- Yes
- No
TL;DR: Upgraded Cactus surface to air missile system firing unit equipped with 12km 40g missile.
Hello, and welcome to my suggestion. Today i want to present a upgrade to spiky shield that has been protecting South African skies for years.
Ok, but first things first, lets talk about its history a little.
In 1960 South Africa was mainly operating gun based self propelled anti air systems. While up unill that point they were enough to keep the sky clear, faster planes with longer range armament started to appear all around the world. That forced SA government to take action. Originally SA tried to obtain SAM systems from UK, but they were refused. July 1964 marks date where South Africa placed a development contract with Thomson-CSF for a mobile SAM system. The South African government paid 85% of the development costs of the system. Platform chosen to house the system was Hotchkiss P4R. The first firing os the system was in 1967. After trials in 1971 the first of seven platoons was delivered to South Africa with the final one delivered in 1973. While initially Cactus was doing its job very well, one of the most notable usages of Cactus system is repelling Angolan Migs 21 and 23 in 1988, as time passed the system started to show its age. This resaulted in creation of a requirement for a new missile and upgrades of Cactus system. Altech Defence Systems carried out Cactus upgrades, while Kentron designed the new missile. First system was completed in 1991, and in the same year first tests commenced. Tests ended in 1993, but due to stable conditions in the region SAHV never entered serial production for SANDF, but found it niche in the export market, while Cactus sytems were converted into shelter versions. System was moved out of service in early 2000, replaced by Umkhonto missile.
Now that we are done with the history, its time to talk about the specifications.
Length: 6,22m
Width: 2,72m
Height: 3,5m
Weight: 15,190 tonnes (SAHV-3)
Engine: Gasoline engine powering alternator, which output is managed and redirected to DC motors driving the four wheels.
Suspension: Messier hydropneumatic 4x4 with 2 front wheels steering
Max speed: 80km/h
Crew: 2 Driver, Gunner
Protection:
3-5mm
Radar: Thomson-CSF TRS 3207
Type: circular parabolic monopulse radar
Band: IEEE: Ku NATO: J
Range: 17km
Command transmitter (Used to guide the missiles): IEEE: X NATO: I
Radar can track one target and guide 2 missiles at once
TV and TVD
IRST range: >14km
TVD: Gen 1
Missiles: 4
Missile: SAHV-3
Guidance type: RF CLOS
Length: 3.08m
Diameter: 180mm
Wingspan: 404mm
Weight: 123kg
Warhead: 22kg HE-fragmentation
Proximity fuse: 10m RF with 95% kill probability, ability to destroy alternate targets such as missiles
Engine: single-stage solid fuel smokeless propellant
Max speed: 3.5 Mach
Max range: ~15km
Max effective range: 12km
Max effective altitude: 8km
Time of flight:
to 12 000 m: 17 s
to 8 000 m: 9.5 s
to 6 000 m: 4.9 s
to 4 000 m: 3 s
Speed at 12 000m: ~1.5 Mach
Steering: 4 rear fins
Maneuverability: peak 40g single-plane, 6G single-plane at 20 000ft height
Guidance time: 24s
Missiles listed here were never seen mounted on the vehicle, but they are part of the same missile family, and vehicle could shoot them without any modificiations.
Missile: SAHV-IR
Guidance type: Initial DL+IOG + flare resitant dual channel IR seeker.
Length: 3.28m
Diameter: 180mm
Wingspan: 404mm
Weight: 130kg
Warhead: 22kg HE-fragmentation
Proximity fuse: 10m RF with 95% kill probability, ability to destroy alternate targets such as missiles
Engine: single-stage solid fuel smokeless propellant
Max speed: 2.95 Mach
Max effective range: 8.5km
LOBL: up to 3km
LOAL: 3-8km
Seeker max aquisition range: 7.700m with 100° cone scan sector
DL: used untill missile seeker is able to aquire designated target, after obtaining lock DL is terminated
Max effective altitude: 7.3km
Steering: 4 rear fins
Maneuverability: peak 40g single-plane
Missile: SAHV-RS
Guidance type: Initial DL+IOG + ARH seeker.
Length: 3.6m
Diameter: 180mm
Wingspan: 404mm
Weight: 137kg
Warhead: 22kg HE-fragmentation
Proximity fuse: 10m RF with 95% kill probability, ability to destroy alternate targets such as missiles
Engine: single-stage solid fuel smokeless propellant
Max speed: 2.8 Mach
Max effective range: 13km
LOBL: up to 10km
LOAL: 8-13km
Seeker max aquisition range: 10 000m with >90° cone scan sector, home on jam
DL: used untill missile seeker is able to aquire designated target, after obtaining lock DL is terminated
Max effective altitude: 7.3km
Steering: 4 rear fins
Maneuverability: peak 40g single-plane
Missile envelope
This sums up my suggestion. While the vehicle by itself lack search radar, combination of strong missiles, powerfull radar and IRST will make it a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
Pictures
Sources
Janes Land Based Air Defenses 1993-94
Janes Land Based Air Defenses 1992-93
Janes Defense weekly 23 november 1991
Nowa Technika Wojskowa 1/1994
International Defense Review 1991 Iss 11
https://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/weapons/70/cactus-crotale-sam
Hotchkiss P4R Crotale (1971)