Israeli Navy, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense Research & Development (MOD DDR&D), has successfully conducted a trial of a new sea-to-sea missile system developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This system will ensure Israel’s continued naval superiority.
The Israeli Navy and MOD DDR&D conducted a pre-planned series of trials last week in order to ascertain the system’s operational capabilities. The new missile system offers enhanced offensive precision capabilities, has longer range, possesses improved offensive flexibility and is better equipped to engage advanced threats.
The trials prepared the system for use by the Israeli Navy; the missiles will be integrated both into the existing Sa’ar 5 Class corvettes as well as the new Sa’ar 6 Class corvettes that are scheduled to join the 3rd Flotilla (the Israeli Navy’s Missile Boat Flotilla) in the coming months. During the trial, a missile was fired at a dummy target vessel; the trial was successful.
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The introduction of the system will serve as a significant addition to the force build up efforts of the Israeli Navy, and ensure its continued naval superiority. Rafael. Recent tests and simulation help to determine the configuration of the combined air defence system to be carried by the Israeli navy’s SAAR -6 corvettes. The Saar 6 corvettes built now in Germany for the Israeli Navy, will carry a combined air defence system, comprised of the Barak -8 and the C-Dome. The navy says that the use of both systems will be defined in real time by the threat. “In some scenarios both interceptors will be launched “, an Israeli source said.
The Saar 6 corvettes are mainly built to protect the Israel EEZ that includes the huge gas reservoirs in the Mediterranean. These are very high in the target bank of the Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Barak-8 is made by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). According to the company, Barak 8 provides the ultimate protection against a variety of aerial platforms and munitions including aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft and sea-skimming missiles. It is based on a sophisticated missile (developed in collaboration with Rafael), state-of-the-art phased array multi mission radar, two-way data link, and flexible command and control system.
The system’s radar manufactured by ELTA Systems, an IAI group and subsidiary, is a multi-mission radar, supporting air defence missions. It delivers an accurate, high quality, real-time arena situation picture and extracts low Radar Cross Section (RCS) targets even in the toughest environmental conditions. It is a digital Active Electronic Steering Array (AESA) Radar System which incorporates new and advanced technologies.
Barak 8 can operate day and night, in all weather conditions, and successfully deals with simultaneous threats engagements, even in severe saturation scenarios.
The system has a very short reaction time and a fast missile vertical launch capability with 360 degree coverage. The system optimizes the coordination between the missile and batteries by using an advanced broadband communication network. The missile deals with short, medium, and long range threats, where its interconnectivity among the various ships in the naval task force enables it to be a multi-layer air and missile defence System of Systems. A source said that a typical ship installation includes 4 vertical launchers each carrying 8 missiles. The Barak-8 has an effective range of 70 km. IAI is developing an extended range version . This one will have an add on booster and it will give the missile a 150 km range.
The C-Dome Naval defence system is made by Rafael and is based on the combat proven Iron Dome and designed to effectively protect combat vessels against a large set of modern threats. C-Dome handles saturation attacks by engaging multiple targets simultaneously. Reaction time according to Rafael, is very short and enables automatic and semi-automatic engagements. C-Dome components include a multi-round launcher assembly loaded with vertically-launched canistered interceptors. The launcher is installed under the ship’s deck. C-Dome utilizes the ship’s own surveillance radar and does not require a dedicated Fire Control Radar. Weapon System Command and Control is seamlessly integrated with the ship’s combat management system, facilitating system operation. Rafael emphasizes that C-Dome uses the combat-proven Iron Dome interceptor that has already achieved more than 1500 successful intercepts. Rafael says that the Interceptors are maintenance-free, and are stored in a sea-proof canister. Up to 8 interceptors can be loaded into a modular Vertical Launcher Unit.
