Are these things new-built, or rebuilt? I can understand the latter, because recycling still-usable bits of time-expired old missiles into new ones which fit the same launchers should be cheaper than completely new, & there’s a big potential customer base among countries with SA-3.
It’s basically a capital upgrade of the S-125 Neva / Pechora (SA-3) but the system uses new missiles…..however it can still fire the old style missiles.
It’s being promoted as an cheap alternative for the S-300 for countries that already have the Neva – Pechora.
Egypt was the first and biggest customer.
Egyptian S-125 SAM upgrade moves ahead
http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdw/jdw060405_1_n.shtml
…..
Here are a few details (features No: 4 and 5 are especially useful IMO):
Yet another new upgrade is now available known as a Pechora-2M upgrade. This carried on the process of replacing old components with modern upgrade equivalents.
In this upgrade the folowind system parts are changed:
1) a new Laser/IR tracker is added to the guidance system allowing the main radar to remain quiet during the engagement.
2) Analogue components are replaced with their digital equivalents
3) Coax cables are replaced with fibre-optics
4) Distance of the radar from the command post increased to 150m.
5) Distance of the launchers from the command post increased to 10Km.
6) Number of truck based launchers increased to 8 from 4.
7) More powerful boosters.
8 ) New RF fuse for warhead.
9) New warhead.
On the new missiles 5V27D & 5V27DE
The MKB Fakel machine-building design bureau near Moscow manufactures these missiles and their 5V27DE equivalents.
The latter feature heavier solid-propellant boosters for higher speed, range and hitting power. Only two, rather than four, missiles can now be launched. However, this will not impair the system’s combat efficiency because each warhead now contains 270% more fragments, whose weight has increased 60%.
The radio proximity fuse, which is activated 20 meters from the target, leaves no chance for any enemy aircraft, short – or intermediate-range missile.
Fragmentation patterns make it possible to destroy the target’s vital elements and missile warheads even at high angular speeds. Consequently, all targets flying at up to 750 meters per second cannot escape.
S-125 Pechora-2M Command Post
for comparison’s sake….
the old S-125 Neva command post
Passive guidance unit
Counter ARM system ECM-125-2M
The Jane’s article has reported KORNET-E as the satellite constellation.
The designation is probably wrong….there is however a KONDOR-E satellite that fits the bill.
I’ve dug up the following info on it…
Description: The Kondor is an 800 kg Earth observation small spacecraft designed to provide high-resolution imagery and terrain mapping in real-time.
The spacecraft can be equipped with either a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or electro-optic payload. The SAR radar with a 9.6 cm wavelength has a resolution of 1-20 meters over a 10×200 km surveillance area.
Its parabolic antenna has a 6-meter diameter and is capable of stereoscopic and interferometric imagery processing.
The electro-optic payload provides near-infrared imagery featuring a resolution of one meter.
The Kondor Earth observation satellite is provided with a ground flight control station and data reception and processing centers. The data gathered by the Kondor Earth observation satellite is suitable for both civil and military applications such as agriculture, forestry, mapping industry, land use management, geology, mineral exploration, environmental protection, ship navigation, and ice reconnaissance. It is available for the export market as the Kondor-E.
http://www.deagel.com/C3ISTAR-Satellites/Kondor_a001964001.aspx
NPO Mashinostroyenia Kondor-E satellite system for the PRC. According to NPO Mash officials the new PRC earth observation satellites will benefit from both the Kondor-E radar satellite (top) and the Kondor-E electro/optical satellite (bottom).
Source:
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN RUSSIA-CHINA MILITARY RELATIONS:
A REPORT ON THE AUGUST 19-23 2003 MOSCOW AEROSPACE SALON (MAKS)Prepared For The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission,
by Richard D. Fisher, Jr, Center for Security PolicySubmitted on October 7, 2003
Satellites of Kondor-E series
In 1997 the Reutov-based NPOmash won the Russian Defense Ministry tender for a space system based on small spacecraft with its Kondor project. Later the Kondor project was launched and included in the program of developing a space reconnaissance system on the basis of small spacecraft.33
Evidently the NPOmash developed civilian small satellites Kondor-E for commercial remote sensing on the basis of the Kondor generic space bus. In their parameters they are closest to the Monitor family of the Khrunichev Center. The satellites are expected to be taken orbited by Strela LV developed at NPOmash on the basis of RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) intercontinental ballistic missile, which also served as a prototype Rokot LV.
The Kondor-E project relies on a generic space bus capable of carrying various equipment, for instance, radar with synthetic aperture or optic electronic systems. Work on the first modification of Kondor-E has advanced more than on others. The modification will carry synthetic aperture radar. The radar wavelength is 9.6 sm., resolution around 1 meter depending on the imaging mode. The modification with optic electronic equipment will operate in the panchromatic and three spectral bands (visible and IR). The resolution will also be around 1 meter.
Both modifications will have a weight of 1,150 kilos and payload of up to 350 kilos. The altitude of the orbit will be 400-500 kilometers and inclination 97.6 degrees. Both satellites will transmit data in real time via relay satellite. The operating life of Kondor-E satellites will range from 3 to 10 years. Design work under the Kondor-E project launched in 1994 has been completed. The first satellite with synthetic aperture radar is to be launched in 2003 from Svobodny space center. NPOmash has not disclosed any plans of launching the satellite with an optic electronic system so far.
It must be said that unlike the Khrunichev Center with its ample financial possibilities stemming from its commercial operations, NPOmash does not have resources for its own projects. Therefore, the development of Kondor-E is evidently conducted simultaneously with work on the Kondor military program. While the Khrunichev Center is planning to launch the first Monitor-E at its own expense to demonstrate its capabilities and attract clients, NPOmash is trying to find a customer before the first launch of Kondor-E in order to complete its work at the expense of the contract. Pacific rim countries, Malaysia in particular, showed much interested in Kondor-E during the LIMA-2001 exhibition. However, the NPOmash approach may hold back the program implementation for a long time because potential clients prefer buying existing systems tested in orbit instead of satellites existing only on paper.
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