RIM-7 Sea Sparrow

Start a RIM -7P aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln

The RIM -7 Sea Sparrow (also NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System ( NSSM ) ) is a ship -based, radar- controlled anti-aircraft medium-range, based on the airborne AIM -7 Sparrow. It is produced by the U.S. company Raytheon.

Development

In the early 1960s the U.S. Navy began development of an air defense system for use on ships, paying particular attention was given to the fight against anti -ship missiles. It was BPDMS ( Basic Point Defense Missile System) called and should be used as standard self-defense system on ships. Initially it should be realized by modifying the existing MIM 46 Mauler system. Since its development was discontinued in 1965, it was decided to use a modified AIM -7E - guided weapon as a base. The resulting RIM 7E5 Sea Sparrow missile was in almost every area with the airborne version of the same. The 1967 launched missile was fired from a starter of the type Mk 25.

Technology

The Sea Sparrow is largely identical to the airborne AIM -7 Sparrow. However, a special feature is the steering with two parallel working CW Feuerleitradaren. The first radar with a small opening angle serves as the Sparrow to illuminate the target and thus to ensure a precise target approach. However, the additional second radar has a relatively large opening angle and serves to filter out the clutter caused by the sea surface. This technique has been introduced to enable effective control of low-flying targets such as anti -ship missiles. However, this technique could be accessed only with the RIM -7F Block I.

Furthermore the Sea Sparrow and a ground -to-ground mode, which allows the control of surface targets. This is typical of ship-based ground - to-air missiles from U.S. production. Thus, such a mode was also introduced for the standard missile air defense missile. Due to the relatively small warhead of 40 kg only smaller vessels can be effectively combated. So inflatables were sunk using the Sea Sparrow in exercises already.

Future

The Sea Sparrow was the first U.S. air defense missile, which was designed specifically to fight anti -ship missiles. These, however, have largely evolved, particularly in the area of ​​maneuverability and speed. An example of this is the SS-N- 22 Sunburn which performs high maneuver at high speed in the final approach. Since even the airborne Sparrow with such objectives had problems it is assumed that the Sea Sparrow against such a missile would not achieve high hit probability. Also, the minimum bet amount of the Sea Sparrow of 6 meters limits the use against modern missiles that fly usually only 2 to 5 feet above the water. Due to these shortcomings, some new missile was developed, which can also fight advanced anti -ship missiles effectively: The RIM -162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, also called ESSM. It is a fundamental advancement of the Sea Sparrow, were taken from only a few parts of the steering system. At close range, the Sea Sparrow is complemented since the 1990s by the RIM -116 RAM system.

Despite the drawbacks of the system, the Sea Sparrow is still on many ships in use, mainly for cost reasons. The ESSM can in fact be used in conjunction with the Mk- 29 launcher, so that upon a re no comprehensive reforms in the area of ​​the starter must be made. However, the radar and steering systems must be adapted to the ESSM, which may partly result in significant additional costs.

Variants

  • RIM 7E5: original version, which differs only insignificantly from the AIM - 7E.
  • RIM -7F: A more advanced version that was hardly produced, as it focused on the development of a ship-based variant of the AIM -7M. RIM -7F Block I: Tests have shown that the Sea Sparrow had problems in the fight against low-flying anti -ship missiles, which now constitute the greatest threat to the U.S. fleet. Therefore, this variant was created, which was able to draw on an additional radar control at low altitude area and an improved proximity fuse. This also targets below 15 meters altitude could now be fought.
  • RIM -7F Block II: In this version, the ECCM capabilities were expanded. However it does not include the improvements introduced in the block I missiles.
  • RIM -7P Block I: In this version, the performance at low altitude and the proximity fuze has been improved. By "Jet Vane Control" system, the missile can now be started from VLS Mk 41 starters.
  • RIM -7P Block II: This computer components have been upgraded, which now had more memory bandwidth and an EPROM and a new proximity fuse. The software underwent an extensive update, so that the performance against low-flying targets in conjunction with the new target system has been significantly improved. The ECCM capabilities were expanded.

Platforms

Destroyer: Spruance class, Arleigh Burke-class, Murasame class Hatsuyuki class, Asagiri class, Shirane - class, Okpo class

Frigates: Wielingen class, Tromp class Kortenaer class, Oslo - class, Knox - class, Anzac class, Halifax- class, Brandenburg class, Bremen class, Karel Doorman class

Supply Vessels: Supply class Wichita class, Sacramento class

Aircraft / helicopter carriers: Forrestal class, Iwo Jima class, Tarawa - class, Wasp - class, Nimitz - class USS Enterprise, Kitty Hawk class

Comparable systems

  • Sea Dart
  • Aspide
  • Sea Wolf
  • SA- N-3 Goblet
Solid-fuel rocket Mach number Anti-ship missile Fire-control radar Clutter (Radar) Electronic Counter Counter Measures Vertical Launching System Spruance-class destroyer Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Murasame-class destroyer (1994) Hatsuyuki-class destroyer Asagiri-class destroyer Shirane-class destroyer Wielingen-class frigate Kortenaer-class frigate Oslo-class frigate Knox-class frigate Halifax-class frigate Karel Doorman-class frigate Gunnar Seidenfaden Forrestal-class aircraft carrier Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship Wasp-class amphibious assault ship Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier Sea Dart (missile) Sea Wolf (missile) M-11 Shtorm MIM-3 Nike Ajax MGM-5 Corporal SSM-N-8 Regulus CIM-10 Bomarc MGM-13 Mace Thor (rocket family) MGM-18 Lacrosse SS.11 RIM-24 Tartar MGM-29 Sergeant LGM-30 Minuteman MGM-31 Pershing ENTAC FIM-43 Redeye MGM-51 Shillelagh AGM-63 AIM-68 Big Q AGM-69 SRAM BGM-71 TOW MIM-72 Chaparral M47 Dragon AIM-82 FIM-92 Stinger AIM-95 Agile Trident (missile) AIM-97 Seekbat Convair F-102 Delta Dagger MIM-104 Patriot Tomahawk (missile) LGM-118 Peacekeeper AGM-124 Wasp AGM-130 AGM-131 SRAM II MGM-134 Midgetman ASM-135 ASAT AGM-137 TSSAM MGM-140 ATACMS Popeye (missile) Air Defense Anti-Tank System AIM-152 AAAM AGM-153 AGM-158 JASSM AGM-159 JASSM AGM-169 Joint Common Missile FGM-172 SRAW
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