Missile Rapier

The Rapier is a surface-to-air missile system developed to replace towed anti-aircraft guns. Development began in 1963 under the ET.316 project to address a shift in air threats from medium-altitude missions to low-altitude strikes. The system entered service in 1971 and eventually replaced both short-range guns and longer-range missile systems in British service.

The missile utilizes a semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) guidance system. An operator tracks the target using an optical sight while the system transmits radio commands to the missile via a radio link. This method facilitates high accuracy, allowing for the use of a smaller warhead. The system is powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor. Warhead options include blast fragmentation explosives with proximity-triggered chemical fuzes. The Mk2B variant includes a shaped charge warhead and dual fuzes for use against light armor.

Technical iterations introduced various tracking and engagement capabilities. A separate radar guidance unit was developed to provide all-weather capability by tracking both the target and the missile with a narrow beam. The Darkfire version replaced the original optical system with an infrared thermal imager for night operations. A fully mobile version, Tracked Rapier, was developed for use on an armored vehicle to protect moving formations. The Rapier 2000 variant features a 3D pulse Doppler radar with an integrated Identification Friend or Foe system and an automated optical tracking system.

The system has been exported to several countries and used by the Swiss Air Force, the Turkish Air Force, and the Malaysian Army. It was formerly operated by Australia, Singapore, and the United States for the defense of airbases in Europe and Turkey. Combat use was first recorded in 1974 during the Second Iraqi-Kurdish War, where a system shot down an Iraqi Il-76MD. Iran operated the missile during the Iran-Iraq War. During the 1982 Falklands War, the system was deployed to provide air defense for landing sites. Post-war analysis definitively attributed the destruction of one Dagger A aircraft to the Rapier, though multiple other kills were claimed. Factors affecting performance during that conflict included IFF issues and interference with naval radar. Tracked units provided support to armored regiments during the Gulf War. The system provided security for the 2012 London Olympics before its replacement by the Sky Sabre system in 2021.

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