HFK/KV: The Ultimate Roland

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Embracing a New Era of Speed

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The Roland HFK Upgrade.

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.

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.

Testing

The HFK/KV missile design aimed for interchangeability with existing Roland canisters and launch systems, with a projected maximum 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

Launch weight: ~140kg

  1. 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+
  2. Second stage weight: 16kg (terminal phase)
    a. Second stage Kill vehicle length: 0.9m
    b. Maximum overload: 100G
    c. Warhead mass: 5kg

Maximum range: 12km
(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

Front view of the HFK missile (top left in picture), showcasing the seeker for terminal guidance

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Sources:
18 Likes
2

+1. Hopefully Flakrad and Ito 90 will receive it soon.

3 Likes
3

I hope so
This will be a long range master if implemented correctly.
Finally Germany can have something that doesn’t need to be under ultra specific conditions to hit

1 Like
4

Why even downgrade this? It’s got less range than a Pantsir but is much more faster as an upside. Perfect for pesky helos.

1 Like
5

Lol anything to get an upgrade

1 Like
6

It can work as a anti tank weapon as well. Which would give the flakrad and others some way to defend themselves.

2 Likes
7

How much armor can it penetrate?

2 Likes
8

I will try to find sources but most possibly the anti armour performance was never tested.
If possible, the projectile mass, speed, dimensions and composition could be used to determine probable anti armour performance for this missile

2 Likes
9

The main saving grace of this missile upgrade, as compared to the IRIST-SLS or similar, is that this is SACLOS for all up to the terminal phase of flight.
After which.
It relies on the IR seeker to guide the KKV (kinetic kill vehicle).
Leading to two things:.

  1. Efficient energy and target lead management
  2. Allows reload of one of the ONLY two launch tubes while the missile is in self guidance.
2 Likes
10

I can only hope the gaijin also adds the radar guided mode for most command guided SAMs as they have IRL.
as optical guidance like we have in game rn on all except the Tor is only the secondary method of guidance

11

It does seem thought that germany may have hope after all without needing the immobile patriot SAM system.
After the HFK/KV, the MEADS system can be used at around 13.0 i believe.

Spoiler

Medium Extended Air Defense System - Wikipedia

12

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IRIS-T SLM could be a good option for 13.X

2 Likes
13

Albeit a bit too much of an airspace denial system… with HARMS and SEAD capable aircraft… this will be needed even if a bit later

14

more sources and information:
https://arc.aiaa.org/action/doSearch?AllField=Bayern-CHemie&startPage=0&pageSize=20

15

Considering the constant issues with the Satstreaks, I wonder if another “Hitile” weapon would fare well in WT…

1 Like
16

Fair enough but also considering that APFSDS rounds do so much damage to aircraft (usually lol) so a 150mm kinetic missile would do some equal amounts

17

apparently Kinetic anti armour performance was also an intended role. i updated the fields so it might be worth taking a look.

18

btw @Miraz05 what do you think of the 100G overloads lol?
plus as i found later on… it does carry a ~5Kg warhead so it should be pretty lethal against both air and ground…

19

I guess it isn’t going to come soon. We might see it when other 100G missiles are added(Iris-t etc.)

1 Like
20

SLM with a range of 40km is unlikely to come into play. Especially because the radar and launcher are separate. What can be added at some point, however, is IRIS-T SLS on a Boxer basis. The development, which is due to be completed by 2028, was approved and funded by the German parliament in January 2024.
Although IRIS-T SLS only has a range of 12 km, it has a very good IR seeker head that is virtually unflareable and the missile itself can carry far more than 100g. In addition, there is a DataLink that enables lock on after launch, so that the target can still be changed in flight, can be fired while travelling at full speed and NLOS targets can be locked that have perhaps only been reconnoitred via radar or the FIRST system.