M1097 Avenger
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The Avenger Air Defense System is a US military weapon system utilized by both the Army and the Marine Corps that provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters.
This is one of the air defense systems placed around the Pentagon in Washington, DC after the September 11 terror attacks. The Avenger system has been in use since 1989.
Description and Specifications
The system consists of a gyro-stabilized air defense turret mounted on a modified heavy High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The turret has two Stinger missile launcher pods, each capable of firing up to 4 fire-and-forget infrared/ultraviolet guided missiles in rapid succession. Avenger can be linked to the Forward Area Air Defense Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (FAAD C3I) system, which permits external radar tracks and messages to be passed to the fire unit to alert and cue the gunner. Using the newly developed Slew-to-Cue subsystem, the commander or gunner can select a FAAD C3I reported target for engagement from a display on their HTU, then, by a single push-button, initiate an automatic cab movement to azimuth. The slew-to-cue system is not wide-spread, however. The M1097, M1097A1, M1097A2 use a troop seat kit for troop transport operations, a 200 ampere umbilical power cable to power shelter equipment, and stowage racks for ammunition and equipment. To accommodate the higher payload capacity, the vehicles are equipped with a re-inforced frame, crossmembers, lifting shackles, heavy duty rear springs, shock absorbers, reinforced control arms, heavy duty tires and rims, and a transfer case and differential with modified gear ratio.The M1097, M1097A1, and M1097A2 and M1123 are specifically designed to accommodate a higher payload capacity. The M1097A2 models have new bumpers, which make the vehicles slightly longer. A 9,000 lb winch is also available for the M1097A2 models as an option.
Weapons
- 8 ready-to-fire FIM-92 Stinger missiles
- 1 M3P Machine gun, which is a modified M2. It is a .50 cal with an electronic trigger that can be fired from both the RCU located in the drivers cab, and from the handstation located in the Avenger cockpit. Loads 1 box of 200-250 rounds at a time.
Sensors
- Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor/laser range finder/optical sight
Dimensions
- Length - 16 ft 3 in
- Weight - 8,600 lb (4,300 kg)
- Crew - 2
- Roadspeed - 55 mph
- Range - 275 miles
- Primary weapon - 8 Stinger missiles
- Secondary weapon - .50 M3P machine gun
- Horsepower - 150 hp
See also
References in Popular Culture
In the video game , the USA faction has access to a vehicle called the Avenger, which fufills the same air-support role as the M1097. However, the fictional Avenger is a laser weapon system, using two lasers to shoot down enemy aircraft and missiles. It also has a laser designator that causes all friendly units targeted on the designated enemy to fire faster and with more effect. This version is defenceless against anything but air units and missiles.In the video game , the US Army faction can build M1097 Avengers as their air defense artillery.
External links
Information for this article adapted from public domain Army web site.
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