Vaccari Passero

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Vaccari Passero
Falco-C
Antigel Sokol.jpg
TypeSurface-to-air missile
Place of origin Luminerra
Service history
In service1958 - 1986
Used byLumenic Air Force
Production history
Designed1958
ManufacturerVaccari
Unit costbetween
Produced1958 - 1972
VariantsVaccari Corvo
Specifications
Weightmissile: 400 kg (880 lbs)
Length6 m (19.8 ft)
Diameter40 cm (15.7 in)
Warhead40kg warhead

Wingspan134 cm (53 in)
Operational
range
30,000 m (18.6 mi)
Flight ceiling9,000 m (29,930 ft)
SpeedMach 2.4 (800m/s)
Guidance
system
Beam riding

The Vaccari Passero, sometimes referred to as the Falco-C, is a surface to air missile system developed by Vaccari of Luminerra for the Lumenic Air Force and the international commercial market. It is a development of the earlier Vaccari Falco missile and served as the backbone of the Air Force's air defense's into the 1980's when it was replaced fully by the Vaccari Corvo.

History and design

The Vaccari Passero was a liquid-fueled rocket-powered missile, guided to its target by riding a radar beam. The missile body was made of wrapped tubing and sheet with Araldite bonding while the wings were of sandwich construction.

Targeting was by search radar and beam transmitter with targets tracked by a search radar until a beam riding transmitter locked on, at which point the missile could be fired, riding the beam until impact, proximity fuse or radio signal detonation. Launchers, slaved to the beam transmitter could launch missiles at any angle form 10° to 90° at a sustained rate of fire of up to two launches per minute. Control of the missiles was by vectoring rocket motor combustion chamber at launch and controllable rear fins at higher speeds. The complete system included a battery command post, target tracking radar, guidance beam transmitter and six twin railed trainable launchers and four diesel generator units. The components were carried on single-axle trailers apart from the diesel generators that were built on two-axle trailers. The entire system, including the launchers, was readily transportable to new locations with mobility claimed to be similar to that of a heavy anti-aircraft gun system.

Operators

Former