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Surface-to-air missile

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A surface-to-air missile (SAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. It is a type of anti-aircraft system.

Land-based SAMs can be deployed from fixed installations or mobile launchers. The smallest SAMs, developed by the Soviet Union, are capable of being carried and launched by a single person. These types of SAM are also referred to as Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS). Soviet MANPADS have been exported around the world and can still be found in many of their former client states. Other nations have developed their own MANPADS (see list below).

Land-based SAMs are deployed on mobile launchers, either wheeled or tracked. The tracked vehicles are usually armoured vehicles specifically designed to carry SAMs. Larger SAMs may be deployed in fixed launchers, but can be towed/re-deployed at will.

Ship-based SAMs are in widespread use. Virtually all surface warships can be armed with SAMs (see list below). In fact, naval SAMs are a necessity for all front-line surface warships. Some warship types specialise in anti-air warfare e.g. Ticonderoga class cruisers eqipped with the Aegis combat system.

Targets for non-MANPAD SAMs will usually be acquired by air-search radar, then tracked before/while a SAM is "locked-on" and then fired. Potential targets, if they are military aircraft will be identified as friend of foe by identification friend or foe (IFF) systems before "lock-on".

Contents

Radar-guided SAMs

French Air Force Crotale battery
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French Air Force Crotale battery

Bendix Rim-8 Talos surface to air missile of the US Navy
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Bendix Rim-8 Talos surface to air missile of the US Navy

There are different types of radar guidance:

Infrared-guided SAMs

Laser-guided SAMs

Visually-guided SAMs

See also

External links

List of missiles
Air-to-air missile (AAM) | Air-to-surface missile (ASM) | Surface-to-air missile (SAM) | Surface-to-surface missile (SSM)
Ballistic missile | Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) | Submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) | Anti-ballistic missile (ABM)
Cruise missile | Anti-ship missile (AShM) | Anti-submarine Rocket (ASROC) | Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) | Anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) | Anti-radiation missile
Wire-guided missile | Infrared guidance | Beam riding | Laser guidance | Active radar guidance | Semi-active radar guidance


 

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