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Chinese MR-SAM
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LY-80E equipped to neutralise a wide range of airborne threats |
LY-80E
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By Prasun K. Sengupta
China’s state-owned Aerospace Long-March International Trade Co Ltd (ALIT) has developed a new-generation medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM), called the LY-80E, which can neutralise a wide range of airborne threats, ranging from manned combat aircraft to cruised missiles. The LY-80E MR-SAM’s components comprise a searching vehicle (SV), command vehicle (CV), guidance vehicle (GV), missile-firing vehicle (MFV), and missiles-in-tube (MIT). Technical support equipment includes missile transportation and loading vehicle, power supply vehicle, maintenance vehicle, and missile-test equipment.
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The LY-80E’s maximum/minimum interception altitude is 18km/15 metres, while its maximum interception range for combat aircraft is 40km, and between 3.5km and 12km for cruise missiles flying at an altitude of 50 metres at a speed of 300 metres/second. Single-shot kill probability is a claimed figure of 85 per cent against combat aircraft, and 60 per cent against cruise missiles. The MR-SAM rounds are cannisterised, and are cold-launched in vertical mode. The missile guidance system is of the composite type, comprising initial independent inertial guidance plus intermittent illumination, and semi-active homing terminal guidance. A single LY-80E MFV can engage four targets simultaneously, and the entire system has a reaction time of 12 seconds.
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