Swedish defense firm Saab has announced the first live firing of its Mobile Short-Range Air Defence (MSHORAD).
Witnessed by representatives from various national delegations, the air defense system was able to identify, track, and engage several targets.
According to the company, a total of five firings were performed: two from a mobile firing unit on a MARS S330 vehicle and three from man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).
The missiles neutralized a drone and an elevated helicopter airframe during the test.
Saab also tested the system at night against a towed target.
“These successful firings proves that we have a fully operable mobile air defense solution,” company official Stefan Öberg said. “These firings highlight the value of a single supplier being able to deliver everything from radar to the firing unit.”
The MSHORAD System
A “compact” air defense solution, MSHORAD is Saab’s response to the new battlefield of more sophisticated airborne threats.
It is a vehicle-integrated solution that can identify, counter, and neutralize air-based threats “quickly, effectively, and decisively.”
The system comprises a Giraffe 1X multi-mission 3D radar and a mobile firing unit equipped with RBS 70 NG short-range missiles.
The laser-guided, unjammable missiles have automatic target tracking and are difficult to intercept.
The MSHORAD features a modular design that allows for easy installation on any vehicle platform, making it a highly-mobile system.