Archer Missile
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| Archer missile family | |
|---|---|
| File:Archer launch.jpg | |
| Type | Anti-aircraft and anti-missile missile family |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2000-Present |
| Used by |  Belfras |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | BAU Systems |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 340 kg (750 lb) with booster 110 kg (240 lb) without booster |
| Length | 4.9 m (16 ft) with booster 2.6 m (8.5 ft) without booster |
| Diameter | 0.25 m (9.8 in) with booster 0.2 m (7.9 in) without booster |
| Warhead | Directed Fragmentation |
| Warhead weight | 40 kg (88 lb) |
| Propellant | Sentennei Rocket Solid-fuel booster |
Operational range | 65 nmi (120 km) |
| Flight altitude | 20 km (66,000 ft) |
| Speed | +3,426 mph (5,514 km/h) (Mach 4.5+) |
Guidance system | Inertial/Platform Guidance w/ Terminal active/IIR seeker |
Launch platform | Vertical Launch System (VLS), Air-Launched (Block Four only) |
The Archer missile family is a group of vertically launched surface-to-air missiles. Introduced by BAU Systems in 2000 to replace the Mark 15 SAM system, the Archer famly have grown to be utilized by both the Royal Navy and the Belfrasian Army in an air defence capability. Initially having been designed as a single missile, a smaller variant was made for immediate area defence, allowing the default version to focus on a wider area of defence. The missile's size, maneuverability and speed allow it to intercept a wide array of air threats, such as the supersonic HS-91 Estrella and other anti-ship cruise missiles at both a very low altitude and a high speed along with fast, high performance attack aircraft.
The other missiles in the Archer family all share the same body, but either feature different sensor suites or different kinds of boosters. A point defence variant, for example, features a smaller booster and subsequently less launch weight and a faster acceleration to a slower top-speed for a quicker interception. One particular variant was made for a higher hit-to-kill capability and exo-atmospheric capability to intercept ballistic missiles. The latter version was met with questions as the original version has demonstrated itself as being capable of conducting anti-ballistic missile duties.
Design
The Archer is best described as an anti-missile missile, with it's accuracy to hit fast-moving, low-flying anti-shipping missiles being higher than any other defensive missile utilized by the Royal Navy to date. With a range of 120 km, it is capable of intercepting missiles at altitudes of 5 meters to 20 kilometers. It's target index is impressive, with it being able to target aircraft, UAVs, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and anti-shipping missiles at a wide range of altitudes and distances.
The weapon is capable of being both guided into the 'kill box' of it's target by its launching platform via software updates or allowed to operate autonomously, in which it will utilize sophisicated on-board software to predict target movement and intercept accordingly. When in communication with its launching platform, the missile is capable of tracking and engaging multiple targets should an earlier missile eliminate it's current target. With a high rate of fire and it's ability to engage multiple targets, the Archer was hailed by the Royal Naval Admiralty as the decisive anti-air and anti-missile missile of the decade.
The missile utilizes a first stage solid propellant booster which is jettisoned after usage following launch and prior to the mid-course phase. The booster motor weighs 340 kg and lasts for roughly 4 seconds prior to separation, allowing for the missile to gain top speed in a short length of time and to place the missile both on course and at speed to significantly increase fuel economy during it's flight. The missile, following booster separation, has a weight of 110 kg and is only 2.6 meters long. The weapon utilizes mid-course guidance through a miniature gyroscope and correction update data from it's launch platform. Prior to intercept, the missile utilizes a solid-propellant gas generator reaction-control-system (RCS) similar to that seen aboard space craft for fine tuning it's approach to the target.
As both missile and target approach each-other, the weapon's active radar seeker activates to allow for a finer angle of approach and to ensure that the missile is on a direct facing approach to the target. Once target lock-on and positioning has been confirmed, further power is applied to increase image resolution for a finer degree of approach and tracking. The on-board ECCM system for the seeker allows it to home in on jam and clutter suppression to allow it to counter spoof countermeasures by the target upon final approach. Once the target is within two meters of the missile, the warhead is detonated. The weapon is typically fitted with a 40kg directional blast warhead to direct both the fragments of the blast and debris from the missile toward the target.
Variants
- Archer Block Zero - Ship local and wide area defence
- Archer Block Zero-G- - Ground Local and wide area defence
- Archer Block One - Ship Point and local area defence
- Archer Block Two - Ship wide area defence capable against long-range ballistic missiles
- Archer Block Two-G - Ground based wide area defence capable against long-range ballistic missiles
- Archer Block Three - Multi-platform wide area defence against long-range ballistic missiles
- Archer Block Four - Booster-less Point and local area defence
- Archer Block Four-IR - Booster-less Infra-red Point and local area defence
- Archer Block Four-S - Submarine-launched encapsulated missile
- Archer Block Four-SIR - Submarine-launched encapsulated missile with Infra-red guidance.
- Archer Block Four-A - Booster-less Air-based anti-air missile
- Archer Block Four-AIR - Booster-less Infra-red Air-Based anti-air missile