What do you think of the SAAB RBS 70?

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Member for

14 years 9 months

Posts: 421

As Finland has now ordered the RBS 70 Air Defence Missile that takes the number of users to 23 from 18 Countries. Is this missile much better than the other missiles on offer? e.g. starstreak, etc

This is what the story says about the missile system.
RBS 70 is a complete missile system with the potential for being integrated with most wheeled and tracked vehicles.
The 4th generation of the RBS 70 system has non-cooled laser transmitter minimising reaction times and logistic support. The 4th generation system incorporates the BOLIDE all-target missile, BORC clip-on thermal imager, a digital IFF Interrogator, a PC-based training simulator and an external power supply for training.
Because of its long intercept range in the head-on sector 8 km, RBS 70 really belongs to a class other than the VSHORAD.
RBS 70 is currently operational or procured by 23 users, in 18 countries, on all continents and used in arctic, desert as well as tropical environments. It is, in addition to Army users, also operational with other services such as Air Force, Navy and Marines. More than 16,000 missiles in four generations have been produced.

Where it says that RBS 70 really belongs to a class other than VSHORAD. Do people think this is the case. I presume it has a much longer range than other VSHORAD's? It looks like a good system if a little on the large size.
Does Sweeden or Finland operate any other SAM systems to complement the RBS 70?

Link to the story from Defence-Aerospace.com
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?prod=111718&shop=dae&modele=release

Original post

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 4,674

The major characteristic is certainly laser beam-rider targeting. Is that a good thing? Yes and no. Harder to jam, more options when integrated in an air defence network, but more demanding on the operator. In contrast to Stinger and kin, which are built for the neolithic operator, this requires some talent and proper training but is probably more deadly then.

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 244

It is also a heavier weapon system when compared to Stinger or Igla, but as far as I know, for the weight class, it is the one with the longest range missile. Another benefit is that it can have limited use against ground targets.

Too bad they can't make a dual guidance version, IR and Laser.

-----JT-----

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 4,674

Finland signed up for the 300 land-based version of AMRAAM, aka NASAMS II (mounted on SISU 8x8 trucks), to replace their SA-11. Delivery from this year to 2014.

Sweden still has a iHAWK version (called RBS97), but it's in its last years.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 295

Dear Member,

Back in the 1980s I wrote one of the first articles on the RBS-70 in the US. Below is a link to page where I posted some of the photos and the over view manual of the RBS-70 which I think you will find of interest. Finally, Iran has the RBS-70 which they obtained during the Iran-Iraq War. It is one of the enduring mysteries of how they did.

Jack E. Hammond

http://www.armyrecognition.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=457&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 4,674

Dear Member,

Back in the 1980s I wrote one of the first articles on the RBS-70 in the US. Below is a link to page where I posted some of the photos and the over view manual of the RBS-70 which I think you will find of interest. Finally, Iran has the RBS-70 which they obtained during the Iran-Iraq War. It is one of the enduring mysteries of how they did.

Jack E. Hammond

http://www.armyrecognition.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=457&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

I like that lifting platform! :D

Member for

17 years 7 months

Posts: 4,951

Dear Member,

Back in the 1980s I wrote one of the first articles on the RBS-70 in the US. Below is a link to page where I posted some of the photos and the over view manual of the RBS-70 which I think you will find of interest. Finally, Iran has the RBS-70 which they obtained during the Iran-Iraq War. It is one of the enduring mysteries of how they did.

Jack E. Hammond

http://www.armyrecognition.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=457&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

Very nice. Thanks for the link and information.

Anyone know if the rbs 70 has actually been used in combat?

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 295

Very nice. Thanks for the link and information.

Anyone know if the rbs 70 has actually been used in combat?

Dear Member,

Rumors only. In the Iran-Iraq War by Iran and by the Pakistanis in that attempt to move the truce line in Kashmir a while back. But since Venezuela has the RBS-70 and is trying to goad someone into a conflict with Columbia, I would bet soon it will not just be rumors. Venezuela has already supplied Swedish AT4s to some bad guys fighting Columbia (that is if the Columbians did not forge the lot numbers and Saab did not lie about the lot numbers, which is what I will bet Chevaz will claim).

Jack E. Hammond

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