NationStates Jolt Archive


Detailing the AC air defense grid

African Commonwealth
27-10-2004, 11:19
Air Defense of the African Commonwealth

Land-based air defense of the AC falls under the Air Force(ACAF), and as such, radar and gun crews are also air force troopers. The air force currently number some 2 million air servicemen, of which several hundred thousands are in the land-based air defense batallions.

Radar Network

Still reliant on a large net of Russian-issue radars for air defense, the AC is protected by thousands of radars of all tactical varieties. The radar upgrade grant passed in 2002 has upgraded all radars to coordinate and communicate under the ACAFs C-3 Integrated Communication Structure. While CAF high command has recommended that the ACAF develop its own radars, the net is currently covering the entire AC air space and beyond at present which will suffice according to analysts.

Back Net CGI and EW Radar. Effective Range of 300 kilometers.

PA-14 Tall King a-band EW Radar. Effective Range of 650 kilometers.

Gin Sling, Fan Song and Square Pair Fire Control and Tracking Radars. Effective Range of 100-255 km.

Long Track and P-15 Flat Face Target Acquisition Radars. Effective Range of 150 and 250 km. respectively.

Thin Skin Height Assesment radar. Effective Range: 240 km on h-band.

Ground based AA/SPAAG systems

BOFORS 40mm AA gun

40mm HE-frag cannons placed on border checkpoints and in many of the smaller Commonwealth urban territories.

CAA-22 100mm AA gun

The heaviest AA projectile weapon in the ACAFs inventory, the CAA-22 are also scattered about the border, while some are held closer to the mainland and larger cities.

ADI-A72 SPAAG. (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=304821&page=1)

Based on the 2S6M Tunguska anti-air platform, the ADI-A72 tracked SPAAG utilizes a combination of 40mm AA guns and SA-19 SAM to track and destroy low-flying aircraft, without creating a 'Dead zone' in which enemy aircraft can evade fire.

Surface-to-Air missile systems


CSAM-94 Commonwealther Short-Medium Range Surface-Air Missile

A mobile and stationary missile system, the CSAM-94 is actually a modified version of the Patriot, designed on systems bought from the United States during the cold war where Nwabudike James' army enjoyed good relations with the superpower. Assumed to be significantly more stable than the US PAC-3 Patriot system, there is only a calculated 0.11% chance of missile malfunction before launch. With an effective range of 15 kilometers against aircraft and 50 against ballistic missiles, it is widely thought to be the ideal SAM for short to medium range interception. The CSAM-94 has been in production for some time, and a considerable number of these systems protect Commonwealth cities and bases.

CSAM-94 SMRSAM:

Configuration: 8 missiles in either stationary or mobile launch vehicle.
Target engagement range: Aircraft ~ 15 km. Ballistic Missiles ~ up to 50 km.
Target engagement altitude: Aircraft and Ballistic Missiles ~ approx. 15 to 25 km.
Missile speed: Mach 5.


CSAM-400 Long Range Surface-Air Missile

A mobile LRSAM designed on the S-400 system previously used by the AC Air Force(which, in turn is designed on the Russian SA-20 "Triumf" SAM), this air defense system is capable of autonomous combat action. It can simultanously track and locate up to 24 moving aerial targets, (including stealth aircraft) and 16 incoming ballistic missiles. The CSAM missiles employed are flying at speeds of up to 4,500 meters per second, and improved technology in the radar information facilities and optimal usage of radar signal processing technics make it possible to combat extremely fast moving ballistic targets with a small radar cross section. The CSAM-400 can effectively protect an area of up to 2,500 sq. km and engage targets at altitudes of 25 to 40,000 m.

New missiles have been designed for the CSAM-400 to employ, the 4G32M and 4G33M. These have the same weight and size characteristics, guidance system concept and warhead effect as the 3G32M missiles used by the mother design, the S-400. However, the 4GxM missile has had it's maneuvering characteristics significantly enhanced, thus allowing it to engage highly mobile targets such as joint strike fighter jets.

The CSAM-400 system has been designed to incorporate multiple radar emitters to set up a bi-static array, which separates transmitter and receiver. Such an array has the potential to pick up signals deflected below or to the side of stealth aircraft shaped and coated for reflecting radar beams.

CSAM-400 is a relatively new design, but at least 15 systems have so far been made, and are being placed with the intent to cover the entire Commonwealth with the systems considerable range.

CSAM-400 LRSAM:

Configuration: six long-range 4G32M missiles and 24 shorter range 4G33M missiles per Autonomous Battery.
Target engagement range: Aircraft ~ 200 km. Ballistic Missiles ~ up to 40 km.
Target engagement altitude: Aircraft ~ 0.025-30 km. Ballistic Missiles ~ up to 30 km.
Missile Speed: Maximum engagement speed in tests have been 4,500 metres per second.

AFRISAM Medium Range Surface-to-Air missile.

AFRISAM is a mobile medium-range area defence surface-to-air missile system developed by Lusakan state arsenals in the last years of Derek Igomo's presidency. Utilizing a combination of an improved Long Track Target Acquisition radar and a Scavenger tracking radar, the AFRISAM can track forty-eight targets down to tree-top height and attack four at a time, guiding up to eight missiles against them in a radius of 65 kilometers, and track targets within 150 kilometers and an altitude of 30 kilometers.

The many AFRISAM systems are exclusively used to protect the AC coastline, dug deep within the beaches and cliffs to provide protected SAM coverage against hostile naval aircraft.

Configuration: An AFRISAM battalion typically consists of one improved Long Track early warning radar, one Scavenger fire-control radar and command unit, two Zil-131 reload-vehicles, and four launch vehicles with 3 fire-ready missiles each. Long Track(L) may serve more than one battalion operating in the same area. Launch vehicles based on BMP-2, but obviously not absolutely required by static positions.
Maximum Effective Range: 28km
Target engagement altitude: 14,500m


OOC: Information for those involved in military conflict with the AC, or just the naturally curious.
Guffingford
27-10-2004, 11:35
TAG ~ this might come in handy for myself one day
imported_Lusaka
27-10-2004, 11:48
(Tag because I'm just dashing out to the chippy ;) Aw, AFRISAM all withdrawn? [tries not to appear offended])
African Commonwealth
27-10-2004, 11:51
OOC: D'oh!! No, they cover my entire coast - will be updating that little doozy when I'm done cleaning ;)
Roycelandia
27-10-2004, 12:00
This information will be most useful indeed... the IIS are grateful. ;)
African Commonwealth
27-10-2004, 12:07
OOC>> Lusaka, my coastal defense thread appears to have gone and got itself deleted - Could you be a dear and telegram me the AFRISAM's specifications? I just need what is above, most importantly the range, altitude and a general description.
Crookfur
27-10-2004, 12:53
OOC:
hhhmmm looks like the Strathdonians will need to start saving a bit more, after all the ASTER-30 dream isn't going to come cheap or easy
Roycelandia
27-10-2004, 13:25
Port Imperial, Roycelandian East Africa

"I say, Kiff, this Anti-Aircraft thing from the AC has got me thinking... how are our Ack-Ack defences in REA looking?" Governor-General Philip J. Fry asked as he put down the latest report.

"They're fine. Better than fine. They're... Flaktastic!" Kiff said, smiling at his own joke.

"That's excellent. So, remind me again, what Ack-Ack defences we actually have?"

Before Kiff could answer, there was a knock at the door. "Cleaning!"

"Ah yes, come in... Now then Kiff, you were saying?"

Kiff's detailed and intricate explanation of Roycelandian East Africa's AA defences is drowned out by the sound of the Vacuum Cleaner

"Excellent! Still, you can never have too many Ack-Ack defences. Take some money from the Sundry Expenses fund and buy some more..."

The rest of Governor-General Fry's sentence is rendered incomprehensible over the sound of a Kettle whistling.

"Tea, anyone?"

"Ah, yes, thank you, Gladys... I trust you'll get right on it, eh Kiff?"

"I'm making the appropriate requestions now..."

OOC: Knowing Roycelandia, REA's AA defences could be anything from State-Of-The-Art Supersonic Insta-Kill SAM missiles to Land-Rovers with a Vickers or Lewis Gun in the back and some WWII-era 40mm Ack-Ack guns. ;)

Realistically, it's a combination of all three- but since Lusaka doesn't really have an Airforce with enough AvGas to fly over REA, and the AC and Roycelandia haven't actually come to blows (yet;) ), you'll have to find this out IC... :)
United Elias
28-10-2004, 16:06
[tag]