Lazar 3 (RALAS)

_YugoSlav · July 20, 2023, 7:27am

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Lazar 3 (RALAS)

History and Description

At the “IDEX 2019” military exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Yugoimport, the leading Serbian defense company, unveiled Lazar 3 equipped with 3rd generation antitank missiles RALAS. The prototype was later also shown at the 2019 military parade in Niš and Partner military fair in Belgrade. The vehicle has two rear-mounted independently elevating launchers, each carrying four containers of RALAS missiles. The launchers have a maximum elevation of 45° but have no traverse so the vehicle must be directed to the target position with +/- 150-degree accuracy. The weapon system weighs slightly more than two tons. The Lazar 3 RALAS has a crew of 3, the driver, commander, and gunner. It offers protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. The rear part of the vehicle can accommodate 9 infantrymen. It has a maximum cruising range of 800 km and can reach 110 km/h on the road.

The RALAS missile (similar to Chinese HJ-10) is based on the Serbian ALAS (Advanced Light Attack System) missile that was demonstrated several times earlier and is guided over a fiber-optic cable. Unlike the ALAS which uses a turbojet engine and a rocket booster that detaches after launch, the RALAS is equipped with a much simpler solid-fuel engine. Because it includes both the booster and the sustainer motor, RALAS is longer and heavier than ALAS. It weighs 67 kg, measures 2,460 mm in length, and has a diameter of 175 mm. The propulsion choice was made to keep costs down, although the range was reduced from 35 km to 9 km. Also different is the aerodynamic configuration of the RALAS, which uses ailerons instead of canards for flight control; this has reduced maneuverability but increased stability. Cruising speed is between 150 and 200 m/s.
The 10.5 kg warhead is either a tandem-shaped charge capable of penetrating over 1,000 mm RHA, or a blast fragmentation charge with a 25-meter lethal radius. Two different gyro-stabilized seekers are available: the imaging infrared (IIR) and the less expensive television (TV) seeker. The ground control station is located inside the vehicle behind the driver’s seat. It consists of a screen, a switchboard, and a control joystick. The launchers are controlled by the switchboard while the joystick is used to control the missile’s homing head.
Upon launching, the RALAS missile climbs to the cruise altitude and guided by the onboard INS/GPS system-supported autopilot follows the preset waypoints until it reaches the target area. The missile flight data and images from the missile seeker are transmitted through the fiber-optic cable back to the ground control station in order for the operator to control its flight and spot, identify and “lock on” the target. Upon target “lock on”, the missile is automatically guided to the target by its seeker. Should the seeker lose the target, re-tracking can be done either automatically or manually. The main advantages of RALAS are insensitivity to any type of jamming, the ability to launch from a sheltered position (does not require line of sight possibilities), and high accuracy.

Specifications

Essentials
- Length; 7.92 m
- Width; 2.95 m
- Height without launchers; 2.32 m
- Track; 2.53 m
- Wheelbase; 1.5 m/1.8 m/1.45 m
- Mass; ca. 28 t
- Crew; 3
- Eight-wheel drive (8x8)
Protection
- Armor;
  - Front; level 3 STANAG 4569
  - Sides and rear; level 3 STANAG 4569
  - Anti-mine protection; level 3 3a/3b STANAG 4569
- APS; N/A
- ERA; N/A
- Smoke; N/A
Mobility
- Engine; Cummins ISM 500 Diesel Engine, 500 hp
- Power/weight; 17.9 hp/t
- Transmission; 1 reverse gear, 6 forward gears
- Top speed; 110 kph
- Amphibious; No
- Gradient; 60%
- Side slope; 30%
- Vertical obstacle; 0.55 m
- Trench; 2 m
- Fording depths; 1.6 m
- Turning radius; 11.5 m
Firepower
- Main;
  - RALAS ATGM launcher
    - Stabilizer; No
    - Elevation; 45°
    - Traverse; N/A
    - Turret rotation speed; N/A
    - Belt capacity; 8 missiles
    - Ammo in storage; unknown
    - Types of missiles;
      - RALAS 175 mm;
        
        Container dimensions; unknown
        
        Container weight (with missile); unknown
        
        Penetration: 1000 mm behind ERA
        
        Average speed: 150-200 m/s
        
        Max firing distance: 9 km
        
        Missile weight; 67 kg
        
        Warhead caliber; 175 mm
        
        Warhead weight; 10.5 kg
        
        Guidance; Mid-course with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) and Terminal Guidance with Homing Head (HH)
        
        Seeker type; Un-cooled IIR or TV
        
        Target tracking via missile: fiber-optic cable