[Combined Air Defense Thread]
- News, analysis and posts related to radars, surface to air missiles, AD guns, networking and ESM.

Akash Missile
- There was a 2015 report from Tehelka which mentioned that Indian Army's Akash Missile Regiment has 6 batteries.
- Which will explain this image which appeared in 2017.
- For come reason, what would normally be termed as a Battery, is called as a Troop +

+ It is quite possible, that 6 troops equal to 3 batteries with 2 x troops per battery.
- Which can possibly explain this 2018 report that IA is getting 2 x Akash Regiments with 6 batteries.
- 6 troops/3 batteries or 6 batteries (assuming troop = battery)+ https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/army-inducts-indigenously-built-surface-to-air-missile-akash/articleshow/47160885.cms?from=mdr

+ means Indian Army's Akash Regiment is a massive unit.
- 24 launchers, with 3 missiles/launcher, means 72 ready-to-fire missiles, 7 x 3D-Central Acquisition Radar, 6 x Troop Level Radar (Rajendra-III).
- Coverage would be excellent
- Multiple the above by 2 for 2 x Akash Regts+

+
- Unlike older times, when A Grade equipment went to Strike Corps, the two Akash Regiments have gone to Pivot Corps, i.e. Bhatinda based 10 Corps and Jalandher based 11 Corps.
- In fact, analysis of open source data shows that a SA-6/Kvardat Group from a Strike Corps was +

+ shifted to Desert Corps, or 12 Corps.

First Akash SAM Group raised in a Pivot Corps (XI Corps).

Like first Akash missile regiment, second is also under a Pivot Corps (10 Corps, Bhatinda, has substantial mechanized assets)
- First regiment was raised in Amritsar under 11 Corps
- In case of Cold Start, these Pivot Corps will be first to launch & will face PAF counter action

(QR_SAM)
DRDO successfully tested the QRSAM. It brings many novel techs. Few pointers -
1. 4-side AESA radar: See 3rd image. It has 4 fixed radar panels which provide on-the-move surveillance with high refresh rate.
2. Compared to this, it requires considerable time to set-up +

+ the surveillance and fire-control-radar for Akash missile (pic-01)
3. QRSAM has two radars - one is Battery Surveillance Radar (BSR) and other is Battery Multi-Function Radar (BMFR)
4. Interestingly, both radars are similar in appearance and differ in their technical +

+ configuration
5. BSR is C-Band while BMFR is X-Band (this will provide guidance to the missile).
6. Range is 120 and 80 km, respectively. While not mentioned yet, but I expect a much longer range surveillance radar at Regimental HQ level to also materialize.
+

7. Unlike Akash, where missile is guided by the radar till the target, in case of QRSAM, BMFR will provide mid-course guidance through 'radar-data-link' and when the missile is close to target, its own RF-Seeker will take over.
8. It has 6 ready-to-fire canisterized missile on+

+ on a high-mobility vehicle.
9. Mobile AESA radar along with canisterized missiles provide IA with a high mobility AD missile system which can not only move along with its maneuver elements but also quickly acquire target on the move and fire (after short-halt).
10. Going by +

+ System config as given by DRDO, we're looking at 72 ready-to-fire missiles per QRSAM regiment! Astonished face
11. RCPV is linked to each BCPV through satellite link while each BCPV is linked to CG through Radio-on-the-Move (8 km max distance)
(check image for abbreviation)
+

12. Interestingly, each CG is supposed to have 1 x BMFR for each missile launch vehicle (MLV).
13. That makes it - 12 x BMFR, 4 x BSR and 12 MLV per Regiment.
14. What is unknow is this - how many missile can be simultaneously handled by each BMFR?

15. Radar also has stabilized eletro-optical tracking system.
16. QRSAM represents a quantum jump in India's ability to develop complete SAM systems consisting of missile, its guidance & surveillance.
17. Expect at least 8-10 such regiments to be ordered by the Indian Army.

(S-400 'Triumf' missile system)
(1) Core Components:
- 55K6E Command Post - This manages the entire battalion
- 91N6E 'Big Bird' - Main surveillance radar of the battalion. Evolved from 64N6E radar on S-300PMU2
Surveillance Range: 600+ kms.

(2) Battery Level:
- 92N6E 'Grave Stone' - Fire Control Radar which guides missiles to targets (1st&2nd pic)
- 96L6E “Cheese Board” (4th pic)- Optional surveillance radar for each battery in addition to central surveillance radar
- Range: 300 km
(3rd pic: Left-92N6E/Right: 96L6E)

(3) Missiles:
- 40N6 - Big-daddy missile!
Range - ~400 km/Active & Semi-Active Radar Homing (ARH & SARH)
- 48N6E2/E3 - 200-250 km (SARH)
- 9M96E/E2- 40 & 120 km (ARH)
Pics:
(1) S-400 firing 48N6E2
(2) 48N6E2/9M96E2/9M96E
(3) 9M96E missile firing
(4) 40N6E

(4) Tractor-Erector-Launcher (TEL):
- 5P85TM/T2/TE2 semi-trailer mated to 6 x 6 BAZ-64022 tow tractor (pic 1&2)
- 5P85SE demonstrator TEL with quad 9M96E launch tubes (pic 3)
- Missile arrangement/tube (pic 4)
(5V55K/R are from older S-300 series)

(5) Optional VHF/UHF, 3D, AESA Surveillance radars to counter low-observable fighters. Generally deployed at battery level.
- Range (depending on radar cross section: 200-400 km
(a) 59N6E Protivnik GE
(b) 67N6E GAMMA-DE

(6) Configuration - Battery:
- Each battery is called 98Zh6E Fire Unit. It has:
- 1 x 92N6E 'Grave Stone' Fire Control Radar
- 1 x 96L6E “Cheese Board' surveillance radar
- Up to 12 x 5P85TM/T2/TE2
+

(7) Configuration - Battalion:
- 30K6E Command Post comprising of 55K6E Command Vehicle
- 91N6E 'Big Bird'
- Up to Six 98Zh6E Fire Units or batteries can be managed
- Typically, a battalion has 3 x 98Zh6E Fire Units with 3 x TEL per Fire Unit
- Total launchers/battalion: 9
+

+
8) Indian order - As per media reports, India has ordered 5 x S-400 Squadrons for IAF. General configuration of an IAF SAM squadron:
- 2 x Missile Flights (these hold the missile launchers)
- 1 x Technical Flight (to look after the missiles)
-Assuming similar structure holds+

+
for S-400 as well, we're looking at:
- 2 x Missile flights with 4 x launchers/flight.
- Total launchers/Sqn - 8
- Total min no of ready to fire missiles (at 4 missiles/launcher) - 32
- But we know that 4 x 9M96E/E2 missiles are carried/tube.
- So, number of missiles will be >32