RBS 70

Last updated

RBS 70
RBS 70.png
Latvian RBS 70
Type Short-range Air Defense (SHORAD)
Man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS)
Place of originSweden
Service history
In service1977–present
Wars
Production history
Manufacturer Bofors Defence (1980s–2000)
Saab Bofors Dynamics (since 2000)
Unit cost3.3 million EUR in 2023 [1]
Specifications
Mass87 kg (stand + sight + missile)
Length1.32 m
Diameter106 mm
Wingspan32 cm
Warhead1.1 kg combined with 3,000 tungsten spheres and shaped charge
Detonation
mechanism
Adaptive proximity fuze function with 3 selectable modes (Off, Normal, Small target)

Engine Booster and sustainer with smokeless solid propellant
Operational
range
250 m – 9 km
Flight altitude5,000 m
Maximum speed Mach 1.6 (Mark 0/1)
Mach 2 (5 km in 12 seconds) (Mark 2/BOLIDE)
Guidance
system
Laser beam riding missile
Launch
platform
tripod, weapon platform (ASRAD-R) and warship

RBS 70 (Robotsystem 70) is a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) designed for anti-aircraft warfare in all climate zones and with little to no support from other forces. Originally designed and manufactured by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence (now Saab Bofors Dynamics, since 2000). It uses the RB 70 missile, which is also in use in a number of other Swedish missile systems. [2]

Contents

History

First-generation RBS 70 missile Robot till RBS 70.jpg
First-generation RBS 70 missile

Before RBS 70 the mainstay of Swedish short range air defence was Robotsystem 69 (American Redeye) and the Swedish Bofors m/48 AAA. Development of the Rbs 70 to supply the Swedish air defence with a low-cost, easy-to-use and effective short-range SAM system began in 1969 when Bofors AB was contracted, who decided to use a novel guidance system in the form of a laser-beam riding missile co-developed with Laser Diode Laboratories. Further studies showed the need of a radar and an Identification friend or foe-system which were ordered from LM Ericsson and Svenska Aktiebolaget Trådlös Telegrafi (SATT) respectively in 1972. [3] This became the first missile system to fully use computer simulated firing, with some 10 000 shots taken during development. [4] In 1975, the finished system went into series production, and RBS 70 was taken into service in 1977. In 1982, the missile was improved to MK I, while the MK II came in 1990. The fourth generation, the Mach 2 "BOLIDE" all target missile appeared in 2003 along with improvements of the IFF-system and the ability to add a BORC thermal imager. The auto-tracking RBS 70 Next Generation with an integrated thermal imager came in 2011, now with a range of 9000 metres and 5000 metre height coverage. [5]

As a side development, the vehicle-mounted all-weather Robotsystem 90 [6] was in service from 1993 to 2004, [7] then mothballed until it was reactivated in 2017.

Design

RBS 70 and operators in Australian service, 2021 Australian RBS-70 team during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21.jpg
RBS 70 and operators in Australian service, 2021

The RBS 70 is a Short-range Air Defense (SHORAD) laser guided missile system.

Mk 1 and Mk 2 followed shortly and are the standard RBS 70 with a range of 5,000–6,000 m and a ceiling of 3,000 m. Currently, RBS 70 is operational in 20 customer countries, on all continents and in arctic, desert, and tropical environments.[ citation needed ]

In 2003 the "BOLIDE" upgrade system was introduced to the RBS 70. [8] The BOLIDE missile is an RBS 70 Mk 2 upgrade that is faster (Mach 2 vs Mach 1.6), with a range up to 8 km (5.0 mi) and can reach an altitude of 6 km. Deliveries were initiated in 2005.

Latest upgrade

In 2011, Saab Bofors Dynamics (successor company of Bofors Defence) announced the introduction of the new RBS 70 New Generation (RBS 70 NG). The upgraded version included an improved sighting system automatic target tracking capable of night vision and improved training and after-action review features. [9]

Operational use

Iran used the RBS 70 system during the Iran–Iraq War against Iraqi aircraft. [10]

In 1990, the Royal Australian Navy embarked two RBS 70 units and Australian Army operators on board the fleet replenishment ship HMAS Success when it deployed to the Persian Gulf in the lead-up to the first Gulf War in Kuwait.

In 1992, a Venezuelan Army RBS 70 SAM is attributed with having shot down a rebel OV-10 Bronco during the 27 November 1992 coup attempt. [11]

The Australian government has announced the Short Range Ground Based Air Defence in 2017. The plan is to find a replacement for the RBS-70. As of 2019 the NASAMS is the chosen option. Defence Department has signed a contract with Raytheon Australia. Planned replacement of the RBS-70 is financial year 2022–23. [12]

RBS 70 was supplied to Ukraine by Sweden at the beginning of 2023 during the Russian invasion. Sweden also provided Ukraine with the Giraffe 75 short range radar for use with the RBS 70. The Ukrainian military claims to have used RBS 70 to shoot down Russian cruise missiles and Iranian-made loitering munitions. [13] [14]

On 17 August 2023, near Robotyne, members of the 47th Brigade used a RBS 70 to shoot down a Russian Ka-52, reportedly killing one of the two crew. [15] On 5 December 2023, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk stated that a Ukrainian RBS 70 anti-aircraft missile took down a Su-24 aircraft using the RBS-70 MANPAD in Odesa Oblast. [16]

On 25 October 2023, the 25th airborne brigade shot down one Mi-8 helicopter in the Luhansk region using RBS-70 missile. [17]

On 6 December 2023, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down one Russian Su-24 in Odesa Oblast using a RBS-70. [18] On 24 December 2023, the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade downed a Russian SuperCam drone using a RBS-70. [19] [20]

On 13 May 2024, the 110th Mechanized Brigade shot down two Russian Su-25 and one Ka-52 helicopter using a RBS-70. [21] [22]

On 29 April 2024, Australian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Richard Marles announced a $100 million (AUD) aid package for Ukraine. Half of this is for air defence, Minister Marles said that "dozens of million dollars" of RBS-70s will be provided to Ukraine. Australia is retiring RBS-70 in favour of NASAMS. It is not clear if the "Saab Giraffe" radar is included. [23]

Operators

Current operators

Former operators

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saab AB</span> Swedish aerospace and defense company

Saab AB, with subsidiaries collectively known as the Saab Group, is a Swedish aerospace and defense company primarily operating from Sweden. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, but its development and manufacturing operations are undertaken in Linköping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIM-92 Stinger</span> U.S. man-portable surface-to-air missile

The FIM-92 Stinger is an American man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) that operates as an infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM). It can be adapted to fire from a wide variety of ground vehicles, and from helicopters and drones as the Air-to-Air Stinger (ATAS). It entered service in 1981 and is used by the militaries of the United States and 29 other countries. It is principally manufactured by Raytheon Missiles & Defense and is produced under license by Airbus Defence and Space in Germany and by Roketsan in Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starstreak</span> British man-portable/vehicle mounted surface-to-air missile

Starstreak is a British short-range surface-to-air missile that can be used as a man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) or used in heavier systems. It is manufactured by Thales Air Defence in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is also known as Starstreak HVM. After launch, the missile accelerates to more than Mach 4, making it the fastest short-range surface-to-air missile in existence. It then launches three laser beam-riding submunitions, increasing the likelihood of a successful hit on the target. Starstreak has been in service with the British Army since 1997. In 2012 Thales relaunched the system as ForceSHIELD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mistral (missile)</span> French short range air defense system

The Missile Transportable Anti-aérien Léger, commonly called Mistral, is a French infrared homing short range air defense system manufactured by MBDA France. Based on the French SATCP, the development of the portable system later to become the Mistral began in 1974. The first version of the system was introduced in 1988 (S1), the second in 1997, and the third in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IRIS-T</span> Medium-range infrared homing missile

The IRIS-T is a medium range infrared homing missile available in air-to-air and surface-to-air variants. It also is called AIM-2000.

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The Saab Bofors Dynamics NLAW, also known as the MBT LAW or RB 57, is a fire-and-forget, lightweight shoulder-fired, and disposable (single-use) line of sight (LOS) missile system, designed for infantry use. The missile uses a soft-launch system and is guided by predicted line of sight (PLOS). It can carry out an overfly top attack (OTA) on an armoured vehicle, or a direct attack (DA) on structures and non-armoured vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Man-portable air-defense system</span> Portable surface-to-air missile weapons

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giraffe radar</span> Swedish early warning radar system family

The Saab Giraffe Radar is a family of land and naval two- or three-dimensional G/H-band passive electronically scanned array radar-based surveillance and air defense command and control systems. It is tailored for operations with medium- and Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) missile or gun systems, or for use as gap-fillers in a larger air defense system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short range air defense</span> Anti-air weapons against low-flying targets

Short range air defense (SHORAD) is a group of anti-aircraft weapons and tactics that have to do with defense against low-altitude air threats, primarily helicopters and low-flying aircraft such as the A-10 or Sukhoi Su-25. SHORAD and its complements, HIMAD and THAAD divide air defense of the battlespace into domes of responsibility based on altitude and defensive weapon ranges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ASRAD-R</span> German-Swedish short-range air defense system

ASRAD-R is a vehicle-mounted short-range air defense system, designed by a joint German-Swedish effort between Rheinmetall and Saab Bofors Dynamics. The system is modular and can be mounted on almost any wheeled or tracked vehicle. It has for instance been demonstrated mounted on an M113 armoured personnel carrier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RBS 23</span> Swedish medium range air defence system

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akeron MP</span> French-made portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile

The Akeron MP, formerly known as MMP is a French fifth generation man-portable anti-tank guided missile system. Featuring a fire-and-forget capability, it also integrates command guidance in both lock-on before launch (LOBL) and lock-on after launch (LOAL) firing modes for visible targets and non-line-of-sight use respectively. The latter two modes incorporate retargeting, i.e. the ability to redirect the missile in flight towards another target such as an unexpected threat or a new and more valuable enemy asset spotted, as well as aim point selection and mission abort features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70</span> Autocannon

The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70,, is a multi-purpose autocannon developed by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors during the second half of the 1940s as a modern replacement for their extremely successful World War II-era Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun-design. It was initially intended as a dedicated anti-aircraft weapon, being sold as Bofors 40 mm Automatic A.A. Gun L/70, but has since its conception been redeveloped into a dedicated multi-purpose weapon capable of firing both sabot projectiles and programmable ammunition. The Bofors 40 mm L/70 design never achieved the same popularity and historical status as the original L/60 design but has still seen great export and popularity to this day, having been adopted by around 40 different nations and even being accepted as NATO-standard in November 1953. It is still being produced and sold, and several variants exist for both field and naval applications. A notable variant is the Bofors 40/70B "light armored vehicle variant" which is in use on the Swedish Strf 9040 and Korean K21 infantry fighting vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VSHORAD (India)</span> Indian anti-aircraft missile

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