Anti-aircraft Artillery AAA

Type 90 35 mm (skyguard)

Citation :

Type 90 Twin-35mm Towed Anti-Aircraft Artillery
The Type 90 twin-35mm anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) is a Chinese copy of the Swiss Oerlikon GDF, one of the world’s most capable low-altitude air defence weapon systems. The weapon was designed to engage high-speed, low-flying aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and cruise missiles. A tracked self-propelled variant of this weapon has also been produced and tested but it did not enter the PLA service. The Type 90 replaced the obsolete Type 65 and type 74 twin-37mm AAA to provide field air defence for the ground forces at the division and group army level.

China imported a small number of the Oerlikon GDF twin-35mm AAA and the associated Skyguard air defence radar system from Switzerland in the 1980s. Later the weapon was produced in China locally under license as the Type 90. The Oerlikon GDF AAA system is available in three major variants: GDF-1, GDF-2 and GDF-3. It is not known exactly which model the Type 90 was based on, but it is thought to be comparable in performance to the GDF-2 developed in 1980. The Type 90 was first revealed to the public during the 1999 National Day parade held in Beijing.

Comparing to the PLA’s obsolete manually-operated twin-37mm AAA, which were based on the 1950s-era Soviet designs, the Type 90 is much more advanced in terms of technology and capability. Once set up, the AAA system can be operated by one person. The autoloader make it possible to feed and fire all the ammunition available on the gun without manual intervention. The system’s reaction time to an airborne target is only 6 seconds, and the whole system can be set up or retreated within 90 seconds.

The Type 90 includes a computer controlled electro-optical director for 3-dimensional target tracking in conjunction with the laser range finder. The Type 902 (Chinese copy of the Skyguard) millimetre-wave target searching radar has a detection range of 8,000m. The AAA system can work either in conjunction with the Type 902 fire control radar or autonomously. A typical battery using the Skyguard radar consists of two twin 35 mm gun platforms with a single fire control radar. In addition, the 35mm guns are also highly lethal against ground targets.

The 35mm cannon mounted on a 4-wheel cartridge has a cyclic rate of fire of 550 rounds/min. The muzzle velocity is 1,175m/s. The cannon fires high explosive incendiary rounds. It is not clear whether China has also obtained the Advanced Hit Efficiency and Destruction (AHEAD) round technology from Switzerland along with the Oerlikon 35mm gun. The AAA system carries 280 rounds for each barrel. The reloading time is 7.5 seconds. The iconic large muzzle break is missing on the later variant of the Type 90.

The fire-control unit used by the Type 90 was based on the improved Skyguard-II, which differs from the basic variant Skyguard in that it has two tracking systems—a Type 902 target searching radar and an electro-optical passive tracking director. The electro-optical tracking system uses high-resolution optical/infrared TV for passive tracking in clear weather. The advantage of continuing tracking without emitting radar signals increases its survivability when facing enemy anti-radiation missiles (ARMs).

Specifications

Crew: 5
Gun Calibre: 35mm
Rate of Fire: 1100 rounds/min
Muzzle Velocity: 1,175m/s
Barrel Length: 3,150mm (90 calibre)
Effective Range: N/A
Horizontal Movement: 360 degree
Gun Elevation/Depression: N/A
Ammunition: 35mm high explosive incendiary
Number of rounds available: 280 rounds per barrel before reloading
Maximum reloading time: 7.5 seconds
Weight: 8,000kg
Maximum Speed: (towed) 80km/h
Fire control: Type 902 radar; electro-optical director
Towing vehicle: 6X6 cross-country truck

Last update: 30 April 2007

je me suis toujours demandé si il serait possible d'assurer la protection de radars grâce a ce type de AA, notamment contre les missiles air-sol (anti-radar) et sol-sol/mer-sol (tomahawk/scalp). ce sont des cibles prioritaires et difficile a sécuriser.

Citation :

MANPADS Revitalized with Red-Sky II





IMI's "Red Sky 2" - Man Portable Air Defense System. Photo: Defense-Update

Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) are commonly used to protect mobile, deployed forces, or defend point targets and strategic sites. Although technically capable to intercept combat aircraft and helicopters, human factors critical limit the use of MANPADS to very short range. At Aero-India 2011 Israel Military Industries (IMI) is introducing the new and improved Red-Sky 2, which converts existing or new MANPADS into an integrated air defense system, centrally controlled and enhanced with passive (FLIR) and active (radar) sensors, and semi-automatic engagement features maximizing the probability of intercept with available assets. Red Sky 2 can be adapted to operate with all types of IR guided missiles – Igla type systems, Mistral or Stinger.

oerlikon 35mm skyguard II

Citation :

PIT-RADWAR & PGZ Showcasing the SOLA VSHORAD Vehicule Mounted Radar System at MSPO 2015



PIT-RADWAR, a member of PGZ holding (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa) is showcasing the SOLA very short range air defense (VSHORAD) mobile radar system. It is a modern multifunction threedimensional (3D) radar designed to detect and indicate airborne targets (aircraft, helicopters, missiles, mortar rounds...)  in the short and very short range with use of S-band channel.


C-Band channel is employed to detect hovering helicopters. The detection range of the radar is 20 to 60 kilometers, up to 8,000 meters in altitude.



Thanks to its compact dimensions and light weight, the radar has exceptional capability of quick relocation. Fitted on an AMZ Zubr vehicle platform, the SOLA system is characterized by high manoeuvrability and short deployment time. The time to reach full combat readiness is shorter than 5 minutes with a crew of 2 soldiers.


alking to Army Recognition during MSPO 2015, a PGZ representative explained that the SOLA radar system is currently being procured by Polish Armed Forces. The SOLA will be deployed with three differennt systems: POPRAD, PILICA and ARMATA (Hydra) 35mm and serve as the target detection and designation radar.

The POPRAD is a short-range anti-aircraft system consisting in a turret of four GROM surface to air missile fitted on a AMZ Zubr 4x4 vehicle (the same chassis as SOLA). POPRAD was officialy procured by the Polish Armed Forces in August this year. Poprad is designed to destroy air targets in any weather conditions, at night and during the day, at distances of up to 5.5 kilometers and altitude up to 3,500 metres.It will be an element of the Polish integrated air-defence system (Polish shield).




PILICA is an anti-aircraft artillery and missile system consisting in a ZUR-23-2SP fitted with two GROM surface to air missiles on top and a GOS-1 AURORA optoelectronic system for observation and tracking. The system was designed by ZM Tarnow. A typical battery consists in six systems. PILICA is also part of the layered Polish shield.

Unveiled at MSPO 2014, the Armata (Hydra) is a 35-mm remote-controlled anti-aircraft gun system designed for fighting air targets (aircraft, fixed- and rotary-wing, manned and unmanned, cruise missiles) flying at very low, low to medium altitudes.

http://www.armyrecognition.com/mspo_2015_news_official_online_show_daily_coverage/pit-radwar_pgz_showcasing_the_sola_vshorad_vehicule_mounted_radar_system_at_mspo_2015.html