though be very careful in the open, as the Antelope is entirely unarmored, so make sure you’re not out of cover for too long!
That’s it for today. The Antelope will soon be arriving to the top ranks of the Chinese ground forces tree to bolster the SPAA line in the Dance of Dragons major update. Until then, keep an eye out on the website for more devblogs and news, enjoy your matches and we’ll see you soon for more!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
