- Yes
- No
BGT introduced an alternative missile upgrade for the Roland air defense system, named the HFK-KV, as a replacement for the VT-1 missile. This hypervelocity missile, derived from the HFK-L2 demonstrator missile, featured a kinetic kill vehicle equipped with an infrared seeker, inertial reference unit, aerodynamic control system, and directed-effect warhead, capable of reaching a maximum speed of Mach 5 (in testing it reached Mach 7+).
Recent testing, as of December 2001, involved eight launches and firings. Implementing the HFK in-game could potentially elevate the capabilities of the Roland weapon system, bringing it more in line with the Pantsir S1 and the future Pantsir S2 or SM.
Testing
The HFK/KV missile design aimed for interchangeability with existing Roland canisters and launch systems, with a projected maximum powered range of 12 km. The two-stage missile, comprising a solid propellant boost motor and a kinetic kill vehicle, demonstrated exceptional speed and precision during testing.
A second version, the HFK/L, a single-stage missile with a solid propellant boost motor, reached Mach 5.3 (1.8 km/s) and underwent guided flight trials up to February 2002. Plans for a larger boost motor, burning for 1.8 seconds and accelerating the missile to Mach 7.0 (2.3 km/s), were in development as of October 2000. The proposed design featured TVC in the first-stage motor, a dual-mode active radar/imaging IR seeker, and a range exceeding 10 km. Full-scale development was expected to commence in 2004, with an anticipated in-service date of 2009.
Technical Specifications
Calibre: 165mm
Launch weight: ~140kg
- First (Boost) stage weight: 44kg
a. First stage missile length: 2.8m
b. Boost stage acceleration: 0 to Mach 5 in 1s
c. Boost Thrust: 100 kN
d. Maximum speed: Mach 7+ - Second stage weight: 16kg (terminal phase)
a. Second stage Kill vehicle length: 0.9m
b. Maximum overload: 100G
c. Warhead explosive mass: 5kg
Maximum powered range: 16km
Maximum terminal range: 40-50km
(Ballistic/aerodynamic nose cone ejected 2s before intercept)
Seeker specification: 32 scanning detector elements
Comment by head of BGT liaison office
Dr. Michael Langer, head of the BGT liaison office in Koblenz, reports that the company also is developing the HFK hypervelocity missile to replace the Roland surface-to-air missile system. Weapons in this category are scheduled for introduction in the inventory around 2010. The HFK system is now undergoing demonstration and validation tests by the German army. The missile is designed to fit into existing Roland missile launchers that are widely deployed. He notes that the Mach 6 missile was originally conceived to combat main battle tanks at medium distances to penetrate armor by means of kinetic-energy impact.
Analysis of comment
Due to his specific mention of anti armour usage intention, we can presume with a high degree of accuracy that the HFK does in fact have the capability to penetrate some significant length of RHA. Especially at the speeds that it can achieve…
Visual References
Sources
- Eclectic German Research Quickens Pace
- https://web.archive.org/web/20171013172306/https://www.forecastinternational.com/archive/disp_old_pdf.cfm?ARC_ID=1097
- Eclectic German Research Quickens Pace
- HFK
- German Short Range SAMs | Secret Projects Forum
- Eclectic German Research Quickens Pace
- https://cloud.mail.ru/public/9dEX/djuwzbp4V/Wehrtechnik/1995%20not%20renamed/05
- https://cloud.mail.ru/public/9dEX/djuwzbp4V/Wehrtechnik/2002%20not%20renamed/03
- https://archive.org/stream/DTIC_ADA359244/DTIC_ADA359244_djvu.txt