A demonstration at White Sands Missile Range in United States by the Maneuver Short Range Air Defense program allowed U.S. program officers to look at existing technology to help form the requirements for an interim solution to U.S. Army SHOrt Range Air Defense (SHORAD) while the U.S. Army develops a permanent system.
During the demonstration a number of short-range air defense systems showed at AUSA 2017, the Associations of United States Army Exhibition and Conference that was held in Washington D.C. in October 2017, were involved in the live firing exercises.
Last year the U.S. Army kicked off an effort called the Strategic Portfolio Analysis and Review, or SPAR, to review 780 programs and evaluate their impact on warfighting. Lt. Gen. John M. Murray, deputy chief of staff, said "SHORAD's (Short Range Air Defense) ranking at the top has been in response to what's being seen in the Ukraine, and also comes as a result of the Army's de-emphasis on that capability."
The demonstrations, included live-fire target exercises from national and international defense companies, with new military products able to response to the U.S. Army requests for a new Short Range Air Defense, or SHORAD, to increase protection of ground troops against an increasingly wide range of aerial threats that include low flying enemy aircraft such as helicopters, drones and other air attacks.
The SHORAD systems used during the live firing demonstration were the SkyHunter from Raytheon, the General Dynamics Stryker Land Systems Stryker Maneuver SHORAD Launcher, the South Korean Hybrid Biho and a Stryker vehicle fitted with 30mm automatic cannon and Anti-UAV Defence System (AUDS).
The SkyHunter a US-certified version of the Iron Dome developed jointly by the Israeli Company Rafael and Raytheon. The SkyHunter is a mobile all-weather air defense system designed to destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers.
The system is effective day or night and in all weather conditions, including low clouds, rain, dust storms and fog. It features a first-of-its-kind multi-mission launcher, which is designed to fire a variety of interceptor missiles, depending on the threat.
Each of the Iron Dome batteries can defend up to nearly 60 square miles, but the systems are strategically placed around cities to intercept threats headed toward populated areas and ignore those fired at uninhabited regions. This cost-effective approach minimizes unnecessary interceptor launches.
Raytheon SkyHunter US-certified version of the Iron Dome at White Sands Missile Range SHORAD demonstration.
The SkyHunter is a US-certified version of the Iron Dome developed jointly by the Israeli Company Rafael and Raytheon. The SkyHunter is a mobile all-weather air defense system designed to destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers.
The system is effective day or night and in all weather conditions, including low clouds, rain, dust storms and fog. It features a first-of-its-kind multi-mission launcher, which is designed to fire a variety of interceptor missiles, depending on the threat.
Each of the Iron Dome batteries can defend up to nearly 60 square miles, but the systems are strategically placed around cities to intercept threats headed toward populated areas and ignore those fired at uninhabited regions. This cost-effective approach minimizes unnecessary interceptor launches.
General Dynamics Land Systems Stryker MSL (Maneuver Short-range air defense Launcher)at White Sands Missile Range SHORAD demonstration.
General Dynamics Land Systems has performed a live firing demonstration with its Stryker MSL fitted with a Boeing turret armed with Hellfire missiles. The Stryker MSL (Maneuver Short-range air defense Launcher) is a short-range Air Defense (SHORAD) solution that meets the U.S. Army's emerging operational need to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Rotary Wing (RW) and Cruise Missile (CM) threats.
The Stryker MSL is fitted with a Boeing unmanned turret mounted at the rear of the chassis, the original infantrymen compartment is replaced by a cargo area. The turret is armed with four AGM-114 Longbow Hellfire located on the right side and another pod with four launchers for Raytheon Stinger short range air defense missile.
General Dynamics Land Systems Stryker IFV fitted with and Anti-UAV Defence System and ATK XM813 30mm automatic cannon at White Sands Missile Range SHORAD demonstration.
Another Stryker vehicle showed at the demonstration was fitted with and Anti-UAV Defence System (AUDS) designed to detect, track, classify and disrupt UAVs at ranges of up to 8km.
The AUDS system is even effective against so-called Group 1 micro UAVs at ranges of up to 2 km and Group 1 mini UAVs at ranges of several kilometers.
This technology has been extensively tested in South Korea along the 250 km demilitarized zone (DMZ), where Blighter radars have been deployed for some years. In March 2015, the AUDS team took part in multi-supplier French Government trials in Captieux, France, where its counter UAV system proved highly successful in detecting and neutralizing a variety of fixed and rotary wing micro, compact and standard UAVs. And last week, the system also performed well in UK Government sponsored counter UAV trials (known as Bristow 15) in West Freugh, Scotland.
The Stryker was also armed with an Orbital ATK XM813 30mm cannon using a Remote Weapon Station. The XM813 30 mm cannon is intended to replace the M242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain gun, and can be mounted on different types of combat vehicles.
The XM813 30mm automatic cannon will be used on the Stryker Dragoon, a M1126 Stryker Infantry carrier version fitted with an unmanned Kongsberg turret. In August 2017, U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment recently traveled from Germany to Aberdeen Proving Ground as part of a six-week test and training event on the new Stryker Dragoon.
Hanwha Defense from from South Korea with its Biho Hybrid air defense tracked armoured vehicle at White Sands Missile Range SHORAD demonstration.
South Korea has demonstrated its new M-SHORAD tracked armoured vehicle called Hybrid Biho, an upgraded version of the K30 Biho twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon was developed to meet the operational requirements of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces for a highly mobile short range air defense system.
The Hybrid Biho keeps the original 30mm twin-gun turret of original version of the Biho but fitted with four additional LIG MANPADS (MAN-Portable Air-Defense Systems), two launchers mounted on each side of the turret, armed with Chiron guided missiles.
The Chiron missile features an integral Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, full night and adverse weather capabilities, and a two-color infrared seeker to aid in negating countermeasures. It has a 7 km maximum target range and flies at a maximum altitude of 3.5 km and maximum speed of Mach 2.1.
