Polish state defense firm Pit-Radwar has unveiled a 35mm cannon-based very short-range air defense system featuring programmable airburst ammunition.
Called the SA-35MM, the system’s projectile is inductively programmed to timely disintegrate for maximum effect.
Its condensed explosion enables the reduction of munition spent on interception, particularly of small targets such as drones.
Compared to 24 regular TP-T/FAPDS-T projectiles needed to down a drone with a strike rate of 99 percent, only 7 airburst rounds are required with the programmable ammunition for a hit probability of 97 percent, Polish outlet Defence24 wrote, citing test data.
The cannon has a rate of fire of 550 rounds per minute and a magazine depth of 2 times 100 rounds.
Apart from drones, it can engage winged and rotary aircraft and cruise missiles.
SA-35MM
The system is designed to fit into Poland’s evolving air defense architecture, also featuring the Patriot.
It combines the AS-35 automatic wheeled cannon chassis with the ZGS-35 optoelectronic target tracking system, a hybrid fire control system with Tuga radar and optoelectronic sensors, as well as a highly mobile third-generation 6×6 Jelcz truck.
The radar operates on “frequency modulated continuous waveform,” which has a low powered transmission signal. It makes detecting the radar difficult for enemy reconnaissance.
According to Defence24, the radar’s detection range is 50 meters (164 feet) to 50 kilometers (31 miles).