I-Derby ER is an advanced air-to-air missile with a theoretical range of 100 km, with a version that can also be launched from the ground • The company has also unveiled its experimental set-up
Rafael Combat Systems today (Thursday) unveils the national test system and marks another milestone in the development of the I-Derby ER missile with an theoretical range of more than 100 km. In a series of development trials held in the south of the country, the company completed the development The ground version of the missile.
Raphael unveils for the first time an advanced missile and the national test array // Photo: Raphael
It should be noted that ranges of air-to-air missiles, as advertised by the manufacturers, usually refer to an optimal situation in which the two planes move towards each other (so that the missile has to travel only about half the distance specified in its range), and the missile launcher .
The practical range, for the most part, is considerably smaller.
Raphael explains that the series of experiments that took place in the field of experiments that seemed to be in the south of the country constituted a significant milestone in the development stages of the missile, which is the newest and most advanced of the Raphael electromagnetic air-to-air missiles.
In the experiment, a ground-to-air launch of the missile was performed for the purpose of summarizing the control and monitoring capabilities, navigation and flight path.
The I-Derby ER missile made by Rafael is, as mentioned, an air-to-air missile with a range of more than 100 km. It has a dual-pulse rocket engine and an active radar head, it has a "launch-and-forget" capability. Enabling capabilities for dealing with many goals simultaneously, and can be launched day or night, and in any weather condition.
Its light weight allows it to be adapted to a variety of modern fighter jets, such as the F-16, F-15, F-18, Griffon, LCA, Typhoon and more.
The ground version of the missile can be integrated almost immediately with SPYDER air defense batteries, also made by Rafael, which provide air protection for ranges between 20 and 60 km. The I-Derby ER missile launched from the ground doubles the range of the existing missile ( Without booster), and allows target interception within a range of up to about 40 km without booster (accelerator) and 80 km from the battery with booster.
I-Derby ER is a long-term derivative of the I-Derby missile, which is in operational use among several air forces around the world, and is part of Rafael's air-to-air missile family. This family also includes the family The Python missiles and the advanced missile in this series - Python-5, which is used by the Israeli Air Force.
At the same time, as part of the announcement of the series of experiments, Rafael reveals for the first time the national experimental system that it has been operating for several years, which includes the national experimental field in the south of the country - Shdema, the missile test unit in the country tender - NT, and advanced experimental deployment capabilities. Complex in the heart of the sea, which includes arrays of huge ships carrying the advanced systems, it should be noted that the national experimental system led by Raphael provides some of the most advanced and sophisticated performance research capabilities in the world and is unique in the State of Israel.
Brigadier General (Res.) Pini Jungman, Head of the Company's Air Defense Systems Division: "Raphael has been the national home of air-to-air missiles since the beginning of the State of Israel when we developed the first Israeli air-to-air missile - the Shafrir.
Since then, Rafael has excelled in the development of air-to-air missiles of various types, which are in operational use in the IDF and many air nausea around the world. This week we completed a series of development experiments for the I-Derby missile in its newest version - (ER). ) Of over 100 km.
Jungman added that "this is a key milestone in the development of a missile with highly advanced capabilities that give it significant interception benefits in air-to-air battles, as well as ground-to-ground firing. The advanced missile confers significant air superiority on the fighter pilot or air defense commander who will use it."